EU students (BREXIT)

Please see the latest advice for EU students on Brexit:

Tuition fee funding

If you are a current EU student (started your course before 31 August 2021) you will continue to be able to access funding under existing eligibility criteria.

Immigration status

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020 and intending to stay beyond this date need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Applications must be made by 30 June 2021.

Those who have a documented right of permanent residence under EU law still need to apply under the Scheme before the end of the transition period (or under another category of the Immigration Rules), as the right of permanent residence is an EU right which will no longer be recognised.

  • Students arriving in the UK by 31 December 2020 will not require a visa but will need to apply for the Settlement Scheme to ensure they are able to complete their studies without requiring a visa.

  • Those arriving from 1 January 2021 will require a visa to enter the UK and will not be eligible for the Settlement Scheme. Details of the visa application process for EU/EEA students have not been published but we are expecting further announcements.

  • Settled status enables EU nationals having lived continuously in the UK for at least five years to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like. EU nationals having lived in the UK for less than five years will be able to apply for pre-settled status, which will allow them to meet the five-year residency requirement needed to apply for settled status. Those eligible can apply via the gov.uk website. 

  • The government has reached agreements with governments of EEA countries (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland about the rights of their citizens. These are broadly in line with those negotiated for EU students and citizens; EEA nationals will be able to guarantee their rights in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme.

  • Further information on what Brexit may mean for EU students is available in our PDF: Brexit FAQs for EU students.
    Information on EEA and Swiss students is available in our PDF: Brexit FAQs for EEA and Swiss students.

Interruption of study

If you are a EU student on an interruption of study, or planning an interruption of study that will extend your course to beyond 31 December 2020, then you should apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

If you have left the UK, those who then re-enter the UK before 31 December 2020 will have until 30 June 2021 to make the application.

Those who re-enter the country after 31 December, and have not applied to the Settlement Scheme, will need to have immigration permission through the new Immigration rules from January 2021.