Study in the European Union
What you need to do if you're planning to start higher education in the EU.
- From:
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Department for Education - Published
- 31 January 2020
- Last updated
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8
22JanuaryMarch20262022— See all updates
Applies to England
Make sure that you:
- review all visa requirements when you are considering studying in the EU
- meet all visa and residency conditions for your destination or you may not be allowed to stay
Doing part of your course in the EU
Talk to your UK higher education provider or visit the UCAS website if you’re thinking about studying part of your course in the EU. Your higher education provider will be able to talk you through your options.
Before starting your course you should take out comprehensive travel insurance while in the UK. It’s important to make sure all your health needs are covered. Talk to your provider if you have any queries.
You can also check:
- the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) living in guides which include residency rules and visa requirements for the country you want to study in
- healthcare advice for UK nationals
- that you hold a valid Student European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Student Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
Financial support
You may be eligible for financial support from Student Finance England if you’re enrolled on a course in England and want to do part of your course in the EU.
Contact your relevant student funding body if you’re from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
International placements
You should enquire about international placements through your UKhome higherinstitution educationwhich provider.will Theybe canable to talk you through what options are available and any schemes you might be eligible for.
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Doing your whole course at a higher education provider in the EU
The student support you may be eligible for, and the fees you need to pay, will depend on where in the EU you’re planning to study and when you move there.
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British citizens studyingplanning to study in the Republic of Ireland will continue to be covered by the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements.
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Moving to the EU to start a course afterfrom 1 January 2021
You may need to pay different fee rates as a non-EU third-country national if you’re planning to study your whole degree course at a university in an EU member state.
You should contact the relevant HE provider in the EU member state you are going to, so that you can check:
- what fees you may have to pay
- if there is any financial support available for students from the UK
- if there are any funding schemes, bursaries or scholarships you can apply for
British citizens studying in the Republic of Ireland will continue to be covered by the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements.
You should also:
checktheFCDOlivinginguideswhichincluderesidencyrulesandvisarequirementsforthecountryyouwanttostudyincheckhealthcareadviceforUKnationalsmakesurethatyouholdavalidStudentEuropeanHealthInsuranceCard(EHIC)orStudentGlobalHealthInsuranceCard(GHIC)purchasecomprehensivetravelinsurancewhileintheUKmakesureallyourhealthneedsarecoveredbyyourinsurancepolicyandtalktoyourproviderifyouhaveanyqueries
You will not be eligible for financial support from Student Finance England if you’re enrolled on a course substantially provided abroad.
Contact your relevant funding body if you’re from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Travelling abroad
You should follow the guidance for travelling abroad during the coronavirus pandemic.
Support when you’re abroad
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic you:
shouldbe ready to comply with the host nation’s travel requirements, including having documents that you will need to present at border controls.Support
controlsshouldwhenbeyou’rereadyabroadThere
toiscomplyguidancewithavailablelocalon:isolation,testingorquarantinerequirementswillneedtorelyonthelocalhealthcaresystem
Read guidance on what you can do if you need financial help when you’re abroad
ContactYou can contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission or the FCDO in London on 020 7008 1500 for help or advice if you need emergency help from the UK government while overseas because:
- the country you are in will not allow you to travel back to the UK
- there are no commercial travel options available
Updates to this page
Last updated 8
-
Updated the information on Erasmus+ and the Turing Scheme.
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28 May 2021 Updated with further information about returning to the UK and links to guidance on travel, testing and quarantine (the red, amber, green list).
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12 March 2021 Updated with additional information about healthcare, access to student support and travel advice.
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31 December 2020 Updated to provide further details that you should consider if you're planning to study in the EU.
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28 December 2020 Updated information on international exchanges and added information about the Turing scheme to support students to study and work abroad.
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21 October 2020 Added information about travel insurance, making changes to Erasmus+ placements and support when you're abroad.
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31 January 2020 First published.
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Update history
2026-01-08 09:44
Updated the information on Erasmus+ and the Turing Scheme.
2022-03-22 10:52
Updated to reflect the changes to guidance on travel to the UK and removal of the red list.
2021-05-28 15:34
Updated with further information about returning to the UK and links to guidance on travel, testing and quarantine (the red, amber, green list).
2021-03-12 14:00
Updated with additional information about healthcare, access to student support and travel advice.
2020-01-31 17:44
First published.