Brexit rule change means British teens in EU face soaring student fees for UK degrees

Summary

Brexit means ‘home fee’ qualification ends in 2028, leaving those hoping to study in UK not now eligible for loans B ritish 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.” 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. 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.