Britain is poised to rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus student exchange programme, nearly five years after withdrawing from it in the wake of Brexit, according to UK media reports.
An announcement from London was imminent, newspapers including The Times and The Guardian said, framing the move as part of Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s widely promoted ‘reset’ in relations with the EU. ALSO READ: EU and UK ‘reset’ post-Brexit relations with new agreements at mini-summit.
Under the proposed arrangement, British students would be able to take part in the programme again from January 2027, the two papers reported, a timeline also cited by the BBC. ALSO READ: Pedro Sánchez and Keir Starmer meet to sign deal to bolster post-Brexit ties.
The UK exited Erasmus — a scheme it had been involved in since 1987 — when it formally left the European Union at the start of 2021, a decision that drew criticism from students and higher education institutions.
Efforts to rejoin were flagged earlier this year as part of Starmer’s post-Brexit reset agreement reached with Brussels at a summit in May.
According to The Guardian, the revived participation would allow UK students to access vocational training placements as well as traditional university exchange opportunities through Erasmus. The Times added that the EU has proposed a 30% reduction in membership fees for the UK in the first year.
A government spokesperson declined to go into detail, repeating the official position of ‘not commenting on ongoing talks’.
Despite the lack of formal confirmation, the prospect of a deal was swiftly welcomed by universities across the UK and by the pro-EU Liberal Democrats — the country’s third-largest political party — which described it as ‘a crucial first step’ towards rebuilding ties with the bloc.
The EU is also pushing for a broader youth mobility agreement that would enable 18- to 30-year-olds from Britain and EU member states to study and work in each other’s countries.
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