UK will rejoin Erasmus study exchange programme

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that UK higher education institutions will rejoin the European Union’s Erasmus programme from January 2027.

Universities in the UK to rejoin Erasmus programme

UK universities are to rejoin the EU’s Erasmus programme, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced. The scheme allows students studying, training or completing an apprenticeship at a European higher education institution to do a study or training exchange in another European country. 

While the Erasmus programme is funded by the EU and all 27 member states participate, six non-member states also take part, including North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye. The UK withdrew from the study exchange programme in December 2020, shortly before leaving the EU in January 2021.

Starmer initially hinted at the change in May, ahead of a summit between the UK and the EU, during which the country and the bloc reset relations on various schemes, including fishing, e-gates and security.

Starmer’s Labour government announced it will contribute around 570 million pounds (around 650 million euros) per year to fund the Erasmus scheme for the academic year 2027/2028.

What does the news mean for students in Switzerland?

Switzerland is currently not a member of the Erasmus programme and instead runs a similar scheme, the Swiss European Mobility Programme (SEMP). However, this could soon change.

Earlier this year, as part of ongoing negotiations with the EU, Switzerland signed the EU Programmes Agreement (EUPA). As part of this, Switzerland hopes to rejoin the EU Erasmus programme, also starting in 2027. 

If the agreement is ratified by the Swiss government, then it could get easier for students at Swiss universities to study abroad in the EU and the UK. While they are on exchange, students pay the fees of their “home institution” while they study at the exchange institution. Any extra costs are covered by the EU’s Erasmus fund.

At higher education institutions in Switzerland, students pay average fees of around 1.448 Swiss francs per semester, with each university setting its own fee. International students at UK universities pay between 15.000 and 25.000 pounds (between 16.000 and 26.000 Swiss francs) annually.

With the UK, and potentially Switzerland, rejoining the EU Erasmus programme, Swiss and international students at Swiss higher education institutions will have the opportunity to study in the UK without having to pay these exorbitant fees.

Erasmus exchanges typically last six months or one year. In advance of a student’s year abroad, their home institution will help them arrange their study programme, accommodation and other necessities for their exchange.