Comenius

Comenius aims to boost the quality of school education, strengthen its European dimension and promote mobility, language learning and greater inclusion through exchanges and cooperation between schools in different countries. It is open to all active members of the school education community.

Comenius provides funding for project-based partnerships, in-service opportunities for education staff and the opportunity to host assistants for all levels of school and further education; assistantships are also available for higher education students across Europe.

To find out more about the different activities and how to apply please visit the Comenius website »

Comenius provides opportunities for:

• Schools
• Colleges of Further Education
• Local Education Authorities
• Trainee teachers and intending teachers
• Educational advisers and inspectors
• Other staff working in school education who are not qualified teachers
• Teacher trainers and school education specialists
• Adult educators.

If you work in a nursery, primary or secondary school, in a sixth form, a further education college or in a local education authority, you can benefit from opportunities offered through Comenius.

There are many ways to get involved: 

• Schools can develop sustainable partnerships with schools and colleges in other European countries and then work together on cross-curricular projects.
• Local education authorities in the UK can form strategic partnerships with education authorities in other European countries.
• Teachers and non-teaching staff can participate in courses, conferences and job shadowing in other European countries.
• UK schools and colleges can host a trainee teacher from another European country, who works across the curriculum.
• Schools and colleges can use eTwinning to find a partner in another part of Europe and become part of an online community. 

To get you started, we provide information days, application surgeries and partner-finding help.

First Steps gives advice on partner-finding and the work you can usefully undertake before submitting a funding application.

In January and February the British Council hold Comenius application surgeries all over the UK. At a surgery you receive feedback on your application. Because these events are held before the application deadlines, it gives you time to take any suggestions for improvement on board. If it's difficult for you to attend a surgery in your region, we can arrange to give you application feedback by email or over the phone.

The Call for Proposals is published each year by the European Commission. It provides detailed background on the Lifelong Learning Programme.