International students Post Brexit immigration for EEA nationals
This advice contained on this page is only for nationals of the EU*, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
On 31 January 2020 at 11pm (GMT) the UK left the EU. How Brexit will impact students will depend on when you came to the UK or when you will come to the UK. This guidance is for EU*, EEA and Swiss students who are studying at the University of Strathclyde. It tells you what to do to protect your immigration status and prove your eligibility to study in the UK.
*Nationals of the Republic of Ireland will not require a visa to enter the UK.
Below there are a number of options listed. You should follow the guidance on the one most relevant to your situation.
The deadline for most people to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021.
I am currently in the UK
I entered & resided in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020
You may be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme. We would encourage you to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme as soon as possible if you haven’t already done so. Applying through this scheme will provide a way for you to confirm your residence in the UK and secure your right to stay.
Please note the deadline to apply was 30 June 2021. Late applications may be accepted under certain circumstances. See Frequently Asked Questions for more details.
Find out your rights with settled or pre-settled status.
While UKVI have advised EEA nationals are permitted to travel in and out the UK while waiting for an EUSS application decision, provided an EUSS application was made while you were resident in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020, we recommend that you wait until a decision has been made on your EUSS application before travelling so that you are certain of your immigration status in the UK being protected.
If you decide to travel to the UK before having received a decision on the EUSS, we would suggest you keep record of your travel to the UK, have evidence of your UK residence on your person, have a copy of a University of Strathclyde student status letter and evidence of your EUSS application in progress as a precaution.
I am currently outside of the UK
I am outside the UK now, but I have already applied for & received a decision of pre-settled or settled status on the EU Settlement Scheme
If you plan on travelling to the UK after 1 January 2021, we would advise you to keep a copy of your EUSS decision for pre-settled or settled status on record. Your rights with settled or pre-settled status allow you to travel in and out of the UK and show your right to study in the UK.
Find out your rights with settled or pre-settled status.
You can view your status anytime. This may be required if you travel to the UK border after 11pm on 31 December 2020.
I am outside the UK now, but previously I was living in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020
There is a possibility you may be eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme from outside the UK. Please note the deadline to apply was 30 June 2021. Late applications may be accepted under certain circumstances. See Frequently Asked Questions for more details.
You will need proof of your residence in the UK to apply. For information on acceptable evidence of UK residence, please see the EU Settlement Scheme: evidence of UK residence guidance.
While UKVI have advised EEA nationals are permitted to travel in and out the UK while waiting for an EUSS application decision, provided an EUSS application was made while you were resident in the UK before 11pm on 31 December 2020, we recommend that you wait until a decision has been made on your EUSS application before travelling so that you are certain of your immigration status in the UK being protected.
If you decide to travel to the UK before having received a decision on the EUSS, we would suggest you keep record of your travel to the UK, have evidence of your UK residence on your person, have a copy of a University of Strathclyde student status letter and evidence of your EUSS application in progress as a precaution.
I have already started my course & I am outside the UK & have not applied for EUSS. I plan to enter the UK on or after 1 January 2021
You will need to apply for a visa to enter the UK. Which visa you must apply for will depend on how long is your course.
You will need to apply under the relevant category of the UK immigration rules in place at the time you apply.
- Longer than six months - You will have to apply for a Student visa – Please complete an EEA CAS REQUEST FORM as soon as possible as you will require a CAS in order to apply for a visa. You should quote your student registration number and provide a copy of your passport. Take a look at our Useful guidance for further information
- Please note that in applying for the Student visa, you must meet Student visa requirements
- This includes payment of an Immigration Health Surcharge for the duration of your visa - this cannot be paid in installments and must be paid in order to advance your Student visa application
- Less than six months - You won't need a visa, however, you should visit UKVI website and enter your details for advice on what documents etc you will need to present at the UK Border
If you are a new student starting a course from 1 January 2021, our Admissions Team will issue your CAS. You do not need to request this.
For further information on the EU Settlement Scheme and the UK visa student routes please see the relevant sections on this page.
Frequently asked questions
This will depend on your situation whether you have spent time residing in the UK before the 2300 hours on 31 December 2020 and have evidence of your residence in the UK that meets requirements for your application.
We would therefore recommend that you keep record of the following information:
- When you entered the UK (such as your flight itinerary and boarding pass)
- Maintain records of when you have been living in the UK and travelled outside the UK
- Keep evidence of your residence in the UK
You will find information on the eligibility requirements for the EUSS in the links at the right side.
The International Student Support Team are unable to confirm an individual's eligibility to apply for the EUSS. For information on evidence of residence please see the following guidance:
Home Office guidance states that for most cases, the deadline to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme is by 30 June 2021.
EU Settlement Scheme caseworker guidance by the Home Office has been updated recently on how the Home Office will deal with late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme. Information is on pages 26 - 44.
We would strongly advise students, if eligible to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, to make an application as soon as possible before the 30 June 2021 deadline.
More information:
If you apply to the EU Settlement Scheme successfully, you’ll be able to continue living and working in the UK after 30 June 2021.
You’ll be given either:
- settled status
- pre-settled status
You will not be asked to choose which you’re applying for. Which status you get depends on how long you’ve been living in the UK when you apply. Your rights will be different depending on which status you get.
For more information please see the links on the right.
On 10 June 2021 the Home Office released guidance for potential EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) applicants in or outside the UK who may have been affected by restrictions associated with Coronavirus.
This means that if certain absences, such as:
- an absence of up to 12 months for an "important reason"
- an absence of 6 to 12 months (and not exceeding 12 months)
- an absence exceeding 12 months
- you have already been absent from the UK up to 12 months for an "important reason" but now need to be for a second time, and one of those absences is because of coronavirus
And these absence(s) had an impact on you applying to the EU Settlement Scheme where your continuous residence in the UK was affected by coronavirus, it may still be possible for you to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if you exceeded the permitted absence from the UK and broken your ocntinuous residence, with the reason for the absence being because of coronavirus.
What is considered an "important reason"?
These are listed in the Covid-19 EU Settlement Scheme guidance for applicants.
Some of the reasons include:
- You were advised by the University that, due to coronavirus, your course was moved to remote learning and you were advised or allowed to return to your home country to study remotely
- You were advised by your university not to return to the UK, and to continue studying from your home country
I was in the UK before 31 December 2020, but now I have been absent for [X] number of months. I haven't returned to the UK since. Does this mean I can still apply for the EU Settlement Scheme?
This will depend on how long you have been outside the UK, the reason(s) for your absence(s) and when you will be making your application to the EU Settlement Scheme. The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021. Below is a link to the3million calculator which can help calculate your absences.
Please read through the Covid-19 EU Settlement Scheme guidance for applicants carefully whether your reason(s) for absence will impact your continuous qualifying period. The guidance also has examples of evidence you can provide for the length/reason of your absence relating to coronavirus.
If you apply, remember a caseworker can contact you to request you provide more information or evidence to show how you have been affected by coronavirus.