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This page provides practical advice for current and for prospective students coming from the EU, as well as links to further information.
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national and have questions or concerns related to your immigration status following Brexit, you can find more information on the UCL Immigration and Visas website.
The Student Immigration Advice Team can provide further information about how to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme and hold regular virtual drop-ins which you can access on the UCL website. You can also make an appointment to scan your ID document at a number of service locations across the UK. Please visit the UK Government website and enter your post code to find your nearest location.
If you are arriving in the UK then make sure you check out UCL’s travel advice on the UCL website which details all the rules and regulations when entering the UK as well as the support available to you when you arrive.
The Student Support and Wellbeing team are dedicated to supporting students throughout their time at UCL, you can reach the team on +44 (0)20 7679 0100 or via askUCL.
UCL works in partnership with Care First to provide you with telephone and online counselling support. Care First counsellors are available from Monday to Friday (5pm - 9am) and 24/7 at weekends and during university closure periods. The helpline is free for UCL students to use – you just need to call 0800 197 4510 if you are calling from the UK or +44 (0)1452 623 243 if you are calling from overseas.
For current students
Rights to continue living, working and studying
- How will Brexit affect my immigration status?
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national and have questions or concerns related to your immigration status following Brexit, you can find more information on the UCL Immigration and Visas website.
- I’m worried about my immigration status – where can I find answers?
You can find information about the EU settlement Scheme, as well as access guidance via a series of FAQs which are regularly updated as there are further developments in UK policy on the EU Settlement Scheme page managed by the Student Immigration Advice Team.
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national and have questions or concerns related to your immigration status following Brexit, you can find more information on the UCL Immigration and Visas website.
The Student Immigration Advice Team can provide further information about how to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme and hold regular virtual drop-ins which you can access on the UCL website. You can also make an appointment to scan your ID document at a number of service locations across the UK. Please visit the UK Government website and enter your post code to find your nearest location.
Further guidance on applying for settled status can be found on the UK government website.
You can also ask the Home Office if you have any questions about applying for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme through the EU settled status enquiries service.
- Will I be able to stay and work in the UK once I have finished my studies?
If you arrive before the end of the transition period, you will be able to apply for pre-settled status, and once you have been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for settled status. Both the pre-settled and settled status give you the right to live and work in the UK.
Travel
- I am stuck abroad due to travel disruption / cannot make it to an examination
It is unlikely that there will be major travel disruptions in and around major airports, ports and international railway stations due to Brexit.
However, UK citizens travelling to the EU/EEA/Switzerland should ensure they check the guidance issued by the FCO at the point of booking international travel.
EU/EEA/Swiss students who are travelling overseas over the coming months and have not yet applied for pre-settled/settled status, we recommend that you carry in your hand luggage a copy of your Statement of Student Status. This can be obtained from the Student Enquiries Centre or you can easily print and save a copy from your Portico. More information is available on the EU Settlement Scheme page.
For further information, see UCL’s travel guidance.
If you find yourself unable to return to the UK due to travel disruptions, you can let UCL know your situation by contacting your department.
If you’re worried that you will not be able to make it back to London for an examination, you can speak to your department to discuss the options available. Should you need to defer your exam or assessment, you can find further information about how to do this on the current student website.
- Will I need a visa to travel to the EU?
You shouldn’t need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit. UK travellers can still visit the EU without a visa for short visits of up to three months, and the same will be offered to European citizens visiting the UK.
There may however be additional checks on UK citizens visiting the EU. They may get their passports stamped at customs and may only be allowed to stay for up to 90 days. They might also be asked to show evidence that they can financially support themselves and provide reasons for their stay in the EU.
There may also be changes to the validity of driving licences, and roaming charges may be re-introduced to UK phones in the EU – you are advised to check with your mobile phone provider.
If you have a British passport, you are advised to check the FCO guidance for travelling to the EU.
For further information, see UCL’s travel guidance.
- What travel/health insurance do I need to travel to the EU?
The UK government advises that if you travel to an EU country you should have either:
- a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
- a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
- travel insurance with healthcare cover
If you apply for a card now, you’ll get the new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) instead of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).They are both valid if you’re travelling to an EU country. If your EHIC is still in date, you do not need to apply for a new GHIC.
Tuition fees, student loans and funding
- Will my tuition fees change as a result of Brexit?
Starting at UCL in 2020/21
If you start on a programme as a home/EU fee student for entry in the academic year 2018/19, 2019/20 or 2020/21, you will pay the same tuition fees as UK students, and you will not see any changes to your loan eligibility. This guarantee will apply for the full duration of your enrolment on that specific programme.
This is subject to any annual increase in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions and the UCL fees schedule.
For more information see the government statements on funding for EU students for 2020/21.
If you have any queries relating to student funding/finance, you can email studentfunding@ucl.ac.uk.
Starting at UCL 2021/22 or beyond
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland who plan to begin their studies in the UK after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for home fee status, due to the UK’s departure from the EU.
The change will not affect EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively.
Irish nationals living in the UK and Ireland will continue to have right to study and to access benefits and services under the Common Travel Area arrangement between the two nations.
If you have any queries relating to student funding/finance, you can email studentfunding@ucl.ac.uk
- Will my fees as a current EU student increase?
The tuition fee status will not change for current EU/EEA students attending UK universities.
EU/EEA students studying at UK universities will pay the same fees as UK students for the full duration of their course, even if the course finishes after the UK has left the EU.
However, students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland who plan to begin their studies in the UK after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for home fee status, due to the UK’s departure from the EU.
The change will not affect EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively.
Irish nationals living in the UK and Ireland will continue to have right to study and to access benefits and services under the Common Travel Area arrangement between the two nations.
If you have any queries relating to student funding/finance, you can email studentfunding@ucl.ac.uk.
- Will PhD funding will be suspended?
(This section is due to be updated)
If you have any queries relating to student funding/finance, you can email studentfunding@ucl.ac.uk.
Health services
- Will I need Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI)?
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) have published information about healthcare in the UK for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals, and useful information on Brexit and what it means for students and their family.
EU students currently in the UK are advised to apply for pre-settled/settled status with the EU Settlement Scheme as this protects both their immigration status and their access to healthcare after the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020.
You can find information about the EU settlement Scheme, as well as access guidance via a series of FAQs which are regularly updated as there are further developments in UK policy on the EU Settlement Scheme page managed by the Student Immigration Advice Team.
- I’m worried that shortages will mean that I am unable to get prescribed medicines
UCL is not able to provide prescription drugs for students or provide medical advice. If you are concerned about continuity of supply of medicines, then you should make an appointment with your GP who will be able to advise you.
If you are not registered with a GP then guidance to help you through the process can be found on the Student Support and Wellbeing website.
Help and Advice
- Where can I get advice and support around Brexit?
The Student and Registry Services teams are sending regular messages to students likely to be impacted by Brexit.
If you have any general queries, you can use the askUCL system which has a range of Brexit-related information. You can also email Student and Registry Services on srs@ucl.ac.uk and they will direct you to the most appropriate source of help or advice.
You can find information about the EU settlement Scheme, as well as access guidance via a series of FAQs which are regularly updated as there are further developments in UK policy on the EU Settlement Scheme page managed by the Student Immigration Advice Team.
The Student Immigration Advice Team can provide further information about how to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme and hold regular virtual drop-ins which you can access on the UCL website.
- I’m experiencing anxiety / mental health issues relating to the Brexit situation
UCL works in partnership with Care First to provide you with telephone and online counselling support. Care First counsellors are available from Monday to Friday (5pm - 9am) and 24/7 at weekends and during university closure periods.
Care First counsellors are able to provide advice and guidance around any issue, no matter how big or small. If you just need someone to talk to, or if you need tips and techniques to find solutions, you can call Care First.
The helpline is free for UCL students to use – you just need to call 0800 197 4510. Further details, including information about Care First's additional online counselling service, can be found on the Evening and Weekend Support section of the website.
- I’m worried about my safety on campus
If you have any concerns about your safety on campus, contact our safety team.
In an emergency dial 222 from any UCL phone.
- What is UCL doing to plan in general for Brexit?
Since the referendum, UCL has maintained high-level working groups in order to anticipate, plan for and mitigate the impact of Brexit on UCL as an institution, including the support available for EU and overseas staff and students, UCL access to EU programmes until the end of 2020, and UCL’s triple track European Strategy.
You can sign up to Brexit update emails using this online form. Until early 2020, these updates were sent weekly and contained news about what UCL is doing to support EU students and staff, an update on Brexit news from the UCL European Institute, and links to further reading. You can read the updates so far to get an idea of what the newsletters look like.
Studying abroad
- How will Brexit affect the Erasmus+ programmes?
UCL will be able to offer Erasmus+ funded support for outbound student mobility until May 2022, under extended agreements with our partner universities in Europe.
The UK government has decided not to associate to the next Erasmus+ programme. Instead, it will create a new student mobility scheme, the Alan Turing Scheme, which will offer grants for UK students to study abroad. Full details remain to be announced.
Practical advice for students currently undertaking, or intending to undertake, an Erasmus+ placement, along with the latest updates can be found on the Erasmus+ Brexit FAQs.
Further information can also be found on the UK government website:
- UK nationals travelling to the EU: essential information
- Stay up to date with the latest travel advice from the FCO
- Overseas Living Guides provide advice for UK nationals living abroad, including residency
- My programme has a compulsory year abroad – if I am unable to go, will I still get a degree?
Yes. Your placement will remain an Erasmus+ placement.
For prospective EU students
- Are EU students welcome at UCL?
Yes. We have a long tradition of European students and partnerships. We currently have over 4,000 non-UK EU students enrolled at UCL. In the words of Professor Michael Arthur, UCL President and Provost: "We value you enormously – your contribution to UCL life is intrinsic to what the university stands for."
- Are EU students welcome in London?
Yes. In the words of Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London: “To the almost one million Europeans living in London ... you are welcome here.” UCL fully endorses this statement.
- I want to apply to study at UCL – how will Brexit affect my immigration status?
Starting at UCL in 2020/21
To be eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme, you must an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen and arrive in the UK before the end of the transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020.
If you arrive before the end of the transition period, you will be able to apply for pre-settled status, and once you have been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for settled status. Both the pre-settled and settled status give you the right to live and work in the UK. Applications must be submitted by 30 June 2021.
If you arrive from 1 January 2021, you will need to apply for a Student visa in order to study at UCL. The Student visa offers far fewer rights than the EU Settlement Scheme and so it is advised that you arrive before the transition period and apply for the EU Settlement Scheme if you are able to do so.
For more information, see the Government policy statement on EU citizens arriving in the UK during the transition period*.
Starting at UCL after 2020
If you arrive in the UK from 1 January 2021, you will need to apply for a Student visa in order to study at UCL. The Student visa offers far fewer rights than the EU Settlement Scheme and so it is advised that you arrive before the transition period and apply for the EU Settlement Scheme if you are able to do so.
Further information on immigration issues is available on the UCL website.
Further information on immigration issues is available on the International Student Support website.
- Will my tuition fees rise during my degree programme? Am I eligible for tuition fee loans from the Student Loans Company (SLC)?
Starting at UCL in 2020/21
If you start on a programme as a home/EU fee student for entry in the academic year 2020/21 you will pay the same tuition fees as UK students, and you will not see any changes to your loan eligibility. This guarantee will apply for the full duration of your enrolment on that specific programme.
This is subject to any annual increase in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions and the UCL fees schedule.
For more information see the government statements on funding for EU students for 2020 to 2021.
Starting at UCL 2021/22 or beyond
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland who plan to begin their studies in the UK after August 2021 will no longer be eligible for home fee status, due to the UK’s departure from the EU.
The change will not affect EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively.
Irish nationals living in the UK and Ireland will continue to have right to study and to access benefits and services under the Common Travel Area arrangement between the two nations.
If you have any queries relating to student funding/finance, you can email studentfunding@ucl.ac.uk
- Am I eligible for Research Council PhD studentships?
(This section is due to be updated)
- Will I be able to stay and work in the UK once I have finished my studies?
If you have arrived before the end of the transition period* (before 31 December 2020), you will be able to apply for a temporary residence permit, and once you have been in the UK for 5 years, you can apply for settled status. Both the temporary residence permit and settled status you give you the right to live and work in the UK.
From 1 July 2021, EU citizens and their family members in the UK must hold or have applied for UK immigration status to be here legally.
- Will I have to pay for medical care?
Both pre-settled and settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme give you access to public healthcare in the UK – the National Health Service (NHS).
If you arrive in the UK from January 1 2020 onwards, you will pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your Student visa application which will give you access to public healthcare in the UK – the National Health Service (NHS).