Information for EU/EEA and Swiss students

We know that EU, EEA and Swiss students who want to study in the UK in future may be concerned about issues such as fees and immigration.

This page contains the latest information and we will continue to update it regularly.

Starting a course in 2021/22

Tuition fees

Following the UK's decision to withdraw from the European Union, the UK Government has confirmed that EU students, will no longer have automatic access to financial support such as student loans from Student Finance England. As a result of this EU students starting a course from the academic year 2021/22 onwards will be charged fees at the international tuition fee rate.

If you are required to pay the international fees we are pleased to offer a range of scholarships and bursaries to help support you and reward our most talented applicants.

Visas and immigration

Studying in the UK for longer than six months

If you were not resident in the UK before 1 January 2021, you will need to apply for and be granted a Student Visa before travelling to the UK. On arrival in the UK you can enter using the electronic gates (eGates), without needing to show a visa. However, you will only be allowed to study at the University if you have been granted a student visa before you arrive.
Our video tutorial will guide you through the student visa application process. 

After completing the online visa application form, you will need to verify your identity. Most people will be able to do this using a smartphone, through the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, as part of the online application. To do this, you will need a biometric passport and a compatible smartphone. 

How to use UK Immigration: ID Check app 

  • Start your application on GOV.UK before using the app. You will need a stable internet connection.
  • Remove any protective cases from your passport and your phone 
  • You will be prompted to connect to the app, or to download the app, if it is not already in your phone. 
  • If you are applying on a computer or laptop, you will need to download and open the app and use the smartphone’s camera to scan a QR code 
  • You will need to take a picture of the photo page of your passport. You can hold your passport like a book to avoid glare. You must include the strip of numbers and letters at the bottom of the page into your picture. 
  • To scan the chip in your passport, don’t hover your device over your passport - place it directly on top.
  • The chip can be in different places. You might need to move your device around slowly until you receive the ‘accessing chip’ message. This might take you a few attempts.

If you do not have a biometric passport or experience difficulties with the app, you will need to attend a Visa Application Centre. 

The UKVI (Immigration authorities) will send the visa application decision to you by email. This will include details of how to sign in to the View and Prove service on GOV.UK, where you can check your immigration status and its conditions at any time. You will also be able to share your immigration status with other agencies anytime you need to.

This information doesn't apply to Irish citizens: you will have the right to enter and live in the UK under Common Travel Area Arrangements.

The British Council has also provided guidance regarding visas for EU students from 1 January 2021.

Information and guidance for current students

If you're already a student at ARU, the International Student Advice Service pages on My ARU have detailed information for you.

Staying in the UK after graduation

The Graduate Route is a post study work visa which allows international students to stay in the UK for two years after finishing a degree course (three years after completing a PhD) to work or look for work.

Academic and professional qualifications

The European Commission has published guidance on professional qualifications.

Some professional qualifications are automatically recognised across the EU and EEA, while others have to be recognised by a Member State.

  • There are no changes if you obtained a professional qualification in the UK before the withdrawal date and it has been recognised by an EU member state. It will still be recognised.
  • If a qualification was obtained, but not recognised, before the withdrawal date, the Commission recommends that Member States take into consideration the fact that the qualification was obtained while the UK was still a member of the EU.
  • Any professional qualifications obtained in the UK after the withdrawal date will be assessed under Member State law and policy.

The professions that are currently covered by automatic recognition are doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, veterinary surgeons and architects.

UK degrees are recognised in many countries around the world and most academic qualifications should still be recognised after the UK leaves the EU.

Questions or concerns?

If you're already studying at ARU and want to talk, our International Student Advice Service can help. Email us: internationaladvice@aru.ac.uk