British students could participate in the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange scheme, new reports suggest.
The Cabinet Office has said talks are “ongoing” on the issue, but reports suggest that ministers could make an announcement as soon as Wednesday. which would clear the way for university students to partake in the student exchange programme as soon as January 2027.
Sir Keir Starmer announced that the government was working on the UK joining Erasmus as part of his post-Brexit reset deal with Brussels in May. Negotiations have included work on “mutually agreed financial terms” for taking part in the scheme, which the UK left under Boris Johnson.
Britain has pushed for a discount on membership fees, according to The Times, which are calculated on the basis of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of the size of the economy.
The EU is understood to have offered the Government a 30 per cent reduction of fees in the first year of membership, the newspaper said.
The UK pulled out of Erasmus under Mr Johnson, launching the Turing scheme as a domestic alternative, arguing that remaining in the EU scheme would have meant a net cost of £2 billion over seven years.
The Guardian reported that British students would be able to participate in vocational training placements under the Erasmus scheme, as well as university-based study exchanges.
Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds held talks with the European Commission’s Maros Sefcovic in Brussels last week with the deadline looming for the UK to join in time for 2027.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “We are not commenting on ongoing talks.”
But the apparent breakthrough was welcomed by the UK’s universities.
Tim Bradshaw, chief executive of the Russell Group of leading universities, said: “We’re delighted at the UK’s association to Erasmus+.
“With an even greater scope than previous programmes, Erasmus+ opens up fantastic opportunities for students, adult learners and young people to all benefit from new experiences and learning.
“It will also renew the huge contributions that EU students and staff make to life on our university campuses.”
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, described the decision to The Times as“fantastic news for the UK, and for students and universities here and across Europe”.
She said: “The agreement marks a huge step forward in our relationship with the EU and will offer life-changing opportunities for thousands of students. The UK government and the EU deserve credit for moving these complex negotiations forward at pace and reaching a mutually agreeable deal.
“We look forward to working with our universities and our partners in Europe, to ensure that the programme plays a pivotal role in rebuilding our international partnerships and delivers the best possible outcomes for the UK.”