Britain is expected to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange programme from 2027.
According to The Guardian, the UK government could announce the move today, Wednesday December 17th, following ongoing discussions with Brussels.
EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and the EU’s Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, held talks in Brussels last Wednesday to review progress in the negotiations, a meeting widely seen as clearing the way for the Erasmus agreement.
If confirmed, the decision would allow British students to take part in Erasmus exchanges from January 2027, nearly six years after the UK left the scheme following Brexit. Britain had participated in Erasmus since 1987 but withdrew at the start of 2021 when it exited the European Union.
The renewed participation would cover not only university exchanges but also vocational training placements and sports exchanges. The EU has offered the UK a reduced financial contribution for the first year of membership, potentially lowering costs by around 30%.
A government spokesperson declined to comment on the reports, reiterating that the administration does not provide updates on ongoing negotiations. Some critics will view the move as a dilution of Britain’s democratic commitment to leaving the EU.
In October, the European Commission announced a new plan to open up the Erasmus program to students from Africa and the Middle East as part of the “Pact for the Mediterranean,” recruiting from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, and Tunisia. This shift contrasts with the treatment of Hungarian students. Hungary, an EU member state, has remained excluded from the Erasmus program since December 2022, when the Commission suspended grants to several of its universities.
