UK Rejoins Erasmus+ in January 2027: What Students, Apprentices and Schools Need to Know
The UK rejoins Erasmus+ on 1 January 2027, and applications for the first funded places open this November, six years after Britain left the European Union’s flagship exchange programme. The return, confirmed in Parliament on 27 October, became the centre of a political row on Remembrance Sunday after Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy linked it to honouring Britain’s war dead.
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer told the House of Commons on Tuesday 27 October 2026 that the United Kingdom will reassociate with Erasmus+ from 1 January 2027. He said applications would open in November and stressed that the scheme is not limited to undergraduate university students, telling MPs: “Applications open this November. They are not simply for undergraduate university students. They are for educational institutions of all kinds.”
UK Rejoins Erasmus+ — At a Glance
| Detail | What is confirmed |
|---|---|
| Return date | 1 January 2027 |
| Applications open | November 2026 |
| Who can take part | University students, further education students, apprentices, school groups, adult learners, education staff and sports coaches |
| Expected beneficiaries | More than 100,000 people a year, according to the government |
| UK contribution, 2027–28 | About €648 million, roughly £570 million |
| Discount secured | 30% off the default contribution rate, saving about £240 million |
| Funding via British Council | Up to £400 million for schools, universities, youth groups and sports teams |
| UK National Agency | British Council |
| Programme left | Erasmus+, left in 2020 under the Brexit agreement |
| Replacement ended | Turing Scheme, wound down once the Erasmus+ deal was announced |
| Initial commitment | One year confirmed so far; years beyond 2028 subject to further negotiation |
| Next milestone | UK–EU summit in Brussels on 20 November 2026 |
Six Years After Brexit, the Exchange Doors Reopen
Britain left Erasmus+ in 2020 under Boris Johnson’s Brexit agreement, after the then prime minister argued the programme did not offer value for money. The government replaced it with its own Turing Scheme, which funded outbound trips only and ran on a smaller budget without the reciprocal benefits of Erasmus+.
Work on returning to the programme was set out as part of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s post-Brexit reset agreement with Brussels in 2025. Falconer described the reassociation in Parliament as a concrete step towards a closer relationship with the European Union. The agreement in principle was reached earlier in 2026, and the 27 October Commons statement put a firm start date on it.
The return restores two-way movement. UK universities, colleges and youth organisations become eligible destinations and partners for Erasmus+-funded mobility again, while British students and staff gain funded access to institutions across the EU. Erasmus+ is the EU’s education, training, youth and sport programme, funding study periods abroad, internships, school exchanges and staff training, usually for between two and twelve months at a time.
Who Can Apply When the Funding Calls Open in November
Applications open this November, but individuals do not apply directly to Brussels. Schools, colleges, universities and training providers apply for Erasmus+ projects through the British Council, which has been appointed as the UK’s National Agency, and then select pupils or students internally for the funded places.
The breadth of the scheme is its most important change from the Turing era. Further education students, apprentices on placements, school groups on cultural exchanges, adult learners, educators and sports coaches are all in scope, alongside university undergraduates. The government has said it expects more than 100,000 people to benefit once the scheme is fully running.
The Independent reported that disadvantaged 18-year-olds may also get free rail travel across Europe as part of the package. That detail has not been confirmed in the government’s own announcements, so families should treat it as reported rather than guaranteed until the British Council publishes its guidance.
The £570 Million Bill, the 30% Discount and the £400 Million Channel
The money matters because cost was the stated reason for leaving. The UK will contribute about €648 million, roughly £570 million, for participation in the 2027–28 academic year. The government says it negotiated a 30% discount on the default contribution rate that non-EU associated countries normally pay, which it estimates will save taxpayers about £240 million.
Up to £400 million will flow through the British Council to support schools, universities, youth groups and sports teams taking part. The British Council previously managed Erasmus+ in the UK until 2020, so it returns to a role it already knows, and it is expected to publish dedicated guidance and support resources as the funding calls open.
There is a limit worth stating plainly. Universities UK International has welcomed the move while flagging that the UK has so far committed to only one year of Erasmus+ participation. What happens after 2027 depends on further negotiations under the next EU budget framework, so the return is a start rather than a guarantee. The Erasmus+ return is also separate from the reported EU student fees offer, under which ministers would spend up to £450 million a year so EU students pay home fees in exchange for Made in Europe access.
Why Remembrance Sunday Turned a Student Scheme Into a Political Row
The political row erupted this weekend. In a statement announcing the return, Nandy said: “As we remember the immense courage of those who served our country, we honour them by building the best opportunities for the next generation through closeness and collaboration with our allies.” She added: “After six years away, the UK rejoining the Erasmus+ programme is a clear symbol of our ambition and intent.”
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused her of using the national civic occasion to “try to make an EU membership pitch” and called the announcement tone deaf, saying veterans “did not fight for a student exchange scheme” and that Nandy should withdraw the release and apologise. Speaking to Sky News on Remembrance Sunday, Nandy rejected the criticism, saying she was “horrified” by the claim and adding: “It’s Remembrance Sunday, it’s not a time for politicking.” The Press Association reported her rejection of the allegations on Sunday.
The row also fed a wider argument about the government’s EU reset. The Tories accused Nandy of hijacking Remembrance Sunday for anti-Brexit messaging, while Nandy said her party was the only one talking about Brexit and the European Union on the day, and that the announcement was about widening the scheme. The timing was deliberate on the government’s side: the return was framed as honouring the peace secured by past generations, a framing its critics called inappropriate for a solemn day of remembrance.
What Happens Next Before the 20 November Brussels Summit
The next milestone is the UK–EU summit in Brussels on 20 November 2026, where Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa. Negotiators are understood to have largely reached agreement on emissions trading, agricultural products and a youth mobility scheme, with reports suggesting up to 80,000 young Europeans a year could come to Britain to work, live and study.
That youth mobility scheme is separate from Erasmus+ and is still being negotiated, with disputes over fee parity and quotas. A first draft of a joint summit statement was due to go to EU ambassadors on 4 November, with the text still able to change until the summit itself.
For applicants, the practical sequence is short. Funding calls open in November, institutions register with the British Council and bid for places, and the first Erasmus+-funded placements begin in the 2027–28 academic year. Nothing changes for applicants until the detailed rules appear, and students should not budget on a funded place until their institution confirms its own Erasmus+ project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When does the UK rejoin Erasmus+?
A: On 1 January 2027, covering the 2027–28 academic year. Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer confirmed the date in the House of Commons on 27 October 2026.
Q: When do applications open?
A: In November 2026. Institutions apply to the British Council, the UK’s National Agency, and then select their own students and staff for funded places.
Q: Who can take part in Erasmus+?
A: Not only university undergraduates. Further education students, apprentices, school groups, adult learners, education staff and sports coaches can all take part, according to the government’s announcement.
Q: How much will UK participation cost?
A: About €648 million, roughly £570 million, for 2027–28. The government says a 30% discount on the default contribution rate saves about £240 million.
Q: Does Erasmus+ replace the Turing Scheme?
A: Yes. The Turing Scheme, introduced after Brexit, is being wound down as Erasmus+ placements begin in the 2027–28 academic year.
Myth-Busting
Myth: The UK has rejoined Erasmus+ permanently. The UK has so far committed to one year of participation. Years beyond 2028 depend on further negotiations under the next EU budget framework.
Myth: Anyone can apply directly for an Erasmus+ place. Individuals cannot apply to Brussels. Institutions bid for projects through the British Council and select participants internally.
Myth: The £570 million is new money for students alone. It is the UK’s participation contribution for 2027–28. Up to £400 million of funding for participants will be routed through the British Council, while the contribution itself is the price of membership in the scheme.
