After its definitive exit from the European Union on 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom will not participate in the next education and youth programmes, Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps for the period 2021-2027.
In 2017, more than 16,500 British students took advantage of Erasmus to study abroad and more than 31,700 Europeans came to the UK.
The European Commission notes that third countries wishing to be associated with the Erasmus+ programme must fully participate in it in order to ensure synergies between the different areas of the programme. However, the institution observes, “the United Kingdom applied for partial participation in the programme, which is not provided for in the basic act establishing Erasmus+”. The United Kingdom has therefore decided not to take part as a third country.
However, the Republic of Ireland has announced that it intends to fund Erasmus+ grants for students from Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom) so that they can continue to participate in the programme.
For Thomas Jorgensen, policy coordinator at the European University Association (EUA), this departure is “disappointing, both emotionally and practically”. He also points out that “EU students had access to the UK’s system of student loans”. “We don’t know what’s going to happen. If UK universities start charging higher fees for EU students as they do for students from the rest of the world, this will have an impact on those seeking a full degree. We will also have to see how universities now practically organise short-term mobility”, he notes, not without some anxiety.
According to the Commission, all ongoing activities financed by the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework will continue as planned until their completion.
For 2021-2027, the United Kingdom will only be able to participate in the international programmes of Erasmus+ which are open to worldwide participation (i.e. 5% of the annual budget for 2021), such as the Jean Monnet and Erasmus Mundus Masters schemes. Through certain mobility actions, higher education students and European citizens pursuing vocational education and training could benefit from a mobility scheme in a third country and thus in the UK. Details will depend on the call for interest that is to be launched. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)