Erasmus+ is a European Union framework programme which provides service in the fields of education, training, youth and sport. It also comprises mobility for higher education students and staff. This qualitative study examines Istanbul University HAYEF ELT students’ Erasmus experiences. It aims to investigate the contribution of the programme and the challenges students encounter as an Erasmus student. The results reveal that the programme contributes to the students’ cultural accumulation, language acquisition, and academic, social, personal and career development. The students have the greatest difficulty in the pre-Erasmus period. Paper work is the most challenging issue for the students in this period. On the other hand, the main problem students encounter during the Erasmus programme is communicating and socialising. After the Erasmus, the majority of the students suffer what can be referred to as “the post-Erasmus syndrome”.