Tuition Fees for EU Students Will Remain the Same Despite Brexit

Education secretary Damian Hinds has confirmed that EU students starting in autumn 2019 will pay the same tuition fees to study at UK universities as British students.

Their access to financial support will also remain open throughout the length of their degree courses.

The Scottish and Welsh governments have already made similar decisions. Students in Scottish universities will continue to pay no tuition fees until autumn 2019, while EU students commencing courses in Welsh universities in 2019 will be treated as home students – a policy announced by the Welsh government on Monday.

The announcement will be greeted with relief by UK universities, as it means that there will be no ‘cliff-edge Brexit’ in March 2019 which could have had a seismic impact on their finances and student numbers.

Russell Group Chief Executive Dr Tim Bradshaw welcomed the government’s announcement, saying: “Today’s announcement could not have come a moment too soon. Applicants open in just a few months and many prospective students are already attending open days and making their decisions".

“Russell Group universities receive over 100,000 applications from EU students each year. They enrich campus life and provide a welcome boost to the UK economy”.

EU students wishing to enrol in courses starting in autumn 2019 at UK universities are being urged by vice-chancellors to confirm their status as soon as possible.

Why is this important?

Had EU students been classified as overseas students, they would have been expected to pay much higher fees, which may in turn have discouraged them from studying in the UK. Instead, EU students applying for courses in UK universities starting in 2019-2020 are guaranteed the continual of a “home fee status” even after the UK has fully exited the EU.  

For the average student on a four-year degree course, this means that funding will extend through to 2023.

Further Brexit negotiations will determine the level of fee for students applying from the EU in the following years.

There are currently more than 130,000 EU nationals enrolled in UK universities, most of which are predominantly enrolled in Russell Group Universities, London institutions and in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Hinds has confirmed the wish of Prime Minister Theresa May to freeze tuition fees in England at £9,250 as reviews are taking place. However, this autumn will see the interest rate on tuition fee loans continue to rise to 6.3 percent.