Young people across the UK will be able to study or gain work experience through the EU’s Erasmus scheme for the first time since Brexit, after the government announced an agreement to rejoin at a cost of £570m.
The scheme, known officially as Erasmus+, will be reopened to those involved in education, training, culture and sport from 2027, after discussions in London and Brussels to fulfil a Labour election manifesto pledge.
The UK government said up to 100,000 people of all ages could benefit in the first year, and that Erasmus membership would “create educational and training opportunities for British apprentices, further education students and adult learners, as well as those in higher education”.
Jacqui Smith, the skills minister, said she was “absolutely delighted”, adding: “The chances this opens for many young people makes this a very, very good day, and it demonstrates the benefits to the UK people of the government’s commitment to its reset with the EU.”
Smith said the £570m was a new funding commitment from the Treasury, in addition to the Department for Education’s existing budget. The figure includes a 30% discount negotiated with the EU to reflect the UK’s popularity as a destination.
“The discount is what enables us to say that, unlike our previous membership of Erasmus, we’re getting a fairer deal. What we are getting for UK learners is more balanced with what the EU gets, in terms of their ability to come to the UK,” she said.
Smith said she would stress that Erasmus+ was not just for university students: “I’m going to keep talking about the fact that it is for apprentices and FE [further education] and youth groups and adult learners as well.”
David Hughes, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said the announcement was “brilliant news” for staff and students of all ages in further education colleges.
He added: “For students, it widens their perspective on the world, opening their eyes to different cultures and different ways of life, and for staff, the opportunity to learn from other countries on how they deliver technical education and skills is invaluable.”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the government’s EU relations minister, reached the agreement after talks with his EU counterpart, Maroš Šefčovič , as part of Keir Starmer’s “reset” in relations with the EU.
In a joint statement, they said: “The United Kingdom association to Erasmus+ in 2027 would offer significant opportunities across the education, training, sport and youth sectors for individuals in the United Kingdom and the European Union, particularly for those in the younger generation.
“The European Commission and the United Kingdom look forward to these opportunities becoming available. They are pleased that the specific terms of this association, including mutually agreed financial terms, represent a fair balance between the UK’s contributions and the benefits the programme offers and pave the way for United Kingdom participation in the programme in 2027.”
Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, accused the government of “throwing billions of pounds of hard-earned taxpayers’ money on rejoining Erasmus, instead of taking advantage of our Brexit freedoms to support trade with the rest of the world, boost investment and drive economic growth”.
For university students, the decision means they can spend up to a year studying at European universities as part of their UK degree courses without paying extra fees, while UK universities will be able to accept European students under the same terms.
Those travelling to Europe under the scheme will be eligible for a grant to help with the costs of living abroad, including those studying at FE colleges or on work placements.
Alex Stanley, a vice-president of the National Union of Students, said: “Since the UK left the programme, the number of UK students studying in Europe has plummeted, and as has the number of students from Europe studying in the UK.
“But now, the next generation of students from the UK would be able to experience it all, and campuses across the country could benefit from the perspectives of Erasmus students coming to the UK.”
The Erasmus scheme started in 1987 as a university exchange programme but has expanded to include work and training placements, as well as funding for school trips and cultural events.
The UK left Erasmus after Brexit in 2020, with Boris Johnson claiming the programme did not offer value for money. Since then university students in Northern Ireland have been able to access the scheme with assistance from Ireland’s government.
