This blog is by UK Study Options, a COBIS Partner 

For many British and Irish families across the COBIS network in Europe, the question of whether a student will qualify for Home fee status at a UK university has become increasingly complex since Brexit. By now, Brexit may feel like old news, but its effects on university tuition rules are still unfolding and will continue to do so into the late 2020s. For internationally mobile families, especially those who have spent most of their lives outside the UK, these rules can be difficult to navigate without expert guidance.

Across COBIS schools, counsellors and parents frequently ask us: Does my child qualify for Home fees? Does the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement still protect us? This blog unpacks everything you need to know and explains the partnership with UK Study Options to support COBIS families with this problem.

Why Home Fee Status Is So Complicated for COBIS Families

Expatriate families at COBIS schools can often have complex circumstances when it comes to residency history and multiple passports held. Many have never lived in the UK or left many years ago, but some families may assume that holding a British passport is enough to guarantee Home fees when returning to the UK. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

In fact, each university makes fee status decisions individually, not the government, and they do so using regulations that are different in each UK nation. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all operate their own rules and this alone makes the landscape complicated. Add Brexit temporary provisions into the mix and the picture becomes even more complex.

As an expat, whether you are eligible for Home fees at a UK university is highly dependent on your personal circumstances such as where you have been living, for how long and for what purpose, and where in the UK to are applying to university, among many others things. It is crucial that you get personal advice on your circumstances if your family is living in Europe or you are advising such students applying to UK universities.

Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

Under the fee status rules, British and Irish expats living in Europe currently have protection under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. In England this is in the form of a category of Home fee status called ‘Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028: UK nationals and family with residence in Europe or overseas territories’. Expats are eligible if they were living (‘ordinary resident’) in the EEA or Switzerland on 31^st December 2020 and have maintained their ordinary residence there or in the UK since then. As the name suggests, this is a temporary category that will end after 2027, at which point expats will no longer have this protection and will need advice on whether they are still able to be Home fee-payers.

Crucially, if you have moved to the EEA or Switzerland from 2021 onwards, you most likely are not eligible for Home fee status under this category. This is because you’ve moved to Europe post-Brexit and are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

The rules are even more complex when applying to universities in Scotland as it is necessary to show your ordinary residence in Scotland for the three years immediately prior to living in Europe (as well as the requirements above) to get Scottish Home fees (£1,820 per year). Confusingly, Scotland have another rate of fees called RUK (Rest of UK) which is at a level equivalent to Home fees in England (£9,790). It is separately possible for British citizens resident in Europe to qualify for RUK fees in Scotland without living in the UK before moving to Europe.

However, for RUK fees there is often an additional requirement for students to have moved an established an ordinary residence in Scotland by 1st August in the year they commence their course. Additionally, they must be able to show they are not moving to Scotland just for the purpose of starting their university course – a requirement that could be problematic for many.

What to expect

If you do live in Europe or anywhere else outside of the UK you can expect universities to question your eligibility for Home fees when you apply. They will ask for information and supporting evidence by sending you a fee status questionnaire to understand your circumstances and see if you meet the requirements for Home fees. You must gather and maintain relevant evidence of where you live and the date of your move, as you may be required to provide this information. You may need to show different evidence depending on which UK nation your university choices are located.

Make sure you understand the rules and check your eligibility for Home fees as early as you can before the university application. If you will be starting your university course after 2027 or you moved to Europe in 2021 or later your case will be much more complex and it may be harder for you to get Home status.

What support is available?

UK Study Options are leading experts in UK University Fee Status and have been advising schools, families and students around the world on this complex topic for over 12 years helping thousands of expat families with their fee status queries. COBIS has partnered with UKSO to support COBIS schools and their parent and teacher community with this complex issue.

If you are a COBIS school get in touch with UK Study Options at hello@ukstudyoptions.com to request a free information seminar for parents. UK Study Options visit schools regularly in different regions or can deliver an online webinar to help students get affordable tuition fees and choose their top university options.

If you are a parent living outside of the UK, try the Fee Status Checker from UK Study Options. This online tool allows families to quickly assess whether their child could be eligible for Home fees, providing instant results and relevant resources for further research. This is a great place to get started in understanding whether further support is required and learn about UK Study Options services which include a discount for COBIS families.

UK Study Options will be hosting a COBIS webinar on Wednesday 22 April at 1pm UK time on 'Understanding UK University Fee Status for International Schools'. Register here for the session.