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The UK will rejoin Erasmus+ in 2027, reopening study-abroad and exchange opportunities for master’s students across Europe. The multi-million-pound deal restores funding for research placements, joint degrees, and international exchanges that dried up after Brexit. Here’s everything you need to know before applying for the 2027-28 school year.
If you’re weighing where to pursue your master’s degree next year, here’s a development worth factoring into your plans. The British government confirmed it will rejoin the Erasmus+ program in 2027, reopening a pathway to study and work placements across Europe that has been largely closed to British students since Brexit.
The United Kingdom and European Union have agreed to terms under which the U.K. will formally associate with Erasmus+ starting with the 2027-28 academic year, part of a broader package of agreements covering trade and energy cooperation. The U.K. will contribute roughly £570 million (US$720 million) to cover that first year, which negotiators say amounts to a 30% discount on the standard rate other non-EU countries pay under existing trade arrangements.
The program isn’t limited to undergraduate study abroad. Erasmus+ covers further education, higher education, apprenticeships, adult learning and staff training, and officials say they want to ensure people from all backgrounds, not just those who can already afford to study overseas, will take advantage of these new opportunities.
U.K. Skills Minister Jacqui Smith announced, “From learning a language to building confidence and work experience, Erasmus+ offers transformative opportunities to enhance young people’s life chances.” She adds, “Generations of people have benefitted from the opportunities working and studying abroad offers, and I’m so pleased that today’s students, apprentices, educators and young people can experience all Europe has to offer.”
As part of a wider effort to rekindle the relationship with the European Union, the U.K. will once again welcome EU students and the skills, diversity, and culture they bring.
For graduate students, Erasmus+ has historically funded study periods at partner universities abroad, research placements and structured exchange programs built into joint or dual-degree master’s courses. Many European universities once ran master’s programs in partnership with British institutions specifically because Erasmus+ funding made the logistics and financing work. That pipeline largely dried up after Brexit, replaced by Britain’s own Turing Scheme, which funds outbound student mobility but lacks the same reciprocal, EU-wide infrastructure.
Students applying for a master’s program starting in or after fall 2027 should ask universities directly whether they plan to revive or expand Erasmus+-linked options, such as exchange semesters, joint degrees or funded placements with European partner institutions. Programs that quietly dropped their European exchange components after 2020 may now have reason to bring them back.
There’s a financial argument for paying attention here, not just an experiential one. A 2025 report from Universities U.K. International, cited by the U.K. government, found that students from less advantaged backgrounds who had studied abroad had a higher five-year employment rate; 70.2%, compared with 68.3% for those who hadn’t.
Whether or not a student describes themselves as disadvantaged, the broader pattern suggests that international study experience tends to translate into stronger career prospects, which admissions officers and employers alike tend to take seriously.
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said, “As the National Agency for Erasmus+, the British Council will work closely with the Department for Education, the Devolved Governments and the European Commission to make the most of the opportunities of the programme for the UK.” Adding, “Erasmus+ has a proven track record in changing lives, opening up learning experiences, providing insight into cultures, and nurturing global citizenship.”
The British Council will resume its role as the National Agency for Erasmus+ in the UK. Although confirmation will follow later this year, the British Council will support education, training, youth, and sport organizations applying to the program and help higher education students and educators make the most of the newly available opportunities across Europe,
The U.K. is preparing to administer the program through the British Council, with detailed guidance expected well before the 2027 funding call opens.
Master’s students in the early stages of graduate school planning should consider the following steps:
It isn’t yet clear which specific master’s programs will offer Erasmus+ opportunities, so the practical details will matter as much as the headline announcement. But for students planning ahead, this is a door reopening after several years shut.
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Studying abroad with Erasmus+ is more than just an academic adventure; it’s a pivotal experience. From making international friends to boosting your career prospects, this program opens doors across 33 countries. If you want to stand out in a competitive global job market, an Erasmus+ exchange could be the smartest move you make.
