European Union's Erasmus/Socrates project

Students who study a full year in Europe under the European Union's Erasmus/Socrates project will be spared tuition fees for that year, education minister Baroness Blackstone confirmed this week.

She told a House of Lords committee investigating the imbalance in the flow of students between the UK and the rest of the EU that to get the best value from the scheme the government will work to ensure that students do not have to pay fees for the year abroad.

Ministers hope the concession will prevent the imbalance from worsening when tuition fees are introduced for all undergraduates. Baroness Blackstone said she would like officials to explore the issue of the imbalance and possible compensation for Britain with the European Commission.