International students BREXIT information
Information on BREXIT for Strathclyde students.
Do I need to do anything to make sure I can stay in the UK after Brexit?
The UK Government has established a scheme for EU/EEA nationals and their families who are resident in the UK to apply for Settled or Pre-settled status. Applying through this scheme will provide a way for you to confirm your residence in the UK and secure your right to stay.. You can read more about the scheme on the UK Government pages. There is also a helpful slide presentation available online.
You can download a status letter confirming your registration at the University from PEGASUS. This may be useful evidence if you are making an application under the scheme.
Although you can travel within the EEA with a national identity card, it may be helpful to ensure you also have an up to date passport and to keep evidence such as a student status letter and any bills for utilities or rent which show that you were living in the UK before the date of exit from the EU.
What will happen to my funding?
If your fees are currently funded by SAAS, or you are in receipt of SAAS postgraduate loan support, the Scottish Government has confirmed your eligibility will not change for the duration of your current course. For more information visit the SAAS web pages.
Students currently in receipt of Research Council funding will continue to receive funding under existing arrangements and students starting in 2019/20 will remain eligible to apply. For more information visit the UKRI website.
If you receive funding from another source, such as a scholarship, your scholarship provider should be able to confirm your funding position.
Where can I find more information?
You can follow developments on the UKCISA pages for EU/EEA students.
What do I need to do about my stay in my host country?
The Withdrawal Agreement safeguards your position with a transition period until 31 December 2020 during which travel arrangements for UK nationals in the EU/EEA will not change. This transition period will apply if the UK leaves the EU with a “deal” based on the Withdrawal Agreement. Read more about how the Withdrawal Agreement covers you.
If the UK leaves with “no deal” then the position of UK citizens staying temporarily or permanently in another EU country will depend on how that country’s government decides to recognise their rights. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has prepared a guide to the main issues in the event of a “no deal” exit:
If you are currently on placement you should check the information for your host country.
This will give you more information about what your host country is proposing to offer British Citizens after Brexit and any steps you can take now.
The University has produced a Guidance Note for students and staff travelling in Europe in the event of a 'no deal' exit which includes advice about health insurance and passports.
If you are an EU or EEA student and you are currently studying on Erasmus or a Study Abroad arrangement, your right to stay in your host country should not be affected by Brexit.
You should however consult the information on this page for current EU/EEA studets and the information linked below:
You should not be directly affected by Brexit. However, you should be prepared for longer waits at airports and sea ports throughout Europe if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
What will happen about funding for my course?
The Scottish Government has confirmed that:
EU citizens who study a Further or Higher education course in Scotland in the 2020/21 academic year will be charged the same tuition fees and will get the same fee support as Scottish students for the entirety of their courses. This will mean that the vast majority of EU students will be guaranteed free tuition. Having previously committed to continuing this funding for 2019/20, the Scottish Government has confirmed that it will continue to financially support eligible EU students starting their studies in 2020/21. You can read Scotland's 2020/21 full statement
This means that:
- EU Students who are on courses eligible for tuition fee support from the Scottish Government will still be able to apply for that support (see the SAAS information about Brexit), including students who start an eligible course in 2020/21.
- EU Students who are not on eligible courses (for example PhD students) will still be eligible to be treated as a "home" fee payer.
- These arrangements will apply for the duration of a course that starts in the 2020/21 academic year.
Please note students will still need to meet the current residence conditions for tuition fee support and/or "home" fee status.
What about passport control and immigration?
There will be a transitional period during which there will be no immediate change to passport control. If you start your course before the end of the Brexit transition period (31 December 2020) you should consider applying under the UK Settlement/Pre-Settlement scheme to confirm your residence. You can read more and keep up to date on the UKCISA website.
It may be advisable to travel with your passport as well as a national identity card and if you arrive in the UK before the UK leaves the EU, to keep evidence such as rental agreements, travel tickets and bills to show that you moved here before Brexit.
There will be a new immigration system from January 2021. Any EU or EEA students not already resident in the UK and planning to come from January 2021 onwards will need to apply under the relevant category of the immigration Rules in place at that time.
On 9 July 2020, the Scottish Government announced that EU students commencing their studies from academic session 2021/22 will no longer be eligible for tuition fee support. As a result, home fee status for new EU students will cease to apply. This decision applies to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Continuing students on Strathclyde courses are not impacted by this change.
As a consequence, EU applicants to the University of Strathclyde who are joining the University from August 2021 onwards will be classed as international students for tuition fee purposes.
The University of Strathclyde is a global institution with a thriving international community. We are proud to attract talented students from the European Union and from around the world to study with us. Every year we offer a generous and diverse range of scholarships to support our international applicants. We are currently developing a financial support package for EU applicants joining us from August 2021 and will make a further announcement in due course.
You can also follow developments on the UKCISA pages.
Advice and information may change as the UK’s arrangements to leave the EU progress.
Students can check the following pages for updates and changes: