UK to Rejoin Erasmus Scheme Five Years After Brexit Withdrawal
The UK is set to rejoin the Erasmus scheme, five years after ending its participation as part of the Brexit deal. Erasmus allowed students, trainees, and volunteers to study, train, or volunteer in Europe for up to a year. It was replaced by the UK government's Turing scheme in 2021.
The government has not commented on ongoing talks, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested that a youth mobility scheme could be part of a new deal with the European Union. Erasmus was scrapped in December 2020 under the post-Brexit trade agreement. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson cited the scheme's expense and the introduction of the Turing scheme as reasons for ending the UK's participation.
In 2020, Erasmus funding amounted to 144 million euros, supporting 55,700 participants. Out of these, the UK sent 9,900 students and trainees abroad and received 16,100 participants from other countries. The top UK universities sending students were Glasgow, Bristol, and Edinburgh, with Spain, France, and Germany being the most popular destinations.
For the 2024/25 academic year, the Turing scheme has funded £105 million for 43,200 placements, which includes 24,000 in higher education, 12,100 in further education, and 7,000 in schools. The majority of participants (38,000) were from England. The Turing scheme was designed to benefit disadvantaged groups and provides greater financial support for travel costs than Erasmus. However, it remains unclear what will happen to the Turing scheme once Erasmus is reintroduced.
