The application period for the EFSI Skills and Education Guarantee Pilot has closed. We are updating the list of selected financial intermediaries on an ongoing basis.

The Skills & Education Guarantee Pilot (S&E Pilot) is a new debt financing initiative dedicated to stimulating investments in education, training and skills – as part of the solution to get more people into jobs and to better respond to the European economy’s changing needs.

Investments in skills contribute to growth, competitiveness and social convergence, while addressing the challenges linked to digital transformations and the transition to a carbon-free economy.

How does it work?

The EIF provides a free-of-charge first-loss capped guarantee (or counter-guarantee) to selected financial intermediaries building up new portfolios of debt financing dedicated to eligible groups of final beneficiaries as outlined below. This effectively means that the eligible final beneficiaries will be able to access debt financing in various forms (e.g. loans, deferred payments, income linked loans, etc.) through dedicated financial intermediaries (e.g. financing institutions, universities, vocational training centres, etc.) and such debt financing will be guaranteed by the EU. Thanks to the guarantee, final beneficiaries will be able to access finance easier and at better terms.

The EIF implements the S&E Pilot on behalf of the European Commission and thus, the initiative benefits from the EU’s budget support under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

Who can benefit?

The S&E Guarantee Pilot aims to support the following final beneficiaries- via the selected financial intermediaries:

Individuals (students and learners) - who want to continue studying and upgrading their skills through academia, vocational training, lifelong learning and other forms of education. The S&E Pilot will also support the mobility of students and learners pursuing educational programmes in a different Member State other than the one of the residency of the individual.

European enterprises – that contribute to, and facilitate such skills transformation efforts by investing in improving the skills set and skills utilisation of their workforce; thus helping to increase the company’s competiveness and productivity, whilst preserving jobs.

European organisations – that are active in the field of skills, training and education or developing projects in the education field with the objective of significantly improving the ecosystem of the supply of education, training and skills-related services. Kindergartens, nursery schools, early childhood services, and similar organisations are also included in this category.

Financial intermediaries - Apply here

The EIF will select financial intermediaries following a call for expression of interest, which is published below. After applying, you will have to be pre-selected before the EIF starts a full due diligence process and brings the proposal further in the approval process.

Please download the specific calls below and apply by submitting your expression of interest to the EIF by 31.10.2020.