The UK is rejoining the Erasmus student exchange scheme in the 2027/28 academic year. This allows over 100,000 Britons to study or train in Europe without extra fees, and vice versa for Europeans. The program ended for British students after Brexit in 2021 and was replaced by the Turing scheme. The UK will pay around £570m for the year, with future participation needing negotiation as part of the EU’s long-term budget from 2028.

The UK’s universities have welcomed the breakthrough. Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group of leading universities, said: “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.”

EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds described the UK’s participation in the scheme in 2027 as “a huge win for our young people, breaking down barriers and widening horizons to ensure everyone, from every background, has the opportunity to study and train abroad”.