British students living in the EU and hoping to study at UK universities will from 2028 no longer qualify for ‘home fees’ – meaning that they will be forced to pay rising international fees that can be three times more expensive.
The change will bring rules for UK nationals living in the EU in line with other British students living outside the bloc.
Faced with the end of the so-called Brexit ‘grace period’ on fees in 2028, British passport holders living in the EU will lose their home fee rights and access to student finance if they haven’t lived in the UK for three years prior to application.
Therefore the children of Brits who moved to the EU will only be able to go to a British university if they can afford the steep fees for international students.
Julie Moktadir, head of immigration law at Stone King, told the Guardian: “This is essentially the end of the post-Brexit ‘grace period’ and means that UK nationals and their families living in the EU, but wanting to study in the UK, will be classed as international students.
“They will also no longer be eligible for UK government student loans to help towards the cost of tuition fees and maintenance, which is something on which many depend,” she added.
The move is not unexpected, however.
A Universities UK statement states: “The post-Brexit home fee provision was always a temporary clause providing transitionary protections for UK expats in the EU.”
Though individual universities may have some autonomy on fees, that is, they could in some cases allow EU-based British nationals to pay home fees, the criteria remains unclear and the end of access to student finance means that students would be forced to pay their fees – whether home or international – without a loan.
In Scotland, for example, universities charge different fees depending on residency status.
According to information from the House of Commons library, “Universities and higher education institutions in Scotland allocate their students a fee status for the purpose of charging tuition fees.”
There are three levels of fee status in Scotland: “a ‘home’ fee for students who live in Scotland; a ‘rest of UK’ (RUK) fee for students who live elsewhere in the UK or Ireland; and an ‘overseas’ fee for all other students.”
It is unclear how the end of the Brexit grace period will impact EU-resident British passport holders wanting to study in Scotland specifically for the 2028 academic year.
The Local has contacted Scotland’s Ministry of Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education for clarification.
The upcoming change stems from the fact that home tuition fees were not covered by the UK-EU Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
According to a statement from the British In Europe organisation: “The Withdrawal Agreement between Britain and the European Union does not cover ‘home fee’ status for British nationals resident in the EU who wish to study in the UK.”
“British in Europe campaigned over several years for a grace period and were successful to cover applications for courses that start before 31st December, 2027. This means that for courses starting in 2028, students who are British nationals but living in the EU will be classed as ‘international students’.”
For home students, university fees are capped for British nationals at £9,790.
However, British universities can charge international students what they like and fees can be three times as much – or more.
For example, to study Law (LLB) at the University of Manchester, home fees are £9,790 for the 2026/27 academic year, whereas for international students it’s £28,400.
