Brussels – Brexit, yes, but not for students. The European Union and the London government have reached an agreement to reinstate the Erasmus+ scheme between Europe and the UK. Students on opposite sides of the Channel will thus be able to return to attend universities without paying additional fees from 2027. “The association of the UK with the Erasmus+ programme in 2027 would offer significant opportunities in the fields of education, training, sport, and youth for individuals in the UK and the European Union, in particular for the younger generation,” the authorities in Brussels and London jointly announced.

The decision is an important step for the restoration of post-Brexit relations between the 27-member club and the London government. Signs to this effect had already been seen with the signing, in 2023, of the agreement on the movement of goods in Northern Ireland. A similar operation, also in 2023, with the UK’s access to part of the research funds allocated by the Commission’s Horizon Europe plan.

At an operational level, it must be remembered that the Erasmus project benefits not only students but also facilitates the mobility of educational professionals, trainees, and volunteers. The advantage is that British people can access British universities and Europeans British ones at no extra cost by obtaining an EU- and UK-funded scholarship. The last time the UK was part of the scheme was 2020, with an interchange of some 50,000 people. Five years ago, more than 17,000 British trainees and students had joined the programme. Europeans, on the other hand, numbered 30,000. Numbers that could be repeated, as the availability provided by the new agreement will allow easier mobilisation for 100,000 people.

In 2024, among the 27 Member States, about 1.5 million people joined Erasmus. There is no shortage of criticism, however, branding the initiative as elitist. In fact, despite the large numbers and a promise to increase contributions, amounting to €5 billion to date, mobility is guaranteed only to a small part of the population. Applying a simplification and assuming there are approximately 64 million young Europeans aged 18 to 30, a comparison with the Erasmus numbers for 2024 shows that only 2.3% of the population has benefited from Erasmus mobility.

English version by the Translation Service of Withub