What the Erasmus+ reassociation means for the University of Edinburgh

In December 2025, it was announced that the United Kingdom will reassociate with the Erasmus+ scheme from 2027. The programme will provide students and staff at UK higher education institutions with international mobility opportunities during the 2027/28 academic year and possibly beyond.

Erasmus+ is an EU programme that provides grant funding to higher education institutions across Europe, promoting cooperation between these institutions and enabling mobility. The reassociation announcement comes five years after the UK left the scheme as part of the post-Brexit deal with the European Union.

A large group of professionals standing outside ECCI at the University of Edinburgh.

Erasmus+ and the University of Edinburgh

Participation in the programme requires a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), which provides the general quality framework for the activities planned to carry out across an institution. The Study and Work Away Service (SWAY) is currently working on the ECHE application on the University’s behalf. The application will be submitted in late March 2026 with results expected in September 2026.

The call to bid for funding to support specific mobility activities will follow in early 2027. 

2027 and beyond

At present, the agreement to rejoin only covers the current Erasmus+ programme (2021 to 2027). The UK's participation in the next iteration of the Erasmus+ programme (2028 to 2034) will be dependent on subsequent negotiations between the UK government and European Commission.

The proposed budget for the 2028 to 2034 programme is an ambitious €40.8 billion, compared to €26.2 billion for 2021 to 2027 and €14.7 billion for the 2014 to 2020 programme. Education mobility, solidarity and inclusiveness will remain the core of the programme.

The UK government has announced that a National Agency will be appointed to deliver Erasmus+ for the UK, with a website and further information to be launched by summer 2026.

Professionals socialising in a large meeting room in KU Leuven.

The Turing Scheme

The Turing Scheme was established as the UK’s global programme to support study and work abroad following the UK’s departure from Erasmus+ in 2020. The scheme will continue to run for the 2026/27 academic year.

The University was awarded £1.3 million through the Turing Scheme in 2025/26 which supported approximately 420 student mobilities. SWAY is currently working on the University’s Turing 6 funding bid to ensure support for students who will be going abroad in 2026/27. 

Benefits of Erasmus+

The University anticipates that Erasmus+ will provide increased mobility funding and opportunities for students, staff and recent graduates, enabling them to take part in high-quality learning, training and teaching mobilities in other countries. For students, this could involve travelling to a different country to study or train, while staff can undertake job shadowing, observation periods, training courses, or teaching opportunities.

The programme is intended to support the participation of people from all backgrounds. There is extra support available for travel, accommodation and some other costs for people with disabilities, additional learning needs or who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Erasmus+ funding would also enable UK institutions to collaborate with international partners, helping to strengthen the University’s global reputation in education and training.

Erasmus+ activities will support personal and career development and promote internationalisation at home and abroad. Reassociation with the programme will support the University’s strategic mission and link to the focus areas of:

  • Learning and Teaching
  • Research and Innovation
  • Civic Mission.

In the UK’s final year of participation in the previous Erasmus+ programme (through the 2020 call) the University of Edinburgh was awarded almost €4 million, which supported over 1,000 overseas student and staff mobilities. The 2027 funding scope has not been determined at this time.

Read our stories and see photos from former Erasmus+ participants from the University:

  • Signe in front of flags

More information

For more information about the Erasmus+ reassociation and studying or working abroad, visit the resources below. 

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