EU — A grace period allowing British passport holders living in the European Union to qualify for "home fee" status at universities in the United Kingdom will conclude in 2028. For courses commencing in 2028, students must have resided ordinarily in the UK for three years prior to the first day of their degree course to qualify for home fees.

Currently, domestic fees for UK universities are capped at £9,790 for the 2026 intake, while universities set their own rates for overseas students. Examples of international student fees include £35,530 per year for economics at the University of Warwick in 2026, and £26,750 per year for law at Leeds University. For comparison, natural sciences at Cambridge University costs £9,250 for home students, but £44,214 for international students, with college fees starting at £11,500 and varying by college.

Julie Moktadir, a partner and head of immigration law at Stone King, said, "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." Moktadir added, "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."

A representative for Universities UK stated that the "post-Brexit home fee provision was always a temporary clause providing transitionary protections for UK expats in the EU." The changes to fee eligibility apply across the entire UK, although eligibility requirements may vary in each of the four nations, with Scotland having a more complex fee structure. This adjustment aligns the rules for UK nationals in the EU with those applicable to UK nationals residing in other regions globally.