UK to rejoin EU Erasmus programme for students

An agreement to rejoin Erasmus - the EU's student exchange programme - is expected to be announced today as part of the UK government's drive towards closer relations with Brussels.

- Pippa Crerar

The final details of the announcement have now been agreed by the two sides, with a plan to allow UK students to participate in the EU-wide scheme without paying any additional fees from January 2027, sources said.

The breakthrough will help the UK government demonstrate progress in its drive to improve relations with the EU after Keir Starmer declared last month that “we do need to get closer” with the bloc - and with public opinion softening.

Under the scheme, British students will be able to participate in vocational training placements and sports exchanges across the EU under the Erasmus Plus scheme, as well as further education college and university-based study exchanges, the Guardian understands. UK ministers are believed to be keen to extend the benefits of the programme beyond traditional academic exchanges of undergraduates to a wider section of the population, including in leave-voting areas.

There is expected to be an international fee waiver for EU students studying at UK universities under the Erasmus scheme, meaning they would pay the equivalent of domestic fees, which are capped at £9,535 a year, sources told the Guardian.

In return, UK students would continue paying their standard domestic fees at their home university during their year in Europe as part of their UK degree courses. They will be eligible for a grant to help with the additional costs of living abroad.