“EU nationals resident in the UK before the end of the transition period will be eligible for support on a similar basis to domestic students”

Following an announcement earlier this year explaining EU students would lose home fee status beyond 2021, Michelle Donelan reemphasised on October 30 that students benefitting from citizens’ rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement would not be affected.

“We have agreed with the EU that current EU principles of equal treatment will continue to apply for those covered by the citizens’ rights provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement,” she clarified.

“This means that EU nationals resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 will be eligible for support on a similar basis to domestic students. They have until 30 June 2021 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.”

EU nationals living and working in the UK before the end of the transition period will “also be eligible for maintenance support, subject to meeting the usual residence requirements”, she noted.

The response comes following a written question from Labour MP Daniel Zeichner requesting confirmation that EU citizens with pre-settled or settled status would be eligible for home fee status and financial support in the academic year 2021-22.