UK Set to Rejoin EU’s Erasmus Student Exchange Programme in 2027

After six years of its exit, the United Kingdom is set to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus+ student exchange programme from the 2027-28 academic year, marking an important shift in their education policy. The decision id followed by a formal agreement between the UK government and the European Commission in December 2025. Erasmus+ is the EU’s leading programme, offering opportunities around education, training, youth, culture and sports. The programme helps students, apprentices, educators and young people to study, train, teach, or gain work experience across the participating countries.

The UK had earlier participated in the programme and its previous programme for decades until 2021, after their exit from the EU. The Erasmus programme was replaced with the domestically funded Turning Scheme. Although the Turing Scheme provided international migration for UK students, it did not offer a framework as broad as the Erasmus+, which allowed European students to come to the UK and integrated UK institutions into partnerships across the EU. With the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ programme, the two-way mobility and access to a structured, internationally recognised exchange system have been restored.

Under the new deal, the UK will join Erasmus+ as a non-EU participant country, with an estimated contribution of £570 million for the first year. UK’s educational institutions, sports bodies and youth organisations will be once again eligible to join the Erasmus+ programme. UK students will be able to take part in study exchanges, apprenticeships and short-term job placements across EU countries, while European students and professionals gain access to the same opportunities in the UK. This deal will be benefiting a wide range of participants, including apprentices, higher education students, adult learners, sports professionals, teachers and volunteers.

More than 100,000 people in the UK are estimated to benefit from the Erasmus+ programme in its first year of rejoining. Although the new deal secures the UK’s participation, further involvement past the first year will need to be agreed upon through future negotiations and be based on a fair and balanced contribution.

Reference

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4ng7ee9vwo
• https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2025121715522656