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Studying at Essex after Brexit

The UK has left the European Union, but at Essex our welcome to European students will remain as warm as ever. Here you'll find information about studying at Essex as an EU student after Brexit.

 

We've been welcoming EU students at Essex with open arms for decades, and we continue to do so after Brexit. Although the practicalities of coming to study in the UK have changed, Essex will continue to have lots to offer for EU students, and we are here to help you make your journey to Essex as smooth as possible.

Our EU community

EU students are an important part of our student family, and have always been active members of our community. Our EU students have started and run a number of cultural societies, offering an opportunity for students to meet and spend time with students from their country, and for other students to learn about the cultures of our European students. Our country-specific pages include details of cultural societies and student networks from your region.

A notable number of our staff are also from the EU, and we form part of the wider European research community, with networks extending across the continent. Part of our commitment to our European networks is our membership in the YUFE and YERUN alliances. Through our partnership with the alliance universities around Europe, our students have the opportunity to apply for a YUFE Diploma Supplement programme, build networks across Europe, or spend time studying abroad at one of the partner universities, either virtually or in person.

Applying to Essex

Our academic courses and student services will continue to be available to European students as before, but you should be aware of a few changes to student funding and immigration requirements after the UK has left the European Union. Please note that these changes do not apply to Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland.

Funding your studies

If you did not study in the UK before October 2021 and will be coming to study in the UK now, you are likely to be classified as an international student for tuition fee purposes. This means that you will be required to pay international tuition fees. We'll assess your fee status when you apply to Essex and if you are successful in gaining an offer, your fee status will be confirmed in your offer letter. Visit our fee status page for more information. You can only access student loans from the UK government if you have settled or pre-settled status.

In recognition of the changed funding, we have introduced EU scholarships for undergraduate students worth £5,000, for masters students with awards up to £5,500, and also research scholarships worth £8,000. The undergraduate scholarships are available for the duration of your degree so you will receive the £5,000 scholarship for each year of studies in your undergraduate degree.  There are additional scholarships and funding sources available for some countries. Please check the webpage for your country for further information.

Entering the UK to study

You must not travel to the UK to study unless you have valid UK immigration permission or pre-settled/settled status. If you obtain Student immigration permission, you must make sure that you do not enter the UK before the date it is valid from. If you enter the UK without the relevant permission in place, you will be entering as a visitor and will not be able to study a course with us that is for longer than 6 calendar months.

If you are coming to the UK to study and do not have settled status or the right to apply, you are likely to have to apply for a visa to study with us. Find out if you need a visa and read our immigration and visas guidance about applying for your Student visa and travelling to the UK.

Please note that a valid passport which should be valid for the duration of your stay is required to enter the UK. It will not be possible to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you have obtained settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, in this case you may be able to use a valid identity card or passport which is registered on your UK Visas and Immigration account. Read the government website for more information.

EU Settlement Scheme

If you have valid pre-settled or settled status after applying to the EU settlement scheme, we will require evidence before you can study with us inside the UK. If you have pre-settled status you will need to apply for settlement before it expires and when you have been in the UK for 5 years.

If you do not have a Certificate of Application and applied for EUSS after 30 June 2021, you will not be able to study with us inside the UK until one is issued to you or you have been granted settled/pre-settled status. Please see our page on Coming to the UK for more information.

Please note that, you register and start your course at your own risk, if your application is refused you may need to apply for a Student visa overseas to continue your course and would need to request a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from the University, we are unable to guarantee our sponsorship for a student visa.

I applied to the EU Settlement Scheme but don't have the outcome, what should I do?

We understand that your Certificate of Application should include information about what you can do whilst your application is pending and you should be allowed to study in the UK until you receive the outcome, we’ll need to see a copy of your Certificate of Application at your in-person right to study check. A Certificate of Application is issued as soon as an application is valid in accordance with paragraph EU9 of the Immigration Rules for the EUSS in Appendix EU. Applicants who have a digital Certificate of Application can log into the online View and Prove service using their UKVI account and generate a share code to prove their rights. This includes share codes for right to work, study, right to rent and other purposes. Applicants who applied by the deadline of the 30 June 2021 have their rights in the UK covered by The Citizens’ Rights (Application Deadline and Temporary Protection) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.

If you do not have a Certificate of Application and applied for EUSS after 30 June 2021, you will not be able to study with us inside the UK until one is issued to you or you have been granted settled/pre-settled status. Please see our page on Coming to the UK for more information.

Please note that, you register and start your course at your own risk, if your application is refused you may need to apply for a Student visa overseas to continue your course and would need to request a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) from the University, we are unable to guarantee our sponsorship for a student visa.

I was living in the UK before 31 December 2020 but did not apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. What can I do?

If you were living in the UK before 31 December 2020 but did not apply for settlement via the EU Settlement Scheme by the 30 June 2021, you may still be able to apply if you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. If you were absent from the UK for more than 12 months and did not apply, or were refused previously, it maybe worth reapplying since the Home Office introduced concessions allowing a longer gap if it was due to COVID-19. Please visit the Government website for more information and to apply.

However, if you apply/applied after the deadline of the 30 June 2021, you are not covered by The Citizens’ Rights (Application Deadline and Temporary Protection) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020. This means you require a Certificate of Application to travel and prove any rights you may have in the UK whilst your application is pending. You will not be able to study with us in the UK if you do not have a Certificate of Application or proof of your settled/pre-settled status when it is granted.

Further guidance for EEA and Swiss students and their family

Immigration advice and guidance is regulated by the Office of the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), our University and Student Union student immigration specialists are trained and authorised to provide immigration advice and guidance about the UK’s Student Immigration Rules. Unfortunately, this means we aren’t able to offer advice about other categories of the UK’s Immigration Rules, including settlement applications.

We recommend you read the information and guidance available from the following reputable sources and contact them for further advice if possible.

After you have read the information available from the above organisations, if you have a question you can’t find the answer to or need further clarification, you can contact a UKCISA adviser.

The University was a second home for me, and not just because I spent my time there studying and going to the various venues and societies, but because I found my place there - a place where I could live along with over 148 different nationalities! Not only did I make a lot of connections, but I had the chance to receive an excellent academic experience taught by world-leading academics, who helped me grow both academically and individually. Studying at Essex was also a great boost for my employability. During my three years I successfully finished three paid internships and got paid and unpaid experience as a photographer, peer mentor, course representative, student ambassador and an online brand student blogger.
Mihaela-Georgiana (Mimi) Mihailescu Romania

Part-time courses

Please note that if you are an EU or EEA national, you will only be able to study a part-time course if you hold Settled Status in the UK. If you will need a Student visa to study in the UK then you will not be able to study part-time.

Working in the UK after your studies

If you have a Student visa to study with us, it may be possible for you to stay in the UK to work after you have been awarded an eligible qualification, through the new Graduate route. Our courses prepare you for the world of work, and our Student Development Team are on hand to support you in making the most of your time outside of your studies, with careers advice and preparation, and part-time work opportunities to gain real-world work experience (subject to your immigration conditions).

I chose to come to Essex because of the course and the location of the university. It was really easy to make friends. Essex has a cosmopolitan campus and it's really interesting to learn about everyone's cultures and backgrounds. You also get a lot of support from the academic staff and there's always someone to talk to about any issues you may have with your course. I think the University of Essex is a great university and it has so much to offer; not just academically but socially as well. It's also a very international community which is great because you learn a lot more than you think!
Doriane Hardy Luxembourg
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