British students living in the EU will face substantially higher tuition fees at UK universities starting in 2028, as a post-Brexit 'grace period' comes to an end. Those holding British passports and residing within the EU will no longer be eligible for 'home fees' and will instead be subject to international student rates, which can be up to three times more expensive.
This change will align the fee status for UK nationals living in the EU with that of other British students residing outside the bloc. The end of the transitional arrangement means that British passport holders in the EU will lose their home fee rights and eligibility for UK government student loans for tuition and maintenance, unless they have resided in the UK for at least three years prior to their university application.
Julie Moktadir, head of immigration law at Stone King, explained that this marks the conclusion of the post-Brexit 'grace period'. "This is essentially the end of the post-Brexit ‘grace period’ and means that UK nationals and their families living in the EU, but wanting to study in the UK, will be classed as international students," she told The Guardian. "They will also no longer be eligible for UK government student loans to help towards the cost of tuition fees and maintenance, which is something on which many depend," she added.
The shift was anticipated, with Universities UK stating that the post-Brexit home fee provision was always intended as a temporary measure to offer transitionary protections for UK expatriates in the EU.
While individual universities might retain some discretion regarding fees, potentially allowing EU-based British nationals to pay home fees in certain circumstances, the criteria remain unclear. Crucially, the loss of access to student finance means that students would need to cover the full cost of their fees, whether home or international, without loan assistance.
The situation is particularly complex for Scotland, where universities have distinct fee categories based on residency. These include 'home' fees for Scottish residents, 'rest of UK' (RUK) fees for those living elsewhere in the UK or Ireland, and 'overseas' fees for all others. It is currently unclear how the end of the Brexit grace period will specifically affect EU-resident British passport holders seeking to study in Scotland from the 2028 academic year. The Local has reached out to Scotland's Ministry of Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education for clarification.
The upcoming change arises because home tuition fee status for British nationals residing in the EU was not included in the UK-EU Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The organisation British in Europe confirmed that the Withdrawal Agreement does not cover 'home fee' status for these individuals. They had successfully campaigned for a grace period that covered applications for courses starting before December 31st, 2027, meaning that courses commencing in 2028 will see these students classified as 'international students'.
For home students in the UK, tuition fees are capped at £9,790 per year. However, British universities are free to set their own fees for international students, which can be significantly higher. For instance, studying Law (LLB) at the University of Manchester costs £9,790 in home fees for the 2026/27 academic year, while international students face a fee of £28,400 for the same program.
Therefore the children of Brits who moved to the EU will only be able to go to a British university if they can afford the steep fees for international students.
