Fears language degrees at risk as Erasmus replacement focuses on UK trade agenda

Study of modern languages at university has fallen by 38% in 10 years. Will the post-Brexit Turing scheme make things worse?

The dramatic fall in students taking language degrees in the UK could accelerate if the government fails to fund the year abroad in Europe after next year, universities are warning.

Students of modern languages have to spend their third year studying or working abroad in order to pass their degree, and academics say this is the main attraction of many courses. Now, with the UK no longer taking part in the EU Erasmus scheme, there are fears for the future of the traditional European year abroad and for many language courses, with 2020 admissions already down 38% on 10 years ago.