The UK will rejoin the Erasmus student
exchange scheme in 2027, restoring EU study mobility after Brexit and letting
students study abroad fee-free..!
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — The UK
government has confirmed it will rejoin the Erasmus+ student exchange programme
from the 2027–28 academic year, ending a six-year absence following the
country’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The agreement allows UK students to
study at European universities for part of their degree without paying additional
tuition fees, while European students will be able to study in the UK under the
same terms.
Rejoining the Erasmus+ programme
Under the agreement, the UK will
participate in the expanded Erasmus+ scheme from 2027. The government said the
UK will contribute £570 million for participation, a figure it described as a
negotiated reduction of around 30% on the standard fee calculated under EU
rules.
The programme will initially apply to
the 2027–28 academic year. Any continuation beyond that period will require
further negotiations and agreement between the UK and the European Union.
Erasmus+ supports study, training, and
educational exchanges across Europe and partner countries, offering grants to
help cover living and travel costs.
Significance for students and
universities
The return to Erasmus+ marks a
significant policy shift after the UK left the scheme in December 2020 as part
of its post-Brexit arrangements.
UK students will again be able to
undertake year-long or semester-long placements at European institutions while
paying fees only to their home universities. European students will similarly
gain access to UK institutions under the programme.
The government estimates that more than
100,000 people across higher education, further education, schools, and adult
learning in the UK could benefit from the renewed participation.
Universities and sector groups have
previously argued that Erasmus participation supports academic collaboration,
student mobility, and institutional finances.
Background to the withdrawal and
replacement scheme
The UK exited Erasmus following the
Brexit trade agreement negotiated under former prime minister Boris Johnson,
with the government at the time arguing the scheme did not offer value for
money.
Official figures show that in 2020, the
final year of UK participation, more EU students came to the UK under Erasmus
than UK students went abroad. That year, the scheme received €144 million in EU
funding and supported around 55,700 participants linked to UK projects.
The UK sent approximately 9,900 students
and trainees overseas, while around 16,100 participants travelled to the UK.
In 2021, the government introduced the
Turing Scheme, a global mobility programme named after mathematician Alan
Turing. The scheme received £105 million in funding in the most recent academic
year and supported more than 43,000 placements.
Ministers said the Turing Scheme was
designed to widen access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and
support placements beyond Europe.
Political reactions and responses
The announcement has prompted mixed
political reactions.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the government’s
minister responsible for EU relations, said the agreement demonstrated that a
new partnership with the EU was delivering practical outcomes. He said the
focus was on skills, academic opportunity, and future economic benefit.
Opposition figures criticised the move.
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel described the decision as a
betrayal of Brexit, arguing it undermined the 2016 referendum result and
imposed unnecessary costs on taxpayers.
Shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart
said the Erasmus scheme was more expensive than the Turing Scheme and
questioned what the UK had gained in return.
The Liberal Democrats welcomed the
announcement, calling it a step toward rebuilding relations with the EU and
improving opportunities for young people.
Student perspectives and what happens
next
Student representatives and individuals
studying abroad have broadly welcomed the decision.
The National Union of Students said many
students had campaigned for years to rejoin Erasmus, arguing the scheme offered
more predictable funding and simpler administration than the Turing Scheme.
Some students currently studying in
Europe said access to Erasmus funding would have reduced financial uncertainty
and administrative complexity during their placements.
The government has confirmed that the
Turing Scheme will continue alongside Erasmus participation, though details on
how the two programmes will operate together have not yet been published.
Further negotiations with the EU are
expected ahead of 2027 to finalise operational details, with officials noting
that the arrangement applies only to the first academic year unless extended.
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Editorial Credits
Author: Liam O’Connor, UK Bureau Chief
Editor-in-Chief: Maria PerezPhoto Credit: Licensed image /
Creative Commons