British students in France don’t want to lose Erasmus
British MPs voted against making full ongoing participation in the Erasmus+ educational exchange and work placement programmes a negotiating objective in new Brexit talks.
The vote does not mean participation has been ruled out for the EU scheme, which allows students to study in other countries. It may still be discussed but it risks being a low priority.
The programme also gives opportunities for teachers to train abroad. Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said in a debate it was “an absolute no-brainer” because “for students, young people, those in training and staff in the education sector, it has been absolutely incredible”.
Keiley Archer, 21, is a Hertfordshire University English literature and French student who attended Lyon 3university and is now beginning a work placement in the Nord, both arranged via Erasmus.
She said she would not have have had the funds to do either without the scheme.
The fees were covered under Erasmus. It involved a partnership between the universities, so Lyon students can study in Hertfordshire, and she received around €350 per month towards her living costs.
She studied French language, culture and history. “It was interesting to see similarities and differences with the UK,” she said. “People on the course were from all over the world and I met French people in the halls of residence.
“My French got better and I was able to travel around France. I had never travelled on my own before.”
Her new placement, as an English assistant in a French primary school, was organised via the Erasmus Intern website.
“I worried about my funding due to Brexit. If I’d not had Erasmus, I couldn’t have afforded to study in France. I already have a student loan,” she said.
Keiley said she feels disappointed for future generations if the UK no longer participates.
“Even if you’re not going to work abroad, it’s a valuable thing to do. You learn so much.
“It’s personal growth, as well as career skills. It would be a real shame to lose this unique opportunity. I have a friend who is studying in Japan outside Erasmus and she needed to buy visas and health insurance, and I saw how much more she was stressing over it – you could really see the difference.
“So it may still be possible to study abroad without it, but just 20 times more difficult.”
Britons were the third participating nationality to come to France after Germans and Italians, and the UK was the top destination for the French with 13,032 going to the UK in the academic year 2017-2018, the latest available statistics show.
