UK to rejoin EU's Erasmus student exchange programme
3 days ago
- #UK-EU relations
- #student exchange
- #Erasmus
- The UK is expected to rejoin the EU's Erasmus+ student exchange programme from January 2027, allowing students to participate without additional fees.
- UK students will have access to vocational training, sports exchanges, and study placements across the EU under the Erasmus+ scheme.
- EU students studying in the UK under Erasmus will pay domestic fees capped at £9,535 per year, while UK students abroad will receive grants for living costs.
- The agreement marks progress in UK-EU relations, following Labour's push for closer ties and public opinion softening towards the EU.
- The UK left Erasmus post-Brexit, but negotiations reopened in 2023, with the government seeking to reduce participation costs.
- Erasmus is seen as a key tool for soft power and research cooperation, expanding beyond academic exchanges to include work placements.
- A youth mobility scheme is also under negotiation, aiming to allow young Britons and Europeans to live and work in each other's countries.
- The deal is part of broader 'reset' talks between the UK and EU, though other negotiations on defence, food exports, and energy remain unresolved.