The UK will rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange scheme, the Government has confirmed. EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the breakthrough “is a huge win for our young people”, who will be able to study, train or gain work experience under the EU scheme from January 2027.
Work on the UK joining the Erasmus programme was announced as part of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s post-Brexit reset deal with Brussels in May. The UK left the scheme under Boris Johnson, who argued it did not offer value for money.
The Cabinet Office said the UK has now negotiated financial terms that “strike a fair balance between our contribution and the benefits the programme offers”, including a 30% discount compared to what it would have paid under its post-Brexit trade agreement for the first year. The UK will pay around £570 million in 2027, with the cost for future years to be agreed with the bloc.
Downing Street insisted it is “a good deal”, while declining to deny reports the UK had pushed for a larger reduction in fees. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The UK will receive most of that money back to distribute amongst the UK beneficiaries. We will also have the opportunity to compete for grants from a £1 billion central pot directly managed by the European Commission.”
More than 100,000 Britons could benefit from the scheme in the first year alone, according to the Government. As well as university-based study exchanges, Erasmus+ will allow further education students and apprentices to take up work placements in European firms. There will also be exchange opportunities for adult learners, school groups and sports coaches.
The Government also hailed an agreement to start talks on the UK participating in the EU’s internal electricity market, which it says could lower electricity costs at home. A deadline has also been set to complete negotiations on a food and drink trade deal and carbon markets linkage before the next UK-EU summit expected in the spring.
