World · 22 December 2025
UK Confirms Return to EU's Erasmus Exchange Programme From 2027
Britain will rejoin the EU's flagship Erasmus+ student mobility scheme from 2027, six years after Boris Johnson withdrew from the programme claiming it offered poor value. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government negotiated a 30% discount on fees, paying £570 million for the first year, with costs potentially rising to over £800 million annually in the future. The decision reverses Brexit isolation and allows 100,000 UK students, apprentices and staff to study across Europe while restoring two-way exchanges that ended in 2021.
Reported by Irish Times · How we write briefs