UK set to rejoin EU’s Erasmus student exchange scheme – reports

The UK appears set to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange scheme.

The Cabinet Office said talks are “ongoing” on the issue, but reports suggested an announcement could come as soon as Wednesday which would clear the way for UK students to participate in 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 negotiations have included work on “mutually agreed financial terms” for taking part in the scheme, which the UK left under Boris Johnson.

The Times reported that the UK had pushed for a discount on membership fees, which are calculated on the basis of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of the size of the economy.

The EU is understood to have offered the Government a 30% reduction of fees in the first year of membership, the newspaper said.

Under Mr Johnson, the UK pulled out of Erasmus, launching the Turing scheme as a domestic alternative, arguing that remaining in the EU scheme would have meant a net cost of £2 billion over seven years.

The Guardian reported that British students would be able to participate in vocational training placements under the Erasmus scheme, as well as university-based study exchanges.

Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds held talks with the European Commission’s Maros Sefcovic in Brussels last week with the deadline looming for the UK to join in time for 2027.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “We are not commenting on ongoing talks.”

But the apparent breakthrough was welcomed by the UK’s universities.

Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group of leading universities, said: “We’re delighted at the UK’s association to Erasmus+.

“With an even greater scope than previous programmes, Erasmus+ opens up fantastic opportunities for students, adult learners and young people to all benefit from new experiences and learning.

“It will also renew the huge contributions that EU students and staff make to life on our university campuses.”

Liberal Democrats universities spokesman Ian Sollom said: “While this is a welcome breakthrough, it must be viewed as a crucial first step on a clear roadmap to a closer relationship with Europe. Starting with negotiating a bespoke UK-EU customs union, and committing to a youth mobility scheme for benefit of the next generation.”