Which countries attract the most EU exchange students?

Almost 364,000 of EU university students – 9% of the total – participated in a mobility programme abroad in 2022, reports Eurostat.

11% of them went to Spain, while the UK was the second most preferred destination with 9.7%, followed by the US at 7.2%.

In terms of master’s students, purely, the UK was the preferred destination with 23,467 students, closely followed by Spain with 23,457.

The US ranks third with 17,035, followed by Germany (14,296), Canada (10,010) and France (7,977).

Spain was the most popular destination for undergraduate students (16,771), followed by the UK (11,993), Italy (9,480), the US (9,004), France (8,923) and Germany (8,534).

Can I still participate in mobility programme in UK after Brexit?

Yes, you can.

After Brexit, the UK withdrew from the Erasmus mobility programme, citing cost concerns. However, Erasmus was replaced by another programme, the Turing Scheme, which offers opportunities in over 100 destinations.

Students can apply through their universities to join the programme. There may be visa requirements depending on the destination country.

Which nationalities take advantage of mobility programmes the most?

French students are on the move far more than their EU counterparts, accounting for 49.5% of the total – nearly 180,000 in 2022 alone.

Germans rank second with 14% followed by Italian students at 13%.

Some countries attracted students from specific EU countries.

For example, 54% of students on a mobility programme in Greece were from Cyprus. In Italy, 51% came from Malta, while Germany hosted 27% of students from Luxembourg.

Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz