The European Social Fund (ESF) is a financial instrument that helps people find better jobs and aims to ensure fairer job opportunities.

The ESF funds tens of thousands of local, regional and national employment-related projects throughout Europe and there is a wide variety in the nature, size and aims of ESF projects. They also work with a wide variety of target groups. There are projects aimed at education systems, teachers and schoolchildren; at young and older job-seekers; and at potential entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.

The Fund’s resources are managed by designated national authorities in each European Union (EU) country. Decisions on which funding applications are successful are therefore taken at a national or regional level.

For more information on how ESF funding works, consult the ESF website. For more information on how to apply for ESF in your country, please contact the local managing authority.

These websites are available in all official EU languages