UK Higher Education Institutions have some of the most internationally diverse student bodies in the world. They value the contribution that international students make to their student communities, and welcome students from the EU and the rest of the world.
Update from UK government
- EU nationals studying in England, Scotland, Wales and NI from academic year 2021/22 onwards (from July 2021) will no longer be able to access UK student finance support (tuition fee loans) or be eligible for ‘home-fee status’ (being charged the same tuition fees as UK students). More information is available from the website of the UK government.
- EU nationals will be treated in the same way as other international students and will be charged ‘international’ fees which are set by individual HE providers. We recommend contacting your institution directly to find about costs for your specific course.
- For more information, please see our Education FAQs and the UK government’s official statement.
Visas
- EU citizens will need to apply for a student visa ('The Student Route') if studying a course which is longer than six months in length.
COSTS AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR A VISA
- To get a visa, you will need to complete an application, pay an application fee (£363 for students), and have a current passport or other valid travel document.
- To gain access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge as part of your visa application fee. Full-time students in UK higher education holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can claim a refund of the immigration health surcharge payment. To be eligible for the refund, students must not work during their studies. More information is available on the following website: https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/refunds
- You will be able to apply for a student visa up to six months before your course starts. As there are peaks in student visa applications before the start of the semester in autumn, we advise applying for your student visa as soon as possible and expect delays in order to have everything in place for the start of the semester.
- For more information, please check the Study UK website.
Erasmus
- From 1 January 2021, some Erasmus+ participants coming to the UK may require a visa under the T5 Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme. For this visa, Erasmus+ participants may need a T5 Certificate of Sponsorship. Certificates of Sponsorship for students participating in the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ programme can be applied for through the British Council. However, for the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme, the British Council will no longer by a licensed sponsor and so cannot issue sponsorship for participants entering the UK.
- For detailed information about how to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship and a T5 visa under Erasmus+, please visit the Erasmus+ website.
UK Study: More information
The UK has some of the best universities and researchers in the world, and international students, academics and researchers play a significant part in that success. If you've applied to study in the UK and are concerned about what the latest announcements mean for you, here are some things you can do to find out more information:
- Visit individual university websites to find out what they are saying about studying post-Brexit. You can find these on the UCAS website.
- For financing, visit our dedicated pages.
- Check the GOV.UK website for up-to-date information.
- Visit the website of UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and read its article on the EU referendum.
Universities UK (UUK) is the representative organisation for the UK's universities and its website has more information on the impact of recent changes for international students. Click here to read the FAQ section from Universities UK. Further information is also available on the Study UK website.
Email us with specific questions or queries
We are here for you if you have a question or query about UK study. Please email us at studyuk.germany@britishcouncil.org