The UK is set to rejoin the EU's Erasmus+ student exchange scheme from the start of January, with applications opening this November.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told MPs that the opportunities would be open to "educational institutions of all kinds", allowing young people to study, train or gain work experience in the European Union.
Rejoining the Erasmus+ scheme
Work on the UK joining the Erasmus programme was announced as part of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer's post-Brexit reset deal with Brussels in 2025. The UK left the scheme under Boris Johnson's Brexit deal in 2020, with the then-prime minister arguing it did not offer value for money.
It was replaced by the Turing Scheme, which was ended when the Government announced the new deal over Erasmus+. The Government has previously said it expects more than 100,000 people to be able to benefit, and that disadvantaged students tend to benefit highly from taking part in the scheme.
Who can benefit
As well as university-based study exchanges, Erasmus+ allows further education students and apprentices to take up work placements in European firms. There will be exchange opportunities for adult learners, school groups and sports coaches, and job shadowing and training abroad will be available to education staff.
In the Commons, Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (Tooting) said young people had been "deprived of opportunity" since Brexit, as she asked: "What work is being done with EU counterparts to improve ties with the EU so it benefits our economy and our young people?"
Minister's announcement
Mr Falconer replied: "I would like to inform the House that the UK will reassociate with Erasmus plus from January 1 2027. Applications open this November. They are not simply for undergraduate university students. They are for educational institutions of all kinds."
He urged "members right across the House to work with the British Council, get their institutions engaged", adding: "That is one of the concrete ways we will be helping young people through closer relationship."
