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Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028

My daughter will be starting university in England next year (2026). She is a UK citizen but has never lived in the UK. She has lived her entire life in Romania (EU/EEA). She has been granted home fee status by three universities already as per the Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028.

My question relates to tuition fee and maintenance loans. My understanding is that she qualifies under the same Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028. Is this correct? She qualifies both herself (as a UK citizen who: 1. Was living in the EEA - in her case, Romania - on 31 December 2020; 2. Has lived in the EEA for at least 3 years before starting a course in England; 3. Has lived continuously in the*EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar between 31 December 2020 and the start of her course) and as a family member of a UK citizen who also meets these criteria.

I have noticed, however, that some posts on this forum have mentioned a requirement for her having lived at some stage of her life in the UK. This appears nowhere in the UKCISA nor Gov.uk guidance.

Can anyone clarify this, please?

Reply 1

SFE Clare

Official Rep

Hi bucharestlife,

UK nationals must live in the UK for 3 years prior to the first day of the 1st academic year of the course to qualify for full support which includes Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. If she has never lived in the UK and is a UK national, she would need to meet that 3 year criteria. The only exception to that would have been that she has lived in the UK and has been living in the EU temporarily.

Thanks, Clare

Reply 2

bucharestlife

Original post

by SFE Clare

Hi bucharestlife,
UK nationals must live in the UK for 3 years prior to the first day of the 1st academic year of the course to qualify for full support which includes Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. If she has never lived in the UK and is a UK national, she would need to meet that 3 year criteria. The only exception to that would have been that she has lived in the UK and has been living in the EU temporarily.
Thanks, Clare

OK. But what if she is the family member of somebody who has been living in the EU (me) and who has exercised his right of residence in the EU before Brexit)?

Reply 3

SFE Clare

Official Rep

Hi bucharestlife,

If they are a UK national themselves, they would still be under the exercising of residence in the EU but that is only if they have lived in the UK at some point in their life.

Thanks, Clare

Reply 4

SFE Clare

Official Rep

I have included the guidance below with the link to the gov page.

If you’re a UK national or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ in the UK
You can apply for both a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if you meet the university, course and age requirements. Both of the following must also apply:

•

your home is in England

•

you’ve been continuously living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for 3 years before the first day of your first academic year (apart from temporary absences such as holidays)

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies

Thanks, Clare

Reply 5

bucharestlife

Original post

by SFE Clare

I have included the guidance below with the link to the gov page.
If you’re a UK national or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ in the UK
You can apply for both a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if you meet the university, course and age requirements. Both of the following must also apply:

•

your home is in England

•

you’ve been continuously living in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for 3 years before the first day of your first academic year (apart from temporary absences such as holidays)

https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies
Thanks, Clare

UK gov guidance is as follows: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/student-finance-eligibility-2021-to-2022-academic-year/eligibility-rules-for-home-fee-status-and-student-finance-from-the-2022-to-2023-academic-year-onwards#uk-nationals-living-in-the-eea-switzerland-and-eu-overseas-territories

Where is the rule/law that states the UK national must have lived in the UK prior to living in the EU?

Reply 6

Drew SLC

Official Rep

Hi there,

Sorry for the confusion.
UK Nationals Who Have Never Exercised a Right of Residence in the UK
UK nationals who have never lived in the UK will be eligible for full support for courses starting from the 2021/22 academic year onwards if they were:

•

Resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland at the end of the Brexit transition period on 31^st December 2020 or resident in the UK, having moved there from the EEA or Switzerland after 31 December 2017.

•

Resident in the UK, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course

The student should apply for support from the UK territory where they are undertaking the course i.e. a student starting a course in England should apply to Student Finance England, a student starting a course in Wales should apply to Student Finance Wales, etc. The student is not however required to be resident in that territory on the first day of the first academic year of the course.

This eligibility category will only be available for courses starting within 7 years of the end of the Brexit transition period i.e. by 31^st December 2027. This time limit is intended to allow a child enough time to undertake and complete high school education and then come to the UK to undertake a Further or Higher Education course.

Thanks, Drew

Reply 7

bucharestlife

Original post

by Drew SLC

Hi there,
Sorry for the confusion.
UK Nationals Who Have Never Exercised a Right of Residence in the UK
UK nationals who have never lived in the UK will be eligible for full support for courses starting from the 2021/22 academic year onwards if they were:

•

Resident in the UK, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for 3 years prior to the first day of the first academic year of their course

The student should apply for support from the UK territory where they are undertaking the course i.e. a student starting a course in England should apply to Student Finance England, a student starting a course in Wales should apply to Student Finance Wales, etc. The student is not however required to be resident in that territory on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
This eligibility category will only be available for courses starting within 7 years of the end of the Brexit transition period i.e. by 31^st December 2027. This time limit is intended to allow a child enough time to undertake and complete high school education and then come to the UK to undertake a Further or Higher Education course.
Thanks, Drew

Thanks for the clarification. That had been my understanding, and the understanding of my daughter who is currently applying to universities in England. She has never lived in the UK (although I have and the Brexit temp offer extends to my children as well, who do not even have to be British according to the guidance - she is a dual national, which is why she never had to exercise her right of residence in the EU). I will still only believe it when she gets approved for funding though! Meantime we are working on a plan B, just in case.