Brexit advice for students from the EU and have applied or are thinking of applying to Roehampton

At the University of Roehampton, we are proud of our international community. We welcome students from more than 140 countries, including from countries across the European Union. Our community has played a vital role in our success and is a key part of what makes Roehampton such a great place to study.

The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020. The subsequent transition period ended on 31 December 2020. While arrangements for EU students remained the same during the transition period, as of 1 January 2021, there are changes for EU students who wish to study in the UK.

Please refer to FAQs on this page below for answers to questions you might have regarding your student status, fees, visas, etc. We will continue to update these webpages as and when more information becomes available.

There is a range of scenarios for EU students, depending on when they arrive in the UK and the academic year that their course starts.

1. EU students who have started a full degree course in 2020-21 and beyond, and have arrived in the UK before 31 December 2020, are:

  • Eligible for home fee status and the tuition fee loan.
  • Eligible to apply for the UK’s EU Settlement Scheme, allowing them to continue studying in the UK without a visa after the transition period has ended and remain in the UK after studying, provided they have applied by 30 June 2021.

2. EU students starting a full degree course in 2020-21 and arriving in the UK after 31 December 2020, are:

  • Eligible for home fee status and tuition fee loan.
  • Required to apply for a Student visa through the new Student route.
  • Eligible to apply for the Graduate route.

3. EU students starting a full degree course in 2021-22 and arriving in the UK after 31 December 2020, are:

  • Not eligible for home fee status or tuition fee loans.
  • Required to apply for a Student visa through the new Student route.
  • Eligible to apply for the Graduate route.

You will not need a visa if you already live in the UK or if you have arrived in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, but you should apply for 'settled' or 'pre-settled' status under the EU Settlement Scheme. You have until 30 June 2021 to make an application. More information about the EU Settlement Scheme can be found here.

If you arrive in the UK after 31 December 2020, you will need to apply for a visa under the Student route as part of the new points-based system. You may apply up to six months in advance. To find out about eligibility and requirements, please visit our Visas and Immigration page here.

Those with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, and who have 3 years' residence in the UK, EEA, or Switzerland will be eligible for tuition fee loan.

EU students not covered by the EU Settlement Scheme, who start their course during the 2021-22 academic year, and the following years, will no longer be eligible for tuition fee loan.

Yes, you will be able to work part-time while studying at Roehampton. If you have a pre-settled or settled status, you will have the same rights to work as a UK student. If you are studying on a student visa, you will be required to comply with the rules and will have a limit to the number of hours allowed to work per each week.

The University of Roehampton’s Erasmus+ funding is currently in place until May 2023, however you will need to check with your home university as to whether Erasmus+ funding will allow you to study at Roehampton. Opportunities for EU students to participate in exchange programmes may be agreed between Roehampton and individual partner universities, subject to the immigration and visa requirements set out above.

Yes, Roehampton will continue to recognise a wide range of European qualifications as it currently does.

EU, Swiss, Irish and EFTA nationals who begin their studies before the UK leaves the EU (in the event of a withdrawal agreement or not) will continue to benefit from their EHIC cover for the duration of their course regardless of when the course finishes. This means that these nationals will be covered for 'needs-arising treatment'. Furthermore, any individual who applies to the EU Settlement Scheme and is granted 'pre-settled' or 'settled' status will be eligible for free NHS healthcare. It is therefore essential you keep your EHIC up-to-date and accessible.

Students that do not have a pre-settled or settled status and are therefore required to apply for a visa will be required to pay a healthcare surcharge as part of the visa application and will then be eligible for free NHS treatment.

Any student who has arrived in the UK on or before 31 December 2020 should apply for pre-settled status as part of the EU Settlement Scheme. This will allow you to continue to travel between the UK and EU without having to apply via the Student route even after 1 January 2021, and allow you to stay in the UK for five years and then apply for 'settled status' if desired. Once you have settled status, you will be able to remain in the UK indefinitely. If you have already been in the country for five years, you can apply for settled status straight away.

If you arrive in the UK after 31 December 2020 to start your course, you will have had to make an application under the Student route under the new points-based system. This allows you to stay in the UK for the duration of your course. After graduation, you will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route (provided you meet the other eligibility requirements of the route). The Graduate route, launching in summer 2021, will allow those who have completed a degree at a UK higher education provider with a track record of compliance to stay in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) to work at any skill level after graduation. You may switch into a work routes if you find a suitable job.