Britain and EU agree on UK’s return to Erasmus Student Exchange Programme

Britain and the European Union have reached an agreement under which the United Kingdom will return to the Erasmus student exchange programme, nearly five years after withdrawing following Brexit. The decision was confirmed in a joint UK-EU statement cited by AFP.

According to the British government, London has successfully negotiated the conditions for rejoining Erasmus+ from 2027. The programme will once again allow young people, learners, students, as well as education, youth and sports professionals to study, train and gain experience abroad, with a focus on widening access regardless of social background.

The scheme will not be limited solely to university students. It will also be open to participants in further education and vocational traineeships, significantly broadening its scope. The UK government estimates that in the first year alone more than 100,000 people across the country could take part.

As part of the agreement, Britain will contribute around 570 million British Pounds to the programme in 2027. This is equivalent to roughly €670 million, or about 1.31 billion Bulgarian leva. Final participation, however, will still require formal approval from all EU member states.

The move is part of what Prime Minister Keir Starmer has described as a wider reset in relations with the 27-member EU bloc. The UK had participated in Erasmus continuously since 1987 but exited the programme when it formally left the EU in 2020.

UK Secretary of State for the EU Nick Thomas-Symonds welcomed the agreement as a major win for young people, stressing that it opens doors to studying and training abroad regardless of background. He underlined that the initiative is not only about mobility, but also about skills development, academic achievement and long-term opportunities.

From the European side, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič described the agreement as an important step forward in strengthening ties between the EU and the United Kingdom.