Swiss students out of Erasmus programme from 2015

Swiss students will no longer be able to take part in the Erasmus university student exchange programme from 2015, a European Commission spokesperson confirmed on February 26.

Brussels froze research grants for Swiss universities worth hundreds of millions of euros in retaliation after Switzerland voted to cap the number of immigrants entering the country in a nationwide referendum.

Switzerland will also be excluded from the new programmes Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+.

Elizabeth Gehrke, vice-chairwoman of the European Students’ Union (ESU) said: “Switzerland is on a slippery slope of isolating its students and academics from the outside world.”

Swiss students currently on a year abroad are able to complete their Erasmus programme.