On 12 March 2021, the Government announced that schools, colleges and universities can now apply for funding to allow students to study and work across the globe as part of the new Turing Scheme.
The programme has been created as a replacement to the Erasmus+ scheme in the UK and, backed by £110 million, will fund 35,000 global exchanges from September 2021. These will include university study, school exchanges, and industry work placements.
According to the government, the Turing scheme will offer benefits to students that were not available under the previous Erasmus+ programme.
University students from disadvantaged backgrounds are set to receive a maximum of £490 per month towards living costs (currently worth around 573 euros compared to 540 euros under Erasmus+), alongside travel funding, and other forms of additional funding to offset the cost of passports, visas and insurance.
Unlike the Europe-focused Erasmus+ programme, every country in the world is eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges as part of the Turing Scheme.
The Government is encouraging institutions that have not previously benefitted from Erasmus+, including schools and colleges, to apply for the scheme. Successful applications will receive funding for administering the scheme and students taking part will receive grants to help them with the costs of their international experience.
According to the press release, the £110m of funding that the Government have made available to support the scheme in the 2021/22 academic year is enough to fund similar levels of student exchanges as under the former Erasmus+ scheme.
The Turing Scheme website includes the programme guide, funding levels and eligibility, and details of webinars available to help inform applications.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said:
‘The Turing Scheme is a truly global programme with every country in the world eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.
‘It is also levelling up in action, as the scheme seeks to help students of all income groups from across the country experience fantastic education opportunities in any country they choose.’