Plan Your Stay

EU Students in the UK

Plan Your Stay

EU Students in the UK

European Union map with flags of countries. Europe.

The UK education sector is without doubt one of the most international in the world. Students and workers from the EU and beyond are extremely welcome. They make an enormous contribution to the UK and the success of its education institutions. 

Although the UK is leaving the EU, yet EU students applying for a place at a university or further education institution in the UK 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic year will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee status’, which means they will be charged the same tuition fees as UK students for the duration of their studies.

The UK is leaving the EU. Formal discussions are continuing around the UK’s departure from the European Union. What EU, EEA and Swiss citizens, studying or planning to study at UK education providers, should do to prepare for Brexit.

Students status from EU member states

The UK’s decision to leave the EU doesn’t have any instant implications for the status of EU students within the UK. EU students applying for a place at a university or further education institution within the UK 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic year will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee status’, which suggests they are going to be charged the same tuition charges as UK students for the duration of their studies. 

Students who’ve already began their course are assured their current status in the course of their studies. These guarantees apply for the full duration of the course, even if the course finishes after the UK leaves the EU. After this, the process is still to be confirmed. Nonetheless, the UK Government and universities within the UK are working to maintain the system as simple as possible.

Applying for UK student loans or grants

Current university students from the EU and those applying to study programs beginning in 2019-20 will not see any changes to their loan eligibility or fee status. Students applying to start studies in England and Scotland in 2020-21 are additionally assured the same fee status. This assurance will apply for the complete length of the course, even when the course finishes after the UK has left the EU.

Visa to study in the UK

As long as the UK leaves the EU with a withdrawal settlement in place, you’ll not need a visa if you’re arriving earlier than 1 January 2021. 

  • Students from EU nations (or EEA or Switzerland) will not need a visa in the event that they arrive earlier than 1 January 2021
  • Should you plan to stay beyond 31 December 2020 (for instance, due to the size of your course), you’ll need to apply on-line for the EU Settlement Scheme.

If the UK were to leave the EU without a withdrawal deal, the UK Government would introduce immigration guidelines for EU residents and their immediate members of the family. This is referred to as European Short-term Depart to Stay . These guidelines cover EU students who arrive in the UK after the UK leaves the EU. They might solely apply if the UK left the EU without a deal. 

According to these no-deal guidelines:

  • After three months, you’d need to apply for European Temporary Leave to Remain, a easy on-line process for a small charge, which might will let you stay within the UK for 36 months.
  • The UK Government is still to outline particulars of future visa rules, which might apply to students who wish to stay longer – for instance, to finish a four-year course. 

Erasmus+ exchange programme

Students from the European Union and the other 5 programme nations can continue to come to the UK till 2020 as a part of Erasmus+ all through the negotiation interval till the date of exit. UK participation in Erasmus+ past 2020 and after the UK leaves the European Union is a matter for the negotiations. 

The Erasmus+ UK National Agency (British Council and Ecorys UK) and Universities UK are strongly supportive of continued and full UK participation in Erasmus+ after the UK leaves the European Union, in order that UK and EU students can proceed to benefit from Erasmus+ opportunities over the long term.

For probably the most up-to-date info on Erasmus+, go to the UK National Agency website .

Need more information

We’ll continue to update this web page often. Please see beneath for extra official sources of details about UK higher education and Brexit.

Further information

Student finance

For more information about EU nationals and student finance in the UK, please visit the following websites for each country to read their statement and check for any relevant updates.

England – Student Loans Company

Scotland – Universities Scotland

Wales – Universities Wales

Northern Ireland – NI Direct

Stay up to date

  • The UK Government official information for EU citizens in the UK is regularly updated on the Government website, GOV.UK
We are using cookies to give you the best experience. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in privacy settings.
AcceptPrivacy Settings

GDPR

  • Your privacy

Your privacy

We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you relevant advertising.

To find out more, read our updated privacy policy and cookie policy.