4. Eligibility
This section includes all the information on eligible organisations, mobilities, durations, participants and costs for the Higher Education sector. Information about other sectors can be found in the relevant sector’s Pathway 1 Guide.
4.1. Project duration
The duration for Pathway 1 2026 projects is 12 months. This is the final year of Taith funding so all projects must be complete by 31 August 2027. Please make sure you are able to complete your planned activities within this timescale.
Please ensure you understand the visa requirements of the country(ies) to which you plan to send your participants and allow sufficient time for the visa application process (where relevant).
Taith is unable to provide advice on visas or provide support with visa applications.
4.2. Eligible organisations
An organisation can apply only once per sector for each Pathway funding call. You should ensure that multiple applications to the same Pathway funding call are not submitted by different parties in the same organisation. Organisations which work across more than one sector can submit one application per sector if they meet the eligibility criteria for those sectors.
Individual participants are not eligible to apply directly to Taith.
4.2.1 Organisations who can apply for Taith (Higher Education sector):
Any institution that meets the definition of an institution within the higher education sector under section 91(5) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (“the 1992 Act”) as it applies to Wales. At the time of publication of this information, institutions within this definition are:
- universities receiving financial support under section 65 of the 1992 Act
- universities that are regulated institutions, as defined in section 91(5A) of the 1992 Act
- institutions in Wales conducted by higher education corporations
- designated institutions for the purposes of Part II of the 1992 Act (as defined in section 72(3) of the 1992 Act)
We’re always happy to help advise if you would be eligible for funding. If you’re not sure and you want to check your sector eligibility, please contact us enquiries@taith.wales
4.2.2 International organisations your project can partner with:
Your organisation can generally send participants to the following international organisations outside of the UK and the Crown Dependencies:
- any public or private organisation delivering higher education, recognised and regulated by competent authorities of the country within which the provider is operating and incorporated and/or domiciled
- any public or private organisation operating in the fields of education, training and higher learning
Orphanages are not eligible international partner organisations.
4.3. Eligible mobilities, participants, and the funding we can provide
If your organisation is eligible to receive funding, then it’s important that you check that the people you want to send on a mobility are also eligible. There are different requirements for different mobilities so please check the relevant options available. The participant eligibility details assume your organisation is eligible to receive funding within this sector. If you are unsure whether your organisation or participants are eligible, please contact us at enquiries@taith.wales. At least 25% of learners or young people taking part in the planned project must be from underrepresented groups and you will be expected to demonstrate that you will meet this target within your application.
If learners or young people aren’t participating in the project, you will need to explain why this is not possible and how your proposed project will create immediate and lasting benefits for learners or young people, in particular those from underrepresented groups.
Applying organisations must have tuition fee waivers in place for outward and inward credit-bearing mobilities, where participants would otherwise be liable to pay tuition fees. This is not a requirement for non-credit bearing activities or credit-bearing summer schools.
Participants can be in receipt of multiple sources of funds to support their mobility, however, if any of those are deemed as public funds and the intent is to use them to cover the same mobility costs that would also be covered by Taith (such as travel, subsistence and eligible additional costs), this would be defined as double funding and must be avoided, where possible.
It is possible for an individual to undergo multiple mobilities (e.g. a 6-month individual mobility in Spain, followed directly by a 6-month mobility in France), for year-long placements. Participants are however limited to a maximum of 12 months’ participation for each distinct study programme leading to a recognised qualification/degree.
In the case of long term mobilities, the mobility period is calculated from the first day that the learning exchange activity takes place and the end date is the last date of the learning exchange activity. If the mobility period includes long breaks like summer or winter holidays when there is no provision for students at the host institution, those days will be considered as non-funded days. This does not apply to weekends or public holidays that interrupt the mobility period.
Participants must be enrolled at a Welsh campus to be considered eligible for Taith funding, including those cases where Welsh HEIs have campuses outside Wales (UK or international).
Student finance
Travel
Where a participant is eligible for a travel grant from the Student Loans Company (SLC), Taith funding for travel should always be utilised first. Participants can apply to the SLC for eligible additional costs that have not been covered by Taith funding, such as travel between their accommodation and placement/institution whilst abroad, or additional return journeys.
Additional funding for Disabled participants and/or additional learning needs
Where a participant is eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) through the Student Loans Company additional funding required to support their participation in Taith should first be sought through this route. To allow sufficient time for any DSA claims to be processed, grant recipient organisations must ensure that they inform participants as soon as possible that their mobility is taking place and should provide sufficient support/signposting to the relevant institutional team to enable them to progress the claim. Information on student finance products available to students from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland can be accessed on each student finance body’s website.
Where DSA does not cover the required additional funding to support a participant to access a Taith opportunity, the grant recipient organisation can apply to Taith for additional funding to cover these costs. Further information on additional funding for Disabled participants and/or additional learning needs can be found in Annex 1.
Grant rates and eligible cost can be found in section 5.
Please note that Taith funding is a contribution towards the costs associated with going on an international learning exchange.
4.3.1 Learner Activities
Group Mobilities
Minimum 12 days – maximum 4 weeks (travel days cannot contribute towards the minimum duration of the mobility).A group mobility is an opportunity for groups of at least 3 students to experience an international learning exchange, accompanied by staff who can support them and guide the learning experience. Lecturers or other qualified staff from the HEI must accompany the students for the entire duration of the activity. If needed, other adults may also act as accompanying persons to support the accompanying lecturers. Activities must have clearly defined learning outcomes and should be centred around the experiences, knowledge and skills of the academic curriculum. Learning can be formal or informal but must involve exchange and collaboration with peers from an international partner HEI or organisation, enabling students to develop skills, competencies, intercultural awareness and understanding.
Mobilities which do not involve exchange with peers from another country/ies are not eligible for funding.
Eligible costs
Funding available from Pathway 1 (Learners and accompanying persons):
Detailed information on eligible costs and grant rates can be found in section 5.
- a subsistence grant (for accommodation, food and any other costs when you are at your international destination)
- a travel grant
- 100% of actual costs for additional travel related costs for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds (you can apply for this once your project has started)
- 100% of actual identified inclusion costs for Disabled people and people with additional learning needs (you can apply for this once your project has started)
- organisational support grant for each outward (and inward) participant
For students from disadvantaged backgrounds:
- an additional 50% top-up to the subsistence grant
- an additional 50% top-up to the travel grant for destinations beyond 4,000km
Eligible participants
Learners:
• all students registered in a HEI and enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate taught programme leading to a recognised degree
• all students enrolled on Foundation Degree, Higher National Diploma (HND) or Certificate of Higher Education course.
A group mobility should consist of at least 3 learners.
Accompanying persons:
Staff employed by the HEI – teaching or non-teaching. If needed, other adults approved by the HEI may also act as accompanying persons to support the accompanying staff.
4.3.2 Staff Activities:
All staff mobilities should create immediate and lasting benefits for learners, particularly those from underrepresented groups. You are expected to provide details on how this will be achieved under ‘Objective 1- Ensure Exchanges Provide the Greatest Impact’ of the Pathway 1 assessment criteria.
Job Shadowing and Placements
A minimum of 2 days – a maximum of 8 weeks.Teaching placements for academic staff in any study field to teach and collaborate at a partner institution abroad. Academic teaching placements may also involve the providing of training for the development of the partner institution in a particular field.
Job shadowing will involve mobility opportunities for academic or professional services staff to undergo a job shadowing mobility, facilitating best practice, knowledge exchange, career development and continued professional development.
Placements and job shadowing may be combined during a single period abroad.
Eligible costs
Funding available from Pathway 1 (Staff):
Detailed information on eligible costs and grant rates can be found in section 5.
- a subsistence grant (for accommodation, food and any other costs when you are at your international destination)
- a travel grant
- 100% of actual costs for additional travel related costs for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds (this can be applied for once your project has started)
- 100% of actual identified inclusion costs for Disabled people and people with additional learning needs (this can be applied for once your project has started)
- organisational support grant for each outward (and inward) participant
Eligible participants
For academic teaching placements:
All staff with an active teaching or teaching & research contract (fixed term or open-ended) with the applying HEI.
For job shadowing:
All staff with an active contract of employment (fixed term or open-ended) with the applying HEI.
4.3.3 Preparatory visits and Inward mobilities
When submitting a project application, you can include both preparatory visits and inward mobilities as part of your plan.
Preparatory visits give you the opportunity to visit new or existing international partners. These visits help you to support planned or ongoing Taith mobilities listed within this application.
Inward mobilities allow you to host your international partners in Wales, giving them a chance to experience your learning environment and further strengthen collaboration.
Preparatory visits
A minimum 2 days – maximum 7 days.Visits to new or existing international partners to support planned or ongoing Taith mobilities within the same application. Each preparatory visit must have a clear rationale and must serve to improve inclusiveness, scope and quality of mobility activities. For example, preparatory visits can be organised to help prepare for the mobility of participants with additional needs, to start working with a new partner organisation or to prepare mobilities for a longer duration. They can also be organised to provide support for learners on longer term individual mobilities. Preparatory visits can be organised in preparation for any type of learner mobility, and for staff mobilities where there is a clear rationale. The preparatory visit must be completed before the learner or staff mobilities it is related to takes place. The only exception would be for pastoral support visits to long term individual learner mobilities.
Taith will fund up to a maximum of three preparatory visits per application and up to a maximum of two participants per visit. In exceptional circumstances, applying organisations may request more than two participants per visit where clear rationale and justification is provided.
The activity that the preparatory visit(s) is intended to support must also be included within the application.
Eligible costs
Funding available from Pathway 1 (Staff):
Detailed information on grant rates and eligible costs can be found in section 5.
- a subsistence grant (for accommodation, food and any other costs when you are at your international destination)
- a travel grant
- 100% of actual costs for additional travel related costs for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds (this can be applied for once your project has started)
- 100% of actual identified inclusion costs for Disabled people and people with additional learning needs (this can be applied for once your project has started)
This activity will not generate organisational support payments.
Eligible participants
- All staff with an active contract of employment (fixed term or open-ended) with the applying organisation.