EU/EEA nationals and post-Brexit funding
Since the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, funding eligibility for EU/EEA students has changed.
The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) has been introduced whereby EU/EEA nationals can apply for Settled or Pre-settled status.
If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get student finance.
Settled status
You have been lawfully resident in the UK for five years or more and you can apply for full funding (tuition fee and maintenance loans). You will need to register and apply online for your funding.
Pre-settled status
Students with Pre-settled status with three years' residency in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland can apply for tuition fee support only, if studying in England, or full support if studying in Wales or Northern Ireland.
If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study here.
How much are the fees?
Solent University has made the decision to keep EU tuition fees the same as UK tuition fees for 2021 entry and throughout the duration of your course. For the fees for each course, please see the relevant course page.
New EU/EEA entrants in 2021
New students who are EU/EEA nationals without settled or pre-settled status will no longer be eligible for home fee status, undergraduate, or postgraduate support from Student Finance England for courses starting from September 2021/22. Therefore, you will not be able to apply for a tuition fee loan. You will need to self-fund your living costs and arrange to pay your tuition fees. For all self-funded unsettled EU students, the normal overseas requirement of 50% payment prior to your CAS being issued, and registering on your course, will apply. Information on how to pay your fees can be found here.
Returning EU/EEA students pre-2021 entry
While continuing students are protected under their regulatory residency category in which they were originally assessed and do not have to have Settled/Pre-settled status to get their funding, they are advised to go through the EUSS, as they need a status to legally remain in the UK. Where they do not obtain a status prior to the end of June 2021, they may not be able to access the EUSS and will be ineligible for student support, and can be charged as an international student.
EU/EEA and Swiss nationals (or their family members) who are currently in higher education, and who are assessed as eligible to receive loans from the Student Loans Company, will continue to receive these until they finish their course.
In order to receive funding, you must have been resident in the UK before 31 December 2020 and have applied under the EU settlement scheme before 30 June 2021. The scheme is open to EU/EEA and Swiss nationals and their family. If you were resident in the UK before 31 January 2020, you may retain citizens’ rights.
You will be assessed and be granted either ‘Settled status’ or ‘Pre-settled status’.
EU/EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from citizens' rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement, or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement, respectively are not affected and can continue to apply for student funding. Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme
There is the provision for students with less than five years' residency (and granted Pre-settled status) who may qualify as a migrant worker and can try to access full support. Further criteria will apply – see migrant workers, below.
EU nationals and their family members that have three years' residency in the EU but have gained Pre-settled status after the end of the transition period (30 December 2020) will also be eligible for tuition fee support only.
Disabled students allowance and dependants grants
Students will need to have full Settled status (or Pre-settled status but qualify for full support as a migrant worker) before being considered for these disabled student allowance or dependants grants.
Applying for tuition fee loans
You can apply for your tuition fee loan by completing the relevant forms. Make sure you select the correct category for yourself, eg, if you have Settled status (support with tuition fees and living costs) or Pre-settled status (support with tuition fees only).
If you cannot send your original passport/ID and want to send copies, you must have read and completed the following:
If you need to make a change to your application you need to complete an EUC01 if your circumstances have changed.
The deadline to apply is nine months after the first day of the course's academic year. If your academic year begins on 1 September, you have until the end of the following May to apply.
For further information on EU student funding, please contact the non-UK finance team at Student Finance England (SFE) on +44 141 243 3570 or visit the GOV.UK website.
Living cost support (maintenance loan)
EU students with protected citizens right or Settled status can get funding to help with living costs and fees.
EEA migrant workers and their family members with either settled or pre-settled status are also eligible to apply.
You can apply for your tuition fee loan and maintenance loan by completing the relevant forms. Make sure you select the correct category for yourself, eg, if you have settled status (support with tuition fees and living costs).
EU migrant workers
Some EU and Swiss worker students may be able to take out full UK Government student funding (maintenance loan and tuition fee loan). This would mean being classed as a migrant worker. However, the rules are complex and subject to strict residency regulations. You must have settled or pre-settled status or other protected citizens rights.
The initial eligibility criteria are you must have arrived in the UK before or on the first day of the first academic year of your course (usually 1 September if it starts in the autumn term). You must also be working to apply under migrant worker status. However, this doesn't guarantee you will get a maintenance loan. Student Finance need to be satisfied with your level of income and type of work (it cannot be related to your course/university). You can seek advice through the University's student funding team or UKCISA.
Part-time EU students
Application forms for part-time funding are usually available from the summer before you start your course.
The same funding and residency regulations for full time study will apply to part-time students. You will need to have Settled or Pre-settled status.
- Pre-settled EU part-time entrants can apply for a part-time tuition fee loan.
- Settled part-time EU students who fulfil the eligibility criteria (ie, have five-year residency or a migrant worker) can apply for full UK funding: a maintenance loan for living costs as well as the fee loan.
International Academic Merit Scholarships (IAMS) EU/EEA students
Solent University is pleased to offer a limited number of academic merit scholarships issued as a tuition fee credit between £500 and £1,000 for applicants from the EU/EEA studying a full-time course and who exceed the entry criteria for their course based on the EU/EEA qualification studied.
For more information please visit the scholarships page.
Support grants
If you are assessed by Student Finance for the tuition fee and maintenance loans, have settled or migrant worker status and you receive your full entitlement of the maintenance loan, you may be able to apply to our non-repayable grants from the University.
EU and international support grant
If you are an EU/EEA national with Pre-settled status or you are an international student experiencing an unforeseen short-term financial emergency that is beyond your control, you should contact the student funding team in the first instance. You will need to demonstrate that you had initially made adequate financial arrangements to support yourself throughout your studies, including paying your tuition fees, and that your current situation is temporary.
Postgraduate study
Postgraduate loans are available to help cover the costs of tuition fees and living costs.
Any EU/EEA student wishing to study a master's or PhD postgraduate qualification will need to go through the EU Settlement Scheme and be granted either Pre-settled or Settled status. Other existing eligibility checks will be carried out but, subject to approval, they will be eligible for postgraduate loans if Student Finance is satisfied that the student meets the ordinary residence requirements.
