Brexit timeline (Image: Express) However, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen refused the bid arguing, Scotland and the Senedd could not diverge from the decision "made in London". In her letter, she said: “The commission is aware of the Scottish Government’s statement on the UK decision not to associate to Erasmus+ and my colleague Mariya Gabriel has met Mr Richard Lochhead MSP, the Scottish minister for further education, higher education and science, who was keen to explore options for Scottish participation. "However, as one constituent nation of the UK, association to Erasmus+ is not possible for Scotland, separately. "The only possibility for the UK is to associate as a whole, or not at all."