EU student finance
If you’re a prospective student from the EU, another European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, and you’re thinking of studying at Edge Hill University from academic year 2021/22 onwards, new rules around tuition fee status and eligibility for student finance will apply.
This page outlines the new rules for EU/EEA students, as well as Swiss nationals, starting a course with us after 1 August 2021.
The information is for prospective students from the following countries:
- Ireland (bespoke arrangements apply)
- Other EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden
- Other European Economic Area (EEA) Countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway
- Switzerland
The changes do not affect current students who started their course on or before 31 July 2021. If you are a current student who was eligible for financial support when you joined a programme prior to this date, you should remain eligible for the duration of the course (subject to previous study rules).
New eligibility rules for academic year 2021/22 entry
From 1 August 2021, EU/EEA students and Swiss nationals, as well as their family members, will be liable for the international rate of tuition fees when starting courses at Edge Hill University.
EU/EEA students and Swiss nationals will also no longer be eligible for financial support from Student Finance England, such as Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.
Exceptions will apply to those who have been granted settled status or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland are also exempt under the Common Travel Area arrangement.
Further information about arrangements for Irish nationals and those EU/EEA and Swiss students granted settled or pre-settled status is outlined below.
If you do not have pre-settled or settled status, or you are not an Irish national, you may still be eligible for scholarships at Edge Hill University. You may also wish to refer to our finance pages for international students and may be able to access financial support via your own country’s student finance scheme.
If you have any questions about the EU Settlement Scheme, or visas, you can email [email protected] for advice.
Irish students: Common Travel Area arrangement
The UK and Irish Governments have agreed to maintain access to higher and further education on a reciprocal basis as part of what’s known as the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangement.
If you are an Irish citizen who has been resident in Ireland, the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (or a combination of these locations) for three years before the start of your course, you will be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate. The same eligibility criteria as UK students will also apply for Tuition Fee Loans to cover the cost of your course fees.
Irish nationals who have lived in Ireland for at least three of the last five years should be eligible to apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for additional funding to help with living costs. Alternatively, if you are an Irish national who has lived in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for three or more years before the start of the course, you may be eligible for Maintenance Loan or Postgraduate Loan support from Student Finance England.
EU/EEA and Swiss students: settled status and pre-settled status
If you are a EU/EEA or Swiss national who arrived in the UK before 31 December 2020, you may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate and the same package of financial support as UK students. This is subject to you having applied for settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) no later than 30 June 2021 and meeting additional residency requirements.
The broad criteria to apply for settled or pre-settled status is as follows:
- Settled Status – you must have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for a continuous five-year period, known as ‘continuous residence’, and applied for settled status no later than 30 June 2021. Five years’ continuous residence means that for five consecutive years you have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least six months in any 12-month period. Some exceptions may apply for exceptional circumstances (for example, time spent abroad with the armed forces). You can stay in the UK indefinitely if you are awarded settled status and may be eligible to apply for British citizenship.
- Pre-Settled Status – you must have started living in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man no later than 31 December 2020 and applied for pre-settled status no later than 30 June 2021. You will not have lived in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for a continuous five-year period, known as ‘continuous residence’, at the time of applying for pre-settled status. You may also be eligible for pre-settled status if an existing EU/EEA or Swiss family member started living in the UK prior to 31 December 2020. You can stay in the UK for five years from the date you are awarded pre-settled status and apply to change your pre-settled status to settled status once you have five years’ continuous residence. This must be done before your pre-settled status expires.
Further information on settled status and pre-settled status is available on GOV.UK.
If you have been granted settled status, you may be eligible for financial support as follows:
- Tuition Fee Status – you should be eligible for the UK (home) tuition fee rate if you have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least three years.
- Tuition Fee Loan – you should be eligible to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan for undergraduate courses and PGCEs if you have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least three years.
- Maintenance Loan or Postgraduate Loan – you should be eligible to apply for a Maintenance Loan or Postgraduate Loan if you have been ordinary resident in the UK, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for at least three years.
If you have been granted pre-settled status, you may be eligible for financial support as follows:
- Tuition Fee Status – you should be eligible for the UK (home) tuition fee rate if you have three years’ residency in the UK, EU/EEA, Switzerland, Gibraltar or other British or EU overseas territories.
- Tuition Fee Loan – you should be eligible to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan if you have three years’ residency in the UK, EU/EEA, Switzerland or Gibraltar, unless that residency was wholly or mainly for the purpose of education.
- Maintenance Loan or Postgraduate Loan – you should be eligible to apply for a Maintenance Loan or Postgraduate Loan if you have three years’ residency in the UK, EU/EEA, Switzerland or Gibraltar, unless that residency was wholly or mainly for the purpose of education. The Student Loans Company will also ask for financial evidence to confirm you are working, have worked, or are looking for work, for example, a P60 or a letter from an employer.
The children of Swiss nationals and the children of Turkish workers may also be eligible for UK tuition fee status and Tuition Fee Loan/Maintenance Loan support. This is subject to having at least three years’ residency in the UK, EU/EEA, Switzerland, Gibraltar or Turkey (children of Turkish workers only).
For the full criteria, please refer to the student finance eligibility information for academic year 2021/22 on GOV.UK. Further information about student finance eligibility for family members of migrant workers is available on UCAS.com. Details of migrant worker evidence for Student Finance England are available on GOV.UK. While the process for supplying evidence is not straightforward, the Money Advice team can offer you individual guidance and support.
Contact us
If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss national with pre-settled or settled status, you can receive advice and guidance on your eligibility for student finance from the Money Advice Team.
We can also assist Irish prospective students looking to access, or find out more about, the financial support available as part of the Common Travel Area arrangement.
- Money Advice Team
- Email: [email protected]
If you have any questions about funding for international students without settled or pre-settled status, you can contact our International Office at [email protected] for advice.
Please note, all advice and guidance provided by the University is subject to any information which you choose to impart to us, about your individual circumstances, being correct.
The advice and guidance you receive will be based upon current eligibility criteria from external organisations, such as the Student Loans Company. However, if any changes are made to this eligibility criteria by an external organisation, the University cannot be held responsible.
All staff will treat any information you share with them in the strictest confidence.