What to know
- Carney is advocating for Canada’s entry into the European Erasmus+ exchange program, which could make study abroad more accessible for students.
- Erasmus+ waives tuition and registration fees at host institutions and offers monthly stipends to help cover living costs.
- Students say the program could provide much-needed financial relief and expand their sense of community overseas.
- Concerns remain about potential brain drain, but many students are excited for new opportunities and cultural exchange.
For Canadian students dreaming of studying abroad, the price tag can be overwhelming: flights, rent, groceries, and even textbooks add up fast. But some hope they’ll soon feel financial relief if Canada joins this European exchange program.
In a news conference on Sept. 17, Prime Minister Mark Carney, alongside President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, suggested that Canada join Europe’s Erasmus+ program.
“Canadian membership of Erasmus+ would give your students and ours more opportunity to learn at some of the world’s top universities, to broaden their horizons and to build those lasting ties that will sustain our alliance for the future,” Carney said in the news conference.
The European Region Action Scheme Mobility University Students (ERASMUS) program allows people to study and train at institutions across Europe for up to a year.
Since its start in 1987, the program has expanded to include work experience, apprenticeships and sport. Additionally, the program has expanded to the UK, Turkey, North Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway — turning it into Erasmus +.
How is it different from a regular exchange?
Your home-university requires you to keep paying them the same amount rather than international student fees for the semester at the exchange university. Still, you cover your room, board, and other international expenses.
Erasmus+ students are exempt from fees for tuition, registration, examinations, and charges for access to laboratories or libraries at the receiving institution. Small fees for insurance or student union membership may still apply.
The program offers grant agreements that provide a stipend to help cover monthly expenses.
The exact amount depends on several factors, including living costs in your home country and the destination country.
The standard Erasmus+ grant ranges from €330 to €750 per month for study exchanges, and €480 to €900 per month for internships.
‘Students could probably use a win’: These students want Canada to join Erasmus+; here’s why
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) student Ebenezer A. says it would be great if Canada joins Erasmus+.
“I feel like exchange has always been something people talk about in terms of post-secondary life… It’s a great program that I’ve heard has great benefits like paying you around 600 a month for residence fees and whatnot,” he told Now Toronto.
Ebenezer believes it not only interests students, but the stipend will also help relieve financial stress. However, he worries students won’t wish to return to the country.
“A con is brain drain. If there are people going to Europe for school and saying, ‘You know what, it’s actually better over there than it is over here,’” Ebenezer stressed.
TMU student Ibrahim M. says it’s great, especially considering the additional struggles students have had with OSAP.
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“It would be really great, especially since it would be helping students. Honestly, with what happened with OSAP… I feel like students could probably use a win once in a while,” he told Now Toronto.
Ibrahim said he would love to visit London through the Erasmus+ program to help him afford the expensive city.
“It has a really good arts program and lots of creatives there,” he said.
TMU student Maya D. says she would love to join the Erasmus+ community to feel a little less lonely abroad.
“It’s very community-[focused], and it’s really good for students to come out of their shell and experience different cultures and build friendships,” she said.
Maya would love to visit Greece or another European country focused on the arts.
Overall, students hope to join Erasmus+ for financial relief and a sense of community overseas.
