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Turing is winding down. The UK Government has confirmed that the UK will associate to Erasmus+ from 1 January 2027, and has stated that the Turing Scheme continues for 2026/27 and then ends as Erasmus+ placements begin. Our advice: use the current Turing cycle for short-term outbound mobility now, and prepare for the Erasmus+ 2027 call in parallel.

The UK call is expected to open in November 2026, with deadlines in February and March 2027, for activities starting later in 2027. We recommend developing your project concept and partner relationships now.

Organisations applying through a national agency need an Organisation ID (OID) — an eight-digit identifier beginning with "E", obtained free through the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps Organisation Registration System. A PIC is a different identifier, used for centralised actions managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, and is not required for national agency applications. For UK applicants, OID registration and validation follow the British Council standing up as National Agency.

From 1 January 2027 the United Kingdom becomes a third country associated to Erasmus+, following Decision No 1/2026 of the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. UK organisations will be able to apply to Erasmus+ on the same footing as organisations in EU member states and other associated countries, across education, training, youth and sport. The Department for Education acts as National Authority and the British Council is the incoming UK National Agency.

Association currently covers the 2027 call, which is the final year of the 2021–2027 programme. Participation in the successor programme from 2028 requires a separate negotiation.

One point that is often misquoted: the "20%" figure is not a programme allocation. It is the maximum proportion of its own KA131 grant that a higher education beneficiary may spend on mobility to countries not associated to the programme.

The Turing Scheme is the UK Government's programme funding study and work placements abroad for students. It launched in 2021 to replace UK participation in Erasmus+ and supports Further Education colleges, schools, universities and apprenticeship providers travelling to destinations worldwide. It is currently winding down ahead of UK re-association to Erasmus+ in 2027.

Erasmus+ is the European Union's flagship programme for education, training, youth and sport — running since 1987. It funds two-way mobility (outbound and inbound), long-term partnerships and staff exchanges, organised around four horizontal priorities: Inclusion & Diversity, Environmental Sustainability, Digital Transformation, and Participation in Democratic Life.

Turing is UK-funded, outbound-only and global, but is winding down. Erasmus+ is EU-funded, two-way, covers four sectors (education, training, youth, sport) and the UK is rejoining as a full participant in 2027. For the next cycle, use Turing for short-term outbound trips and prepare Erasmus+ bids for the long term.

Only in limited circumstances. Until association takes effect, the UK is a third country not associated to the programme, and UK organisations cannot apply for decentralised Erasmus+ funding in their own right.

UK organisations can act as receiving organisations for European partners in the actions that permit it. Erasmus-accredited VET providers in other countries may send learners and staff to the UK, and higher education institutions may fund traineeships and staff mobility to the UK from the international dimension of their KA131 grant.

Under a separate arrangement funded by the Irish government, higher education students in Northern Ireland can continue to access Erasmus+ through an Irish higher education institution. That arrangement is specific to higher education and does not extend to further education or school-sector applicants.

Both schemes fund mobility through published unit costs rather than by reimbursing actual expenditure. Erasmus+ pays travel by distance band, individual support for subsistence at a daily rate set by the national agency, and organisational support per participant, with further amounts available for inclusion, linguistic preparation and, in some actions, course fees.

Erasmus+ operates on a co-financing basis: unit costs are calculated to cover the majority of typical costs, and the sending organisation meets the balance from its own resources or other funding. Turing works on a similar per-learner grant basis, with enhanced rates for disadvantaged participants.

Insurance is not a separate grant line under Erasmus+; project organisers must make sure every participant is insured. Under Turing, "readiness to travel" funding can cover travel insurance for disadvantaged participants, along with costs such as passports, visa fees and vaccinations.

We contract with the sending organisation: the college, school, training provider, youth organisation or sport club arranging the mobility, or its national partner. The sending organisation is the organiser of the trip and holds the relationship with participants and, where relevant, their parents or carers. We do not sell trips directly to individuals or families.

Eligibility depends on the scheme and the action. The Turing Scheme covers learners at UK schools, FE colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers — including BTEC, T Level, A Level, GCSE and apprenticeship cohorts — with no minimum grade requirement.

Erasmus+ additionally funds youth work and grassroots sport through Key Action 1: youth exchanges (KA152), youth worker mobility (KA153) and sport staff mobility (KA182). The Turing Scheme does not fund these. UK organisations will be able to apply for these actions from the 2027 call.

There are no upper age limits. Minimum ages depend on the action. Erasmus+ school exchanges have no minimum age: any student enrolled at the sending school can take part. Youth exchanges are for young people aged 13 to 30. For younger groups we build in additional safeguarding measures, with written parental consent arranged by the sending organisation.

Absolutely — inclusion is one of our core values, and both Turing and Erasmus+ explicitly support SEND learners. We design itineraries around individual EHC plans, ALN statements (Wales) and IEPs, with funded 1:1 support staff, accessible accommodation and tailored activities.

We provide 24/7 on-trip support with a duty phone answered by a senior member of our team. Every trip has a documented emergency plan, shared with the sending organisation before departure for them to cascade to participants and families.

Every property is checked against our accommodation standard — documented fire and safety certification, safeguarding suitability, and a site visit wherever practicable. We share the check record with the sending organisation before travel.

We produce a full risk assessment pack for every trip, signed off by the college's designated safeguarding lead. This covers transport, activities, accommodation and country-specific risks — and meets the documentation expected by both Turing and Erasmus+ reporting.

Return travel, travel within the host country, accommodation, food or food allowances, all programmed activities, local transport, 24/7 on-trip support, and pre-departure briefing materials for participants and for the sending organisation to share with parents and carers.

No. Travel insurance is the sending organisation's responsibility.

Global Horizons requires every participant to hold full travel and medical insurance including repatriation as a condition of travel, with certificates provided before departure. For participants travelling from the EU to the UK, an EHIC or GHIC covers medically necessary state treatment but does not cover repatriation, private treatment or lost property, and is not a substitute for travel insurance.

Yes — supervised free time in safe, agreed zones is built into every itinerary. It is a key part of building independence and confidence, and supervision is agreed with and led by the sending organisation.

Yes. We run re-entry sessions to help learners reflect on their experience, update their CVs, and capture impact for the sending organisation's reporting — including Ofsted evidence for UK providers.

Nationals of EU and EEA countries do not need a visa for a short visit, but they do need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling. An ETA costs £20, permits multiple journeys of up to six months each, and is valid for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Every traveller needs their own ETA, including children. The Home Office advises applying at least three working days before travel. An ETA authorises travel to the UK; permission to enter is still granted at the border.

The Immigration Rules were amended by Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026 and in force from 8 October 2026. Appendix Visitor now expressly permits Erasmus+ participants to provide or receive training at a UK organisation or educational institution, take part in a course of study provided by an Accredited Institution participating in Erasmus+, undertake job shadowing confined to participative observation, and take part in coaching or training assignments at a UK sports organisation. A traineeship of up to 30 days is also permitted, but only for participants aged 18 or under. None of these activities may amount to filling a permanent role.

On the Visitor route with an ETA, an Erasmus+ traineeship is permitted for up to 30 days and is limited to participants aged 18 or under, with working hours complying with the UK Working Time Regulations. Participants over 18, and any placement longer than 30 days including ErasmusPro mobility, use the Erasmus+ scheme under Appendix Government Authorised Exchange — which covers traineeships, teaching placements and training assignments for up to 12 months, sponsored centrally by IRARA Services Ltd. Please talk to us before planning either.

Yes. A participant under the age of 18 coming for a traineeship or job shadowing must provide written confirmation of permission from their parent or legal guardian, and from their home institution. This is in addition to the consent and medical documentation the sending organisation normally provides.

The sending organisation, as part of its pre-departure preparation. We provide a checklist and a manifest template, and ask for confirmation that every participant holds a valid ETA at least three weeks before travel. Under Erasmus+, visa and visa-related costs — including the ETA — are reimbursable in full as exceptional costs, so the cost should be built into the grant application.