Overview
- From January 2027, UK students, apprentices and adult learners gain subsidised exchanges across the EU with reciprocal fee protection, and ministers estimate more than 100,000 UK participants in the first year.
- The government says much of the £570m contribution will return as grants to UK beneficiaries, with the UK also able to compete for a £1bn EU‑managed funding pot.
- A 10‑month review will assess whether student flows are fairly balanced between the UK and EU, and longer‑term financial terms from 2028 remain to be negotiated.
- The agreement restores mobility across higher, vocational and adult education and accompanies planned talks on electricity market integration, a food and drink trade deal and carbon‑market linking, with separate youth‑mobility discussions ongoing.
- Universities welcomed the move as expanding opportunities, while Conservative critics attacked the cost and questioned the future of the Turing Scheme, which continues for current placements but lacks long‑term assurances.