Last reviewed: 21 October 2026
Brexit and young people is ultimately a story about opportunity.
Before Brexit, British citizens had EU free movement rights. A young person from the UK could move to an EU country to live, work or study under EU rules without first needing a work visa simply because they were British. UK students could also take part in Erasmus+, the European exchange programme that connected universities, colleges, schools, apprentices, youth organisations and staff across Europe.
Those rights changed when the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020.
British citizens can still travel throughout Europe, study at European universities and build careers in EU countries. But many opportunities that were once automatic rights of EU citizenship now depend on visas, permits, national immigration rules, or specific exchange programmes.
That distinction matters.
It does not mean Europe became closed to young Britons. It means the terms on which they can participate changed.
And in 2026, that story is changing again.