The UK will rejoin the EU Erasmus+ student exchange programme in January 2027, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed, with up to £400m to be channelled through the British Council and a 30 per cent reduction in participation fees for 2027.
The government said the move will enable students, apprentices and young people to study, train or take work experience across the EU, and that the fee reduction for 2027 will save taxpayers roughly £240m.
The announcement marks the end of a six year absence. The UK left Erasmus+ in 2020 under the Brexit agreement negotiated by Boris Johnson, who said at the time that the scheme had failed to deliver value for money. The Turing Scheme replaced Erasmus+ and is now ending, the government said.
Up to £400m will be made available through the British Council to support schools, youth groups and sports teams, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said. More than £30m has been designated for youth initiatives in areas with historically lower participation in exchanges, including the North East, the East Midlands and Yorkshire, the government added.
Participants will be able to take part in short exchanges lasting several weeks, and the programme will cover university study as well as further education students and apprentices undertaking work placements at European firms, the government said. Adult learners, school groups, sports coaches and education staff seeking overseas job shadowing opportunities will also be eligible.
As part of measures to widen access, 18 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds could be eligible for free rail travel across EU countries during their exchanges, the government said. Applications are due to open later this month, and ministers expect more than 100,000 people to benefit from rejoining Erasmus+.
What ministers have said and outstanding questions
Ms Nandy said: ‘After six years away, the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ programme is a clear symbol of our ambition and intent.’ The Department for Culture, Media and Sport provided figures for the funding envelope and the expected savings from the reduced participation fees.
However, the final cost of the UKs participation, the exact status the UK will hold within the programme and the full terms negotiated with the European Commission have not been published in full, the government acknowledged. Some details of implementation and eligibility will be set out when applications open, the department said.
The move was flagged at the 2025 UK EU summit and ministers told Parliament on 27 October that re association was under way. The British Council will administer the funding envelope and oversee distribution to schools, colleges and youth organisations, the council said.
Political reaction
Reaction to the announcement was mixed. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake criticised the timing of the release before Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph, describing it as an ‘EU membership pitch’ and referring to a ‘£570 million cheque to Brussels’. He called on Ms Nandy to withdraw the release.
The £570m cost figure was asserted by the Conservative Party chairman and has not been confirmed by the government, which cites a £400m envelope and the £240m of fee savings. The government emphasised that the figures it provided set out funding and expected savings for 2027, and reiterated that fuller financial and contractual details will be published in due course.
Officials said the programme will be open to a broader group than before, beyond higher education, with particular focus on widening participation and targeting areas that have taken part less frequently in past exchange schemes. The British Council will publish guidance for applicants when applications open later this month, the department said.
For now, ministers point to the combination of direct funding through the British Council and the negotiated cut to participation fees as the principal elements intended to lower barriers to travel and study across the EU. Details on ongoing costs and the negotiated legal relationship with Erasmus+ partners remain to be disclosed.
