The United Kingdom has signed a deal to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange programme, five years after leaving it following Brexit.
According to a report by Le Monde, the agreement will allow British students, apprentices and young people to once again take part in study, work and cultural exchanges across Europe.
UK Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said the programme offers “transformative opportunities” for young people, from learning languages to gaining work experience.
The British government expects more than 100,000 participants to benefit in the first year alone. The UK has committed around €660 million towards the scheme’s costs in 2027.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the move, saying stronger educational ties between Europe and the UK “make perfect sense”.
The programme is expected to resume from next year as part of wider efforts to reset UK-EU relations.
Would you apply for Erasmus in the UK?