EU student information
Our commitment to internationalism remains unchangedBrexit and beyond
The UK formally left the European Union, and the transition period ended at the end of 2020.
This page offers advice and resources for current and prospective LSBU students from the EU/EEA.
Immigration
Currently, we can categorise our students into three distinct groups.
- Those who by the end of 2020 hold Immigration Permission
- Those who are resident in the UK and are still to apply for or have applied for Immigration Permission (30 June 2021 deadline)
- Those who do not hold Immigration Permission.
Please note, different rules apply to students coming for a short term study period e.g. Study Abroad, and should read the Study Abroad pages for advice.
EU/EEA Citizens holding Immigration Permission
To retain current rights beyond the end of 2020, EU citizens and their family members must have applied for UK immigration permission under the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme. The scheme allows EU, EEA and Swiss citizens to continue to study, work and live in the UK post-Brexit.
The type of immigration permission you get depends on how long you have been living in the UK when you applied. This will be assessed and allocated upon application. The two categories are:
Settled status
If you have lived in the UK for a continuous five-year period you are eligible for indefinite leave to remain, referred to as ‘settled’ status. This status enables you to continue living in the UK permanently. You can still apply if you have had absences from the UK during the 5 year period of up to 6 months in any 12 month period, or one period of up to 12 months in certain circumstances including serious illness or study.
Pre-settled status
You can apply for limited leave to remain on the basis of currently living in the UK. This is referred to as ‘pre-settled’ status. Once you have pre-settled status, you can apply for settled status when you have met the five-year continuous residence period.
You MUST have been resident in the UK by the 31 December AND made your application by the end of June 2021 for either Settled or Pre-Settled status.
Irish citizens are not required to apply under the scheme in order to remain in the UK.
EU Citizens not holding Immigration Permission
If you do not hold any Immigration permission the new Student Route will apply to you. You will be required to apply for a student visa to study in the UK (different arrangements may apply to Study Abroad students, please review the Study Abroad pages).
What is the Student Route and how does this affect me?
The Student Route is the Immigration Permission students need to come and study in the UK if they do not hold any Immigration Permission. You can find further information about this and how to apply on our Visas and Immigration page.
From the 2021-22 academic year
The government announced that any new EU/EEA/Swiss student who started at university in England in 2021/22 would no longer be eligible for Home fees status or access to the Student Loans. This means that you may be charged a higher fee rate, but also be able to access specific LSBU international scholarships.
SFE confirmed that students who hold certain Immigration Permissions and meet residency rules will be eligible for SFE funding support and home fees status.
SFE and UKCISA have published useful guidance linked below in ‘Further Resources’ to help you review the rules to what you may be eligible for.
What if I started remotely in September 2020 or January 2021?
If you started your course remotely in September or January, and:
- Arrived for study in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020 and have some form of proof of that arrival. You are eligible to apply via the EU Settlement Scheme but must do so before 30 June 2021.
- Arrived for study in the UK on or after 1 January 2021, you will need to apply for a Student Visa under the new Student Route.
It is important to note, if you had been in the UK prior to the end of the transition period (31 December 2020) you are still eligible to apply for the Settlement Scheme. But the deadline for this is 30 June 2021. If you can prove that you had been in the UK as a resident, before that date and can provide the Home Office some form of proof (rental agreement, student letter, etc.) then you can apply under the Settlement Scheme.
It is very important that in order to continue your studies beyond 30 June 2021, all EU students will need to provide LSBU with proof of their right to study.
Fees and funding
2020-21 Academic Year
The UK Government guaranteed EU students who start their course at an English university starting in the academic year 2020-21 will benefit from the current funding support system and UK students' level of fees.
2021-22 Academic Year
On the 23 June, the government announced that any new student starting at university in England in 2021/22 would no longer be eligible for Home fees status or access to the Student Loans. This will mean that you may be charged a higher fee rate but also be able to access specific LSBU international scholarships.
SFE confirmed that students who hold certain Immigration Permissions and meet residency rules will be eligible for SFE funding support and home fees status.
SFE and UKCISA have published useful guidance linked below in ‘Further Resources’ to help you review the rules to what you may be eligible for.
ERASMUS+ and international exchange programmes
The current Erasmus+ programme will end at the end of the current 2022-23 academic year. Future arrangements, such as participation in the ‘Turing Scheme’, are under review by LSBU, and further updates will be published on our Study Abroad pages.
Further resources
- UKCISA settlement info
- Universities UK Brexit factsheet
- SFE diagram
- SFE Forms
- LSBU Tuition Fees Regulations
The information on this page was updated on 28/02/2023.