The United Kingdom has reached a landmark agreement with the European Union to rejoin the EU’s flagship Erasmus+ student exchange programme, marking a significant shift in post-Brexit educational and international relations policy. The deal, expected to take effect from January 2027, will allow British students once again to participate fully in the Erasmus+ programme, which provides opportunities for study, training and cultural exchange across Europe. This development concludes nearly six years of the UK’s absence from the scheme after it left the programme as part of Brexit arrangements.
Under the terms of the agreement, UK students will be able to take part in a wide array of Erasmus+ activities, including university study abroad, vocational training placements and exchanges in sport and youth projects, without facing additional financial barriers. British participants will pay their home university tuition fees while studying abroad and will receive grants to help cover living costs during their time overseas. Meanwhile, EU students coming to the UK under the programme will benefit from being charged domestic tuition rates, capped at £9,535, instead of higher international fees, making study in the UK more affordable for European students.
The decision to rejoin Erasmus+ is part of a broader effort by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government to reset and deepen ties with the European Union following years of often strained relations after the UK’s departure from the bloc. Negotiations over the UK’s return to Erasmus+ were a key element of these wider discussions, which have also touched on other cooperation areas including trade, mobility schemes for young people and scientific collaboration. Officials on both sides have framed the agreement as evidence of a more constructive and pragmatic UK-EU relationship, even as full EU membership remains politically off the table.
The financial commitment for the UK’s initial year back in the programme is significant. The government has pledged approximately £570 million for the 2027-28 academic year, reflecting a negotiated 30 per cent discount on the usual membership cost. EU officials have indicated that this discounted rate is available primarily because the UK is joining partway through the current multi-annual funding cycle for Erasmus+, and that future participation costs could be higher once full budget terms are renegotiated.
Rejoining Erasmus+ is expected to open doors for up to 100,000 UK participants in its first year, offering students, apprentices and young people across the UK the chance to gain international experience and build networks with peers across Europe. Supporters of the move, including educators and international exchange advocates, have championed the programme’s role in enhancing cultural understanding, skills development and educational outcomes. They argue that reinstating access to Erasmus+ will benefit learners of all ages and backgrounds and contribute to the UK’s global academic standing.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about the significant cost burden on the UK taxpayer, questioning whether the financial outlay represents the best use of public funds. Some opponents also view the move as symbolic of an unwelcome rapprochement with the EU that could undermine the hard-won independence of the post-Brexit era. Despite these debates, the government has positioned the Erasmus+ return as a strategic investment in the country’s future, one that underscores a commitment to international engagement and opportunities for the next generation.
The broader implications of the UK’s return to Erasmus+ extend beyond education, potentially laying the groundwork for further cooperation in youth mobility and other areas of mutual interest. As the UK prepares for full re-entry into the programme in 2027, attention will also turn to the negotiation of long-term financing and the possibility of complementary arrangements that could allow even greater freedom of movement for young people between the UK and EU member states.
