UK universities set two levels for tuition fees: home and overseas. The overseas fees reflect the full cost of study and are substantially higher than those for home students.

UKCOSA, The Council for International Education, publishes guidance notes on fee status and student support which are helpful if you are unsure of your fee status. You can download a copy of these notes at the UCKCOSA website. UKCOSA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes educational mobility and provides support to international students and the professions who work with them.

Home fees generally apply to European Union (EU) nationals who have lived within the EU for the three years immediately before the start of their course in the UK.

Non-EU nationals are not normally eligible for home fee status unless they have lived in the UK for the three years immediately before the start of their course and the reason for living in the UK was not wholly or namely to receive full-time education.

Overseas fees will be applied to any student coming from outside the EU, including UK citizens who have not been resident in the UK for the past three years.

Ultimately, it is the individual institution that decides what fees to charge an international student. Fees will vary according to the institution and the subject studied. You should contact your chosen institution for more information.

Find below the information most relevant to students now in the US.

REGULATIONS TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A HOME STUDENT

The current regulations state that to be eligible for home fees you will need to be in one of the following categories:

• ordinarily resident in the UK for a full three years before the first term of your course on: September 1 (if the course begins in the autumn); January 1 (if the course begins in the spring); or April 1 (if the course begins in the summer). Temporary or occasional absences will not affect your residency status.

and in addition:

• you were not in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education

OR

• you are an EU national, or the child of an EU national, and you have been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) for the three years immediately before the start of your course

OR

• you would have been living in the EEA (for EU nationals) or UK (for non-EU nationals) for the three years immediately before the start of the course if you, your spouse or parents had not been temporarily employed outside the EEA or UK for all or part of the three year period

OR

• you have been granted refugee status or exceptional leave to remain (ELR) by the UK government and have remained in the UK since the status was given, or you are the spouse or child of a refugee or someone granted ELR

OR

• you are a recently settled immigrant and have been given UK residence without restriction (indefinite leave to remain) within the three years before the course begins

OR

• you are studying under a formal exchange agreement

The institution makes the final decision on fee assessment. It is up to you to satisfy the institution that you meet the requirements for home fee status.

The following factors are not in themselves sufficient to warrant a home fee classification:

• The possession of UK nationality
• Ownership of property in the UK
• Employment in the UK
• Payment of UK taxes

No specific exemptions are made for particular groups such as:

• UK civil servants in overseas posts
• Members of the armed forces serving abroad
• University academics working abroad
• Commonwealth citizens
• Children and spouses of embassy staff from other countries

Temporary employment outside the UK or EU

Temporary employment outside the EU (for EU nationals) or the UK (for non-EU nationals) does not necessarily mean that you will lose your home student status. Temporary employment outside the UK or EU can perhaps best be demonstrated if you provide a copy of a contract of employment. In general, you must demonstrate that, had it not been for temporary employment outside the UK or EU, the ordinary residence rule would have been met. Institutions and Local Education Authorities (LEAs) assess each case on its own merits.