Spanish universities cancel Erasmus grants before hard Brexit possibility

UK STUDENTS hoping to study on the Erasmus programme may see their places cancelled if the UK leaves the European Union without an agreement on March 29.

The EU has promised to honour grants paid out for this year’s programme, which would see 14,000 European students going to the UK to study and 7,000 British students in Europe, but Spanish universities have already begun to cancel grants, offer students other destinations and look for alternative agreements.

The Erasmus student programme is one of the most successful identifying characteristics of the EU for young people and will be sorely missed by many if Brexit goes ahead without an agreement.

Universities have been told to have a “contingency plan” in place in the face of a hard Brexit.