Potential Brexit Effects For EU & UK students

Given the outcome of the June 23, 2016 referendum and the February 1, 2017 passing of the EU exit bill in the House of Commons, “Brexit“ – i.e. the United Kindom’s exit from the European Union – is virtually decided. What is less clear than the decision of the British people to leave the European Union is the repercussions this historic step will have for students from both the European Union and the United Kingdom. This is particularly true for the period following March 2019, i.e. when the two-year negotiation period will be coming to an end.

As far as the 2017/2018 academic year is concerned, no changes occurred. First-time students could commence their studies under the same conditions as those that applied before the vote to leave. Thus tuition fees (where required) as well as grants and financial aids remained on the accustomed level. As of now, the same cannot be said about the 2018/2019 academic year, however. With the exception of Scotland where new students are guaranteed the same conditions for the entirety of their study program as well, changes anywhere else in the UK are likely to happen. In the long-term, changes regarding fees and grants hinge upon how Brexit will affect the British pound. If the pound falls in value on a sustainable basis, studying in the United Kingdom will likely become more affordable. If, on the other hand, it increases in value, students from the European Union should be prepared for higher tuition costs.

Other potential changes relate to visa requirements. Should the United Kingdom decide to withdraw from existing agreements on the free movement of persons, it is likely to assume that EU students will have to apply for the necessary study visas in order to be allowed to study in the United Kingdom.

Students from the United Kingdom who seek to study within the European Union should be prepared for certain changes in the future as well. It can be assumed that UK students, in terms of being future third-country students, will have to both pay higher tuition fees and apply for student visas. Depending on how exchange partnerships between UK and EU universities will turn out, there could also be no more, or less funding through Erasmus grants.