FAQs on the UK's association to Erasmus+

UK association to the Erasmus+ programme enables UK organisations to participate on the same basis as institutions in EU Member States and other associated countries. This provides access to the full scope of Erasmus+ activity, including student and staff mobility, cooperation projects, joint master's programmes, policy-focused initiatives and participation in European Universities alliances, rather than participating on a more limited basis as a non-associated third country.

Erasmus+ now extends well beyond traditional student exchange. It offers opportunities for faculty-led mobility, joint initiatives and global partnerships. Association therefore provides institutions with a platform to strengthen strategic relationships, enhance their international profile and contribute to shared European priorities.

Erasmus+ operates on a multi-year funding cycle, providing long-term funding to support sustained partnerships and strategic collaboration. While the UK will associate to the final year of the current programme in 2027, participation in that year provides a foundation for future engagement. The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to outward student mobility in the 2026 International Education Strategy, and the European Commission expressed support for ongoing UK participation at UUKi’s 2026 Global Mobility Conference in February. Associated country status for 2027 will also enable the UK to engage more directly in discussions shaping the next programme.

The 2027 funding call represents an important opportunity for UK institutions to re-establish themselves as active and ambitious partners within the programme. Strong early engagement will help to maximise available funding, demonstrate the value of association and lay firm foundations for future participation. 

At present, the UK is a third country not associated to the Erasmus+ programme. This means UK organisations may participate in certain Erasmus+ actions, but do not have full access across all Key Actions and cannot apply for funding on the same basis as Programme Countries.

Following association in 2027, the UK will become a third country associated to the programme. Associated third countries participate on the same basis as Programme Countries, with full access to Erasmus+ activities and funding across the programme.

Under Erasmus+, there are three categories of participation:

1. Programme Countries: EU Member States and certain non-EU countries that participate fully in the programme.
2. Third countries associated to the programme: non-EU countries that have an association agreement and participate on the same basis as programme countries.
3. Third countries not associated to the programme: countries that may participate in limited Erasmus+ actions but do not have full access to funding or programme governance.

The UK is currently in the third category and will move into the second category in 2027. 

The UK’s association to Erasmus+ will take effect from January 2027, covering the final year of the current Erasmus+ programme cycle (2021–2027).  

In practical terms, this means UK institutions are expected to be able to apply for Erasmus+ funding towards the end of 2026 when application windows open, subject to the publication of the 2027 Erasmus+ work programme. To be eligible to apply, higher education institutions will need to have been awarded and hold a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE). 

Funding awarded under the 2027 call will support activity taking place primarily during the 2027–28 academic year. From that academic year onwards, UK organisations will participate as full beneficiaries under the Erasmus+ programme. 

Erasmus+ funding supports the mobility of students and staff enrolled at, or employed by, participating UK institutions, provided they meet the eligibility requirements of the relevant action. Funding is available to participants of any nationality, subject to programme rules. 

In higher education, Erasmus+ typically funds: 

• student study mobility abroad (typically two to 12 months)
• student or recent graduate traineeships abroad (typically two to 12 months)
• staff teaching or training mobility (two days to two months, excluding travel time)

Erasmus+ also supports short-term blended mobility, which combines a physical mobility period of five to 30 days with a mandatory virtual component. 

Beyond individual mobility, Erasmus+ funds cooperation and project-based activity, including Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters and Jean Monnet activities, cooperation partnerships, innovation projects and policy development activity. Detailed eligibility and financial provisions may vary by action and are set out in the Erasmus+ Programme Guide.

Although the UK is currently associated to the final year of the current Erasmus+ programme cycle (2027), funding awarded under that call can support projects and mobility activity across multiple academic years, depending on the type of activity and duration approved within the application.

This includes funding for KA1 projects supporting the mobility of students.

The ECHE is a quality framework and accreditation that higher education institutions must hold in order to apply for Erasmus+ funding for higher education activities. This requirement applies to any institution, including both higher and further education providers, that plans to deliver higher education mobilities under Erasmus+. 

UUKi hosted a webinar on 22 January 2026 with speakers from the Department for Education (DfE) and the European Commission to provide information and guidance on applying for an ECHE. The recording is available on request for UUKi members. 

The deadline for ECHE applications was 24 March 2026 at 4pm GMT, with results expected to be published around September 2026. Erasmus+ funding calls for the 2027–28 academic year are expected to open in the autumn of 2026, subject to confirmation in the work programme. 

Holding an ECHE signals institutional commitment to Erasmus+ principles, including quality, inclusion, transparency and academic recognition. 

For relevant higher education mobility activities, Erasmus+ requires an Inter-Institutional Agreement (IIA) alongside the relevant learning and mobility agreement for participants. There is no additional Erasmus+ requirement for a separate partnership agreement, such as a Memorandum of Understanding, for data protection purposes. 

UK institutions are subject to the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, while EU institutions are subject to the EU GDPR. The UK and EU currently recognise each other's data protection frameworks as adequate, allowing personal data to flow between the UK and EEA without additional international data-transfer safeguards.

Where an institution's legal or information governance team considers additional contractual provisions necessary, these can be included in section 9 of the Erasmus+ international IIA template, including provisions on data protection, liability, governing law and jurisdiction. This may avoid the need for a separate agreement. Institutions should follow their own legal and information governance advice.

The European Commission has indicated that higher education providers in Erasmus+ countries that already hold International Inter-Institutional Agreements (IIAs) with UK institutions for KA131 mobilities may update these through an email addendum for the 2027 call, rather than create entirely new agreements.

This applies where existing agreements have been used, or are being used, for mobility with the UK under the 20% global mobility allowance. This is applicable only to providers that have these KA131 agreements.

For the 2027 call, the email addendum can be used to agree the relevant inbound and outbound mobility flows. Where institutions have included an expiry date in section 9 of an existing IIA and is set to expire during 2027, this can also be extended through the email addendum.

Institutions should note that the UK's status from 2027 will be as a 'third country associated to the programme'. 

Institutions can access the latest Erasmus+ Inter-Institutional Agreement templates and guidance published on the European Commission website.

The European Commission currently expects to communicate the outcomes of ECHE applications to institutions in autumn 2026.

UUKi is aware that this timeline presents challenges for institutional planning and has asked the European Commission to seek to expedite the timing of outcome notifications. However, institutions are encouraged to begin exploring and renewing partnership agreements in advance, so they are ready sign agreements once ECHE outcomes are confirmed.

The sixth year of the Turing Scheme has been confirmed for the 2026–27 academic year and is open to applications until 16 March 2026. 

The Turing Scheme operates on an annual funding basis, with funding typically confirmed in the spring before the relevant academic funding year takes place. Funding for future years of the scheme beyond 2026–27 has not been confirmed. 

UUKi continues to engage closely with government and our members on the future relationship between Erasmus+ and the Turing Scheme. 

UUKi is working closely with members and stakeholders to support sector preparedness for UK association to Erasmus+. This includes providing practical guidance, sharing updates on policy and programme developments, and facilitating dialogue between institutions and policymakers, including through our Mobility Advisory Group and our Outward Student Mobility (OSM) network. 

UUKi is also seeking clarity from government and European stakeholders on timelines, transitional arrangements and implementation details, and feeding sector intelligence into these discussions. 

British Council will be the UK's National Agency for Erasmus+.

The National Agency is responsible for delivering the Erasmus+ programme at national level, including managing funding calls, assessing applications, awarding grants, and providing guidance to participating organisations.

As the UK’s National Agency, the British Council will support organisations applying to the programme and help students, apprentices, educators and young people to access opportunities across Europe.

The British Council will work closely with the Department for Education, the devolved governments and the European Commission to support effective implementation of the programme in the UK.