EU student information

Commencing Studies prior to 1st August 2021

• Eligible for home fee status in Scotland for the duration of your intended course of study provided course commences prior to 1st August 2021. Should you change course after this date your fee status may change depending on your individual circumstances.
• Tuition fee support from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for intended duration of your Undergraduate and Postgraduate course of study subject to meeting eligibility criteria. 

Commencing studies from 1st August 2021

• New EU students will be liable to pay the overseas student tuition fee rate.
• The University will be offering a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in EU countries. More details can be found on the Napier.ac.uk website.
• Students may be eligible to apply for student funding support within their home country but will not be eligible for Tuition Fee support from SAAS.
• Exceptions to the above include:
  • Students from the Republic of Ireland: Owing to the Common Travel Area agreement, ROI students will not be liable to pay the overseas fee rate. The University is awaiting confirmation from the Scottish Government as to the fee rate that will apply to ROI students.
  • EU Nationals with settled or pre-settled status will continue to be eligible for Home fee status and associated financial support.
  • Some EU Nationals who are starting an undergraduate course in 2021/22 may be eligible to apply for home tuition fees, if they are progressing from a Higher National qualification, regardless of whether they hold settled or pre-settled status.

EU Nationals arriving in the UK prior to 1 January 2021 

• No student visa required. Eligible to apply for settled or pre-settled status (deadline for doing so 30 June 2021) which will provide permission to stay in the UK with no time limit and with need for a visa.
• ROI students do not need to apply for settled or pre-settled status.

EU Nationals Arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021

• For courses of 6 months or less, no visa is required
• For courses longer than 6 months, students will need to apply for a student visa pre-arrival through the new Student route.
• Will be eligible to apply for the new Graduate Route* visa to enable staying in the UK for a period after your studies are completed. 
• Exceptions to the above include:
  • EU Nationals arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021 who already hold settled or pre-settled status.
• ROI students will owing to Common travel area rules be able to enter and stay in the UK without any need for a visa.
• They will also need to pay a fee called an Immigration Health Surcharge. This gives the student access to the UK’s National Health Service. Students receive a 25 per cent discount on the usual cost of this surcharge - so the rate for student visa holders is £470 per year.
• They can apply for a student visa up to six months before their course starts. 
• Please visit the GOV.UK student visa page for the application, or for more information.

*The government will launch the new Graduate route in the summer of 2021. This additional new route will allow those who have completed a degree at a UK Higher Education provider with a track record of compliance to stay in the UK for two years (three years for PhD graduates) and work at any skill level, and to switch into work routes if they find a suitable job.

The Scottish Government have confirmed that current students (who commenced their studies prior to the 1 August 2021) and are nationals from the EU27 member states will continue to access existing funding arrangements during the intended length of their studies.

If they HAVE successfully applied for the EU Settlement Scheme they will NOT be required to apply for a visa to remain in the UK.  They can travel to and from the UK without the need to apply for the Student Route visa. 

ROI students will owing to Common travel area rules be able to enter and stay in the UK without any need for a visa.  In addition, ROI students do not need to apply for settled or pre-settled status.

If they currently reside in the UK AND have NOT applied for the EU Settlement Scheme, but wish to remain in the UK beyond 31 December 2020 they need to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme before 30 June 2021.  It is very important to note that if they have NOT applied for EU Settlement Scheme and leave the UK but want to return to the UK after 31 December 2021 they will be required to apply for the Student Route visa, UNLESS they apply for the EU Settlement Scheme before they leave the UK.   

If students currently reside out-with the UK (e.g. studying at a distance online) but intend on coming to the UK to complete studies they must either arrive in the UK before 1 January 2021 and apply for the EU Settlement Scheme prior to the 30 June 2021; or if arriving on or after the 1 January 2021, apply for the Student Route visa.