UK to rejoin EU’s Erasmus scheme

Ministers are expected to announce the news on Wednesday

The UK quit the Erasmus programme in 2020, with then-prime minister Boris Johnson saying it didn’t offer good value for money.

The scheme sees the EU provide funding for university students to study, train or volunteer in other European countries for up to a year.

It was replaced by the UK government’s Turing Scheme, which encountered a number of issues around funding.

But as part of Labour’s efforts to fix relations with the EU, the government agreed to reopen negotiations on Erasmus at the UK-EU summit last May.

Now, the BBC reports that from January 2027, UK students will be able to participate in the Erasmus scheme once more.

Ministers are expected to make an announcement on Wednesday.

Rejoining the scheme is part of the government's general efforts to forge closer relations with Brussels, and is expected to be seen as proof by the EU that the UK government wants to make progress in improving relations.

Reacting to the news on social media, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said rejoining Erasmus would open up "xciting opportunities for young people, giving Londoners, Brits & their European counterparts access to a wealth of possibilities."

"At a time of global uncertainty, strengthening our partnership with the EU is a win-win for growth and prosperity," he added.

The Lib Dems' universities spokesman Ian Sollom said it represented a "moment of real opportunity and a clear step towards repairing the disastrous Conservative Brexit deal".