BREXIT: UK confirms continuing financial support for EU students in 2018/19

The commitment applies to students on undergraduate, master’s, postgraduate and advanced learner courses that attract student support, and includes access to student loans and grants. EU students will also continue to benefit from ‘home fee’ status, capping their tuition fees at the same level as UK students, according to the announcement. International students from outside the EU do not have their fees capped in this way.

However, universities expert Martin Priestley of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said that the government’s guarantee did not go far enough.

“While the government’s commitment provides welcome certainty for EU students about to enrol on UK courses, questions remain for those with start dates after 2019,” he said.

“Applications for UK university places from EU students are already starting to fall and, against this backdrop, the latest commitment does not provide the sector with the certainty that it needs. With higher education relatively far down the government’s list of Brexit negotiating priorities, universities should be making contingency plans now to ensure that they can continue to attract the best and the brightest potential students,” he said.

Under current student finance rules, EU students are eligible to receive undergraduate tuition fee loans and master’s loans if they have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) for at least three years before their course begins. EU nationals who have lived in the UK for over five years are also able to apply for undergraduate maintenance support.

EU nationals will also remain eligible to apply for Research Council PhD studentships at UK universities for the 2018/19 academic year, to help cover costs for the duration of their course. Currently, EU nationals are eligible for a fees-only award while EU nationals who have been resident in the UK for three years may be eligible for both a fees award and a stipend to help cover associated costs.

The Scottish Government announced last month that EU students enrolling in 2018/19 would be guaranteed free tuition for the duration of their courses, in the same way as Scottish students.

The UK government intends to seek an early agreement on the rights of EU nationals in the UK and UK nationals in the EU on a reciprocal basis once formal negotiations on the terms of the UK’s exit from the EU begin.

“We have been clear about our commitment to the UK’s world-class higher education sector,” said Jo Johnson, the government’s universities and science minister.

“A key part of our success is attracting talent from across the globe. This will provide reassurance to the brightest minds from across Europe to continue applying to study in the UK, safe in a knowledge financial assistance is available if needed,” he said.