Government officials in Scotland and Wales are looking into ways to continue offering Erasmus positions to international students even in the event of a no-deal exit from the European Union.
In a letter to the United Kingdom Education Secretary, the two governments expressed their concerns that a hard exit might mean an end to the effective implementation of the Erasmus program.
According to recent statistics, more than fifteen thousand (15,000) Scottish Erasmus students and teachers have been active participants in the European exchange program. While the United Kingdom is one of the most popular destinations for international students looking to study abroad, universities might face significant problems after Brexit.
Erasmus students and Brexit
Unfortunately, a hard exit from the European Union might mean that Erasmus students will have to renegotiate their acceptance terms.
According to government representatives, without detailed third-country agreements, Brexit will have a severe effect on the success rate of the Erasmus program. The adverse effects of a hard exit span beyond higher education as well. Recent research has shown that fewer students are interested in studying foreign languages, as a result of Brexit.
The government representative for Scotland expressed concerns that the Department of Education (DoE) is looking into the possibility to create a program similar to Erasmus, which will be reserved for British citizens only.
Unfortunately, Brexit might deprive Erasmus students of the opportunity to pursue a higher education diploma at a British university. There is still time until October 31, when the United Kingdom will officially exit the European Union, so hopefully, the DoE will figure out a way to keep offering the Erasmus student exchange program.
