Most coordinators who ask this question are already cutting it close. The KA122 form isn’t technically difficult, but the sections assessors actually score need evidence and conversations with hosting partners that take weeks to gather. You can’t invent that the night before a deadline.

Why coordinators underestimate the time

Organisations that start when the call opens have 3 to 4 months. Those that start when the deadline is announced have 6 to 8 weeks. That gap shows up directly in evaluation scores. The form looks manageable until you realise the Background section needs real survey data, the objectives need to connect to that data, and the follow-up section needs named people, dates, and institutional processes. None of it can be sketched in retrospect.

The Honest Answer: 8 to 16 Weeks

Eight weeks is the minimum for a first-time applicant starting from scratch: no needs analysis done, no hosting partner confirmed, no OID registered. Sixteen weeks is what coordinators with staff selection, preparation visits, or participants with fewer opportunities actually need.

Here’s what a workable schedule looks like, working backwards from your submission deadline:

• 12 or more weeks out: Run your needs analysis, check your OID, contact potential hosting partners.
• 8-10 weeks out: Hosting partner confirmed, first draft of objectives written.
• 6 weeks out: Full narrative drafted, budget complete.
• 3 weeks out: Internal review done, checked against award criteria.
• 1 week out: Form validated, portal tested, all text frozen.
• 72 hours before: Submit. Save your confirmation.

National Agency portals go down on deadline day more often than you’d think. Submit early. There are no exceptions for late submissions.

Where the Time Actually Goes

The administrative sections (applicant details, activities table, budget) take a day once you have the information. The problem is getting the information. Here’s where coordinators actually lose time.

Needs analysis: 2-3 weeks

The Background section demands concrete examples. “Our teachers need development” won’t score. “Our staff survey found 71% of teachers felt underprepared to deliver digital literacy topics” will. That number doesn’t exist until you run the survey, which means running the survey before you open the form.

Confirming a hosting partner: 2-4 weeks

A named, confirmed host scores better than a planned one. You need time for them to respond, for you to review their offer, and for a draft Mobility Agreement to be exchanged before submission. IBD Partnership has worked through this process with coordinators since 2005 and can turn around a draft agreement quickly, but you still need to allow time for the back-and-forth.

Writing objectives: 1-2 weeks

Each objective needs a title, an explanation tying it to your needs analysis, and a specific method for measuring success. Two well-evidenced objectives take longer to write than five vague ones, and they score significantly better. Plan a week for the first draft and another week for revision after someone else has read it.

Internal review: 1 week

Get someone who didn’t write the application to read the objectives and follow-up sections three weeks before your submission date. If they can’t explain what the project achieves and how it’ll be measured, assessors won’t be able to either.

The project summary gets published by the European Commission if your application is funded. Write it last. It should be a compressed version of what you’ve already written, not a first attempt at explaining the project.

What to Do Before You Open the Form

Register your OID

You need an EU Login account and an Organisation ID through the Erasmus+ Organisation Registration System before you can submit anything. If you have one from a previous project, verify it’s current. Outdated records cause submission failures. First-time registration takes up to two weeks, so don’t leave it until the week of the deadline.

Confirm your hosting organisation

For UK projects, this means agreeing on sectors, duration, accommodation, and the programme of activities with a receiving organisation. IBD Partnership can provide Mobility Agreement documentation for your application. The earlier you get in touch, the more time there is to get it right.

Check your participation limit

Within any five consecutive call years, schools and VET organisations can receive a maximum of three KA122 grants in the same field. Check your past participation record in your OID profile before you commit time to an application you’re not eligible to submit.

What Happens After You Submit

Results take 3 to 5 months from the deadline, depending on your National Agency. The process runs: eligibility check (1-2 months), then quality assessment by independent experts (2-3 months), then notification. Fast-processing agencies average 2 to 3 months; others run to 4 or more. Check your National Agency’s published timeline before planning your project calendar.

Once approved, the grant agreement arrives from your National Agency. Pre-financing, covering 70 to 80% of the total grant, is paid within 30 days of signing. Your project’s official start date sits 3 to 6 months after the application deadline, so factor that into your mobility planning from the start.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does an Erasmus+ KA1 application take to complete?

Between 8 and 16 weeks, depending on what’s already in place. The administrative sections take one to two days. The scored sections (needs analysis, objectives, follow-up) need weeks of preparation before you open the form. Starting 12 weeks out gives you enough time to do it properly.

How long before the deadline should I start?

Twelve weeks is the sensible minimum for a first-time applicant. Experienced coordinators with existing partnerships and a current needs analysis can move in 8 weeks, but that leaves no room for revision. Starting earlier consistently produces higher evaluation scores.

When do KA1 results come out?

Between 3 and 5 months after the application deadline, depending on your National Agency. Check your National Agency’s website for the published results timeline for the current call year.

How long does it take to receive funding after approval?

Pre-financing, covering 70 to 80% of the total grant, is paid within 30 days of signing the grant agreement. The remainder is paid after project completion and successful final reporting.

What if I don’t have enough time to complete a strong application this round?

It’s worth being honest about this. A weak application wastes time and counts toward your participation limit. If you don’t have a confirmed hosting partner and a completed needs analysis, consider waiting for the next call and using the extra time to prepare properly. Contact your National Agency for advice on which round suits your timeline.

IBD Partnership Group has been delivering Erasmus+ mobility projects since 2005, supporting more than 50,000 participants across the UK and Europe. If you’re planning a UK placement project and want to start the hosting partner conversation early, get in touch with our team.