The United Kingdom and the European Union have finalised an agreement allowing Britain to participate in the bloc’s Erasmus+ student exchange scheme.
More than 100,000 people are expected to benefit once they become eligible on January 1, 2027, the British government said. The deal currently covers one year; the UK will contribute £570 million (€655 million, $774 million) towards the scheme’s 2027 costs.
What is Erasmus?
Erasmus is the EU’s flagship student exchange programme, enabling people to study, train, gain work experience, undertake apprenticeships or take part in sport across much of Europe for up to a year. Launched in 1987 with university exchanges, it now covers school exchanges and a wide range of training activities. Participants are not charged tuition at their host institution and continue to pay fees to their home institution.
The scheme includes all 27 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Turkey and North Macedonia. More than 1.4 million people trained, worked or volunteered in eligible countries in 2024, the latest year for which figures are available.
Why did Britain leave Erasmus?
After Brexit, which formally took effect in January 2020, the EU offered the UK the option to remain in Erasmus for a fee. The government under then-prime minister Boris Johnson declined, saying the scheme was too costly and that the UK was a net recipient of students—more EU nationals came to the UK than British students went abroad. The UK officially left Erasmus in January 2021.
Why is Britain returning?
The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pursued a closer, “reset” relationship with the EU. In December 2025 the UK announced it would rejoin Erasmus. UK skills minister Jacqui Smith said Erasmus+ “offers transformative opportunities to enhance young people’s life chances,” noting benefits from language learning to confidence and work experience. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe and the UK have long enjoyed mutually beneficial educational ties and that strengthening those ties makes sense for students, teachers, educational systems, economies and societies. Non-EU member Switzerland will also join the Erasmus scheme.
Edited by: Sean Sinico