UK and EU finalise agreement on UK participation in Erasmus+ from 2027

What is the agreement?

The UK and EU have signed a legal agreement to bring the UK into Erasmus+ from 2027. This follows a commitment made at the UK-EU summit in May 2025.

What is Erasmus+?

Erasmus+ is an EU programme providing grant funding for international placements and partnerships for organisations working in education and training, as well as for individuals wanting to work study or train in the EU, EEA and Switzerland – and the UK from 2027. A typical mobility might include a volunteer placement in a UK or EU company, a school exchange visit or a partnership project between an EU and UK educational organisation.

How is Erasmus+ funded?

The majority of the funding is controlled by national funding agencies in each of the programme partner countries. They help organisations secure funding for key projects and support students, educators, apprentices and young people to take advantage of opportunities in partner countries. The government has announced that, subject to formal ratification by the EU, the British Council will be the funding agency for the UK.

What are the opportunities for English UK members?

Opportunities are various but likely to include:

• school pupils and adult learners on study abroad programmes in the UK

• sducators travelling to the UK for training and other professional development activities

• students on FE, HE or Vocational and Educational Training (VET) programmes combining English study with volunteer or work placement programmes

What are the next steps?

Registrations for Erasmus+ will open in November 2026 and close in February 2027.

You can register for updates through the British Council website. 

English UK will provide regular updates and we will organise a webinar on how to take advantage of the opportunities.