Brexit - EU Students FAQs

Students in atrium at City campus.

BREXIT – EU STUDENTS FAQs

The UK left the European Union on Friday 31 January 2020 and the current 'transition period' comes to an end on Friday 31 December.  Until then the UK will still follow EU rules.

Brexit will lead to changes to the way EU students apply to study in Scotland and the UK. The following FAQs contain as much information as we know at the time of publication. Latest student Brexit news and updates.

We understand this is an uncertain and unsettling period for our EU students, and we will keep you updated as more information is made available. Please be assured that eligible EU students who started their course at City of Glasgow College in 2020-21 will continue to be treated as ‘home’ students, and therefore will be entitled to have tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government for the duration of their course. International students are not required to be vaccinated in order to enter the UK to study. However, you may need to be tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) before you travel or quarantine when you arrive in Scotland, depending on which country you arrive from. COVID-19 information for international students in Scotland can be found on the NHS Inform site. 

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MOMENT? 

Most EU nationals have the same status for fees as home students for the duration of their course of study. EU nationals are eligible for varying levels of financial support depending on where in the UK they study. In Scotland, undergraduates do not usually pay any fees. 

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WHAT’S GOING TO CHANGE WITH BREXIT? 

The UK and Scottish governments have confirmed that EU students who began further and higher education studies in or before the academic year 2020-21 will continue to be treated as home students for the purpose of fees and financial support. This includes eligible articulating students starting Higher National courses who progress directly to year two or three of a degree and students undertaking approved study leave or work experience relating to their study years. EU students who begin their courses between 1 January and 31 July 2021 will also be eligible for free tuition.

For EU Nationals arriving in the UK between 30 March 2019 and 31 December 2020, an application should be submitted for European Temporary Leave to Remain which will permit residency in the UK for three years. If arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021 onwards, an application must be made for a student visa. Applying for a visa is not something to worry about: hundreds of thousands of students from across the world successfully apply for student visas every year. City of Glasgow College helps lots of students through the application process. More information about visas and immigration.

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CAN I STAY IN THE UK AFTER MY COURSE? 

Any student arriving in the UK before 31 December 2020 can apply for ‘pre-settled status’. This allows EU nationals to stay in the UK for five years and then apply for ‘settled status’. Once settled status has been awarded, EU Nationals will be able to remain in the UK indefinitely and to apply for British Citizenship. EU Nationals who have already been in the country for five years can apply for settled status straight away. Once in the UK, it is possible to apply for pre-settled status or settled status.  For students coming to Scotland to commence study from January 2021 a visa will be required to stay in the country. 

For more information, visit the UK government’s and UKCISA’s pages on immigration for EU nationals.

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CAN I STILL COME TO THE UK WITH ERASMUS+? 

The UK will continue to participate fully in the current (2014-2020) Erasmus+ and ESC programmes. This means that the projects successfully bid for during the current programmes will continue to receive EU funding for the full duration of the project, including those where funding runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period. Participants who study, train, volunteer or spend time abroad through Erasmus+ exchanges that were confirmed during the current programme (2014-2020) can participate fully and for the full duration of their exchange. This covers UK participants going abroad and international participants coming to the UK.  If you are studying in the UK for more than six months you may need a visa.  The British Council website has lots of useful information for EU students.

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LATEST BREXIT NEWS AND UPDATES FOR EU STUDENTS

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