University students react as UK Government announces move to rejoin EU Erasmus exchange scheme

Work on the UK joining the Erasmus programme was announced as part of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s post-Brexit reset deal with Brussels in May.

The UK left the scheme under Boris Johnson, who argued it did not offer value for money.

The Cabinet Office said the UK has now negotiated financial terms that “strike a fair balance between our contribution and the benefits the programme offers”, including a 30% discount compared to what it would have paid under its post-Brexit trade agreement for the first year.

Maxsym Kancir, a Physiotherapy student at Queen Margaret University who previously studied Law in Dundee, said he was delighted at the latest news.

Erasmus exchange was ‘university highlight’

He studied for a year abroad in Toulouse through the Erasmus programme and said the experience was ‘amazing’.

“I think it’s great. I had a really good time when I did my own Erasmus. It was in my last year and it was amazing,” he added.

“I think it’s going to give an opportunity for more young people to have a good time at uni.

“I went to Toulouse in France and it just gave me a different perspective on culture and university. It was probably the best highlight of my time at university.”

Farrah Hunter, 22, is a fourth-year Biology student at the University of Edinburgh who says she ‘wasn’t happy’ when she initially heard the UK wouldn’t be part of the Erasmus programme.

Speaking on Wednesday’s announcement, she said: “I think it’s good news.

“I personally would’ve done the year abroad. I didn’t get around to it but when I heard we weren’t a part of Erasmus anymore, I wasn’t happy with the news.

“I did look at other opportunities for doing a year abroad and a lot of the information I received was that it’s quite hard to get funding.

“I looked at doing a thing in Amsterdam and they were quite upfront about the fact that since we weren’t part of Erasmus anymore, it would be hard to get funding unless it’s kind of through university.”

Arabella Robinson is studying Immunology at the University of Edinburgh and says re-joining the programme is “definitely a good thing”.

She added: “I think it probably gives more people the opportunity to study abroad which they wouldn’t have previously thought to do just because of costs and things like that.”

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Meanwhile, fellow University of Edinburgh student Lotte Post, who is studying Biochemistry Immunology, said: “In my first year, I think because the Erasmus programme was still running, lots of my flatmates were on the programme and it was really beneficial for them and it gave them the opportunity to move out and go to a new place that they wouldn’t have had been able to go to before.”

Erasmus is ‘huge win’ for young people

Cabinet Office minister Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “Joining Erasmus+ is a huge win for our young people, breaking down barriers and widening horizons to ensure everyone, from every background, has the opportunity to study and train abroad.

“This is about more than just travel: it’s about future skills, academic success, and giving the next generation access to the best possible opportunities.

“Today’s agreements prove that our new partnership with the EU is working.

“We have focused on the public’s priorities and secured a deal that puts opportunity first.”