The UK's universities have been in turmoil since Brexit, and the exit from the Erasmus+ program sent shockwaves through the system. But the tables might be turning! Experts are suggesting that the return to the Erasmus+ program in 2027-28 could be a lifeline, particularly for those mid-tier UK universities that saw a dramatic drop in EU student enrollment after Brexit. But here's where it gets controversial... will it truly solve the problem, or just mask a deeper issue?
Following Brexit in 2020, the UK officially left the Erasmus+ scheme, and since the academic year 2021-22, EU students have been required to pay full international tuition fees. This decision had a significant impact. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) paints a stark picture: the number of EU students attending UK universities has plummeted by roughly half. In 2020-21, there were 152,930 EU students, but by 2023-24, that number had fallen to a mere 74,490. That's a massive decline, and it's not been felt equally across all institutions.
While a few of the larger, more prestigious universities have managed to maintain or even slightly increase their EU student numbers, many others have experienced significant losses. The impact has been particularly severe on institutions like University College Birmingham (down 86%), and Coventry University (down 85%). Other universities that have suffered major declines include University of Wales Trinity Saint David (82% decrease), University of Bedfordshire (79% decrease), and Southampton Solent University (78% decrease). These figures highlight the uneven distribution of the Brexit fallout.
Diana Beech, director of the Finsbury Institute at City St George’s, University of London, emphasizes that these sharp declines have disproportionately affected “mid-tier, teaching-focused universities.” She argues that the return of Erasmus+ could be a game-changer for these institutions, providing a much-needed opportunity to rebuild EU student numbers and revitalize campus diversity. And this is the part most people miss... Elite universities, with their already strong international reputations and robust recruitment strategies, might not see the same level of benefit from the program. They already have a global appeal, making the marginal impact of Erasmus+ smaller for them.
Beyond simply attracting EU students, rejoining Erasmus+ could have wider benefits. It guarantees year-abroad opportunities for UK students studying modern languages, potentially safeguarding language departments that are currently at risk of closure. However, Beech also raises an important point: the long-term impact is uncertain. Will Erasmus+ placements encourage EU students to return to the UK for postgraduate studies, or will these short-term exchanges satisfy their educational needs, ultimately reducing demand for more profitable master’s courses? It is a valid question, and universities need to be prepared for either outcome.
"While the return of Erasmus will undoubtedly help UK universities to rebuild connections and campus communities, it may also reshape demand in ways that challenge current financial models," Beech states. This highlights a potential shift in the financial landscape for universities, forcing them to adapt to new patterns of student enrollment.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, offers a more cautious perspective. He believes that the UK’s re-entry into Erasmus+ will have a limited impact on universities' overall financial health. "The Erasmus money will subsidise the teaching and living costs of Erasmus participants but may not cover all the costs in full," he explains. Furthermore, he raises a critical question: "If you can come here cheaply as part of your degree in your own home country as part of Erasmus, why would you opt to come here expensively for, say, a taught master’s and pay full international fees later on?"
Consider the numbers: HESA data indicates that only 28,375 new EU students enrolled in UK institutions in 2023-24. In contrast, official Erasmus figures show that over 16,000 EU students participated in exchanges in the UK during 2019-20 (pre-Brexit). Approximately 9,900 UK students went abroad through Erasmus that year, with the Universities of Glasgow, Bristol, and Edinburgh being the largest providers.
Simon Sweeney, a professor of international political economy at the University of York, argues that the UK's absence from Erasmus+ exacerbated the negative effects of Brexit on universities. "Leaving Erasmus sent a signal that the UK didn’t welcome EU students," he states. "Numbers coming here from the EU collapsed right across the sector. This meant lost undergraduate income, as well as from postgraduates and research students." Quitting Erasmus damaged the UK's reputation as a welcoming and high-quality destination for international students. Rejoining, therefore, is "good news for all universities, including the less prestigious ones."
Sweeney adds that only a select few universities have been able to successfully charge high international fees to EU students since Brexit. The sector as a whole has suffered, and rejoining Erasmus+ represents a significant step towards rebuilding the UK's reputation as a welcoming environment. But is that reputation permanently tarnished? That's a question only time will answer.
Separate HESA figures for Scotland and Wales reveal that some elite universities were able to increase their income from EU tuition fees in 2023-24 compared to 2020-21 by charging higher fees. For example, the University of St Andrews increased its income from EU students from £5.6 million to £14.4 million, despite having a similar number of students. However, other universities, such as Edinburgh Napier University and Glasgow Caledonian University, experienced significant declines in income from EU tuition fees. This disparity highlights the complex and varied impact of Brexit on different institutions.
So, what do you think? Will the return to Erasmus+ truly revitalize mid-tier UK universities, or is it just a temporary fix? Will it encourage more EU students to pursue postgraduate studies in the UK, or will it deter them? And perhaps most importantly, has the UK's reputation as a welcoming destination for international students been permanently damaged? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
