In a significant reversal of post-Brexit policy, the United Kingdom has confirmed it will rejoin the European Union's flagship Erasmus+ education and training programme. The move, hailed by the government as "a huge win for our young people," comes five years after the UK withdrew from the scheme following its departure from the EU.
How Will UK Erasmus+ Membership Work?
The UK's return to Erasmus+ will be a phased process. The government will establish a new national agency to administer the programme, with the first applications expected to open from mid-2026. Full participation is scheduled for the 2027-28 academic year. This interim period will be used to evaluate how effectively the scheme creates opportunities, particularly for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Individuals cannot apply directly to Erasmus+. Instead, they must apply through participating organisations such as universities, colleges, schools, youth groups, or workplaces. The programme offers a wide range of options, from short two-day projects to year-long placements, across all EU member states and associated countries like Iceland, Norway, and Turkey.
Eligibility and the Scope of Erasmus+
While originally focused on higher education, Erasmus+ has expanded considerably. It now includes vocational work placements for apprentices, sports coaching, teacher training, and school language projects. UK ministers are particularly keen to promote these vocational and work experience elements for students and apprentices.
The scheme provides grants to cover travel, accommodation, living costs, course fees, and some overheads. Students continuing their studies abroad will still pay tuition fees to their home institution. In the last full year of UK participation (2018-19), nearly 10,000 university students and over 8,000 trainees utilised the programme.
Costs, Politics, and the Road Ahead
The UK has negotiated a rejoining fee of £570 million for the first year, which the government states is a 30% discount on the standard cost. This discount reportedly recognises the historical imbalance where more EU participants came to the UK. Research from Universities UK in 2020 estimated the net economic benefit of Erasmus to the UK was £243 million after costs.
The political reaction has been sharply divided. The Liberal Democrats welcomed the move as repairing a "disastrous" Brexit deal. Conversely, Conservative critics have labelled the cost "nuts" and accused the government of dragging Britain "back under the control of Brussels." Notably, students at Northern Ireland's universities have continued to access Erasmus with support from the Irish government.
The future beyond 2028 requires further negotiation, as the current Erasmus+ framework ends that year. The UK government has stated it will aim to retain its 30% discount and will use the initial membership period to assess the scheme's success before committing to the new framework.
