British teenagers living in the EU could be priced out of UK universities in two years’ time as a Brexit rule change means they face the double whammy of paying costlier international fees, while losing access to student finance.
British passport holders living in the EU still qualify for “home fee” status at UK universities. But this will no longer be the case when the grace period ends in 2028, meaning the first wave to be affected are starting their A-levels, or equivalent, this autumn.
While domestic fees for UK universities are capped – at £9,790 for the 2026 intake – universities can set their own rates for overseas students, and these are often at least three times as much.
For example, overseas students studying economics at the University of Warwick will pay £35,530 a year in 2026, while studying law at Leeds University costs £26,750 a year.
“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,” says Julie Moktadir, a partner and head of immigration law at Stone King. “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.”
Fees for UK universities are capped but they can set their own rates for overseas students. Photograph: Kumar Sriskandan/Alamy
For courses that start in 2028, students must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years before the first day of their degree course, to qualify for home fees.
The changes will apply across the whole of the UK, but eligibility requirements may be different in the each of the four nations, says Moktadir: “There are differences in how fees are set, and how strictly rules are applied in the devolved nations. For example, Scotland has a more complex fee structure.”
Individual universities can apply some discretion, too, meaning that, in some cases, students returning from the EU may be deemed eligible for home fees. Crucially, though, student loan providers are bound by the rules, so these individuals will not be able to borrow to fund their course.
For some families, this has led to some tough decisions. Studying where they live may be difficult, or even impossible, depending on the subject, local eligibility rules and language levels.
“Short of relocating to the UK at least three years before the start of their chosen university course, there is little that parents and prospective students can do apart from familiarise themselves with the new rules,” Moktadir says. She adds that, while some institutions may offer scholarships and awards to mitigate some of the cost, for many that won’t be enough.
This is the case for James and Amy Thompson and their children, Isla and Bertie, who moved to Germany in 2021, on a two-year contract with James’s employer, BMW. The family loved it so much they extended their stay, and have now been there for five years.
They might have stayed longer, but now Isla is 16, they have realised that extending the stay would mean she would qualify for international tuition fees.
“We initially moved for two years for work, and the children were nine and 11, so higher education didn’t come into it,” says Amy.
“Now we’ve realised the fee situation makes it very difficult. Isla won’t struggle to get into a good British university, but if we have to pay international fees we just can’t afford it.”
Some families face tough decisions over a university education. Photograph: Ajdin Kamber/Shutterstock
As it’s too late for Isla to qualify for home fees, she may be obliged to take a year out before applying to a university. Her dream is to study natural sciences at Cambridge University. The tuition fees for the course are £9,250 for home students, but international students pay £44,214, plus college fees which start at £11,500 and vary by college.
Universities UK says: “The post-Brexit home fee provision was always a temporary clause providing transitionary protections for UK expats in the EU.”
The changes bring this group into alignment with the rules that apply to UK nationals living in other parts of the world.
It is technically possible for someone to be “ordinarily resident” in more than one country, but, says Moktadir, they must be “able to demonstrate, through physical evidence such as bank statements, utility bills and tax contributions”.
She adds: “As such, whether an individual will still be eligible for home fees beyond 2028 at a UK university will be highly dependent on their personal circumstances.”
Plans to allow under-30s to work and study in each other’s territories, and a return to pre-Brexit rules that entitled EU students to UK home fees – which should reinstate the same rules for British passport holders – were among areas due to be discussed at a summit between EU and UK leaders this month. However, it was postponed after Keir Starmer announced his decision to step down as prime minister.
For the Thompsons, the move to Germany was always temporary – but they didn’t expect their return date to be dictated by university fees. “How is that fair to a young person who moved with their parents for a job?” Thompson says.
