Student fee status

As a student registered at UCL you are required to pay the tuition fee appropriate to your programme and to your status as a UK, an Overseas or a Channel Islands/Isle of Man student.

Special rates for EU students may apply if you are beginning a programme no later than July 2021.

Find out about:

• how your fee status is assessed
• eligibility for UK rates
• appeal your fee status
• change your status to 'home' after the start of your programme

Fee status assessment

Your fee status is determined in accordance with regulations published by the UK government. For students starting in July 2021 or before, the relevant legislation is the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007, No. 779) and subsequent amendments, as approved by Act of Parliament.

The UK government has made a number of statements setting out the position for fee status post-Brexit. This will apply to students beginning their studies in August 2021 or afterwards. Revised legislation is awaited but not yet available. UCL’s advice below concerning students beginning in 2021/22 is based upon the advice given by the UK government and incorporates our expectations of what may change and what may remain the same. Updated guidance will be provided on this page from time to time (in line with further government announcements) and this advice will be revised fully when new legislation comes into force. You are advised to check here regularly.

The assessment of fee status is communicated via UCL's formal offer of admission. By accepting UCL's offer of admission you agree to pay the fees outlined in UCL's offer. In cases where an assessment of fee status has not been possible, or if the assessment is being queried, a fee status questionnaire will be sent to you. This must be returned within three months. Failure to return the questionnaire or provide any requested documentation will result in you being classified as Overseas for fee purposes.

The following UCL departments are responsible for making the assessment of your fee status:

Students beginning studies from August 2021

Eligibility for UK rates

This advice is provided on the basis of recent government announcements and may be subject to change as and when new legislation comes into force.

Please see UKCISA website for further details of government announcements.

To be eligible to pay fees at the UK rate, you must normally be a national of the UK, be ordinarily resident in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of your programme and have been ordinarily resident within the UK, Gibraltar or the Channel Islands/Isle of Man (the “Islands”) for the 3 year period before the first day of the first academic year of your programme.

This is calculated as below:

Absences in connection with temporary employment are permitted. If the purpose of your ordinary residence in the UK, Gibraltar or Islands has been wholly or mainly to receive full-time education, you will be ineligible for UK fee status.

A number of other categories of student are eligible to pay fees at the UK rate providing they meet all the residence requirements applicable to that category. These include those who, on the first day of the first academic year of their programme, are:

• EU, EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. We expect this to include EU nationals who are “settled” or “pre-settled” within the UK
• Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland (in accordance with the Common Travel Area arrangement)
• refugees and their family members that are recognised by the UK government
• those granted Humanitarian Protection in the UK and their family members
• those with “long residence” in the UK (the precise requirements for this will vary depending on whether you are under or over 18 on the first day of the first academic year of the programme)
• persons granted stateless leave in the UK and their family members
• persons granted section 67 leave, Calais leave to remain or indefinite leave as a victim of domestic abuse or violence
• UK nationals and children of UK nationals who have been living in the EEA, Switzerland, UK or Gibraltar – subject to further residence requirements (please contact Admissions for further information) and who are starting a programme before 1^st January 2028.

You may obtain further details from Access and Admissions in Student and Registry Services, by consulting the government regulations or obtain independent advice from UKCISA: The UK Council for International Student Affairs.

Information for current students and those beginning studies in July 2021 or before

Appeal your fee status

Once UCL gives its definitive assessment, which will be outlined in either your offer letter or correspondence following the completion of a fee status questionnaire, you have three months to appeal in writing.

Appeals are handled by the Director of Access and Admissions who will communicate the appeal decision to you in writing. The final right of appeal is to the Registrar and must be made within three months of the initial appeal decision.

If the fee status is undetermined at the start of your studies, UCL policy is to invoice at the Overseas fee rate. Should you subsequently be re-assessed as eligible for UK fees (or EU fees for those starting in July 2021 or before), the appropriate refund of fees would be made.

Change your status to UK after the start of your programme

UCL's fee status assessment remains in place for the duration of the programme with the exception of the following circumstances:

• You or a relevant family member obtains UK nationality and you have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Gibraltar or Islands for the 3 year period before the first day of the first academic year of the programme
• You, your spouse/civil partner, parent or parent of your spouse/civil partner obtains refugee status or Humanitarian Protection following an asylum application. This status must be obtained in the UK. Additional restrictions apply if you are seeking UK fee status as the spouse/civil partner, child or child of a spouse/civil partner.

Please contact Admissions immediately if you believe you fall into one of these categories to request that a review of your fee status be undertaken.

If you are eligible to have your fee status reassessed whilst studying at UCL this will be from the start of your next academic year, not from the start of your programme.