Guidance

Prepare your higher education provider for Brexit

Updated 28 October 2019

This guidance was withdrawn on

This page is out of date.

For current information, read:

You can also read about the transition period

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2019

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-higher-education-institutions/eu-exit-no-deal-preparations-for-higher-education-institutions

Help staff and students from EU, EEA and Switzerland to continue living in the UK after 2020

Let staff and students who are citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland know that they’ll need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 2020. Deal or no deal, they will have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply.

There are resources available to help you support people with their applications.

Anyone who’s applied to the EU Settlement Scheme can view and prove their settled or pre-settled status although they will not be required to do so until at least January 2021.

Irish citizens’ right to live in the UK will not change after Brexit. This means they do not need to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme, but they can if they want to.

Temporary leave to remain

If there’s a no-deal Brexit, let staff and students know that they can apply for European temporary leave to remain if they:

  • are from are from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, and

  • arrive in the UK after a no-deal Brexit and before 1 January 2021

They’ll need to apply by 31 December 2020.

Student finance after Brexit

Let your current and prospective students know they should check whether they’re eligible for home fee status and student finance.

Let students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland know that they should contact their relevant student funding body.

There’s separate guidance for student finance if there’s a no-deal Brexit.

Irish students

Let Irish students know they’ll still be able to:

Students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

Let students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland know that they, and their family members, will be eligible for home fee status and financial support for the duration of their course if:

  • they’re on a course that’s already started
  • they’re on a course that will start in the 2020 to 2021 academic year or before
  • they meet the relevant requirements

This financial support covers:

Future fee status and financial support for students from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland not covered by the EU Settlement Scheme

Details of fee status and financial support for the 2021 to 2022 academic year will be published when available.

Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps (ESC) projects

Continue delivering any Erasmus+ or European Solidarity Corps (ESC) projects that are already contracted.

You might not get EU funding if there’s a no-deal Brexit. Register for the government guarantee if you’ve had an Erasmus+ bid accepted.

Erasmus+ placements will continue to 2020 if there’s a deal.

Horizon 2020

Read UK participation in Horizon 2020 to find out what you’ll need to do to get funding in a no-deal Brexit.

Employing staff from the EU

You must continue to check job applicants’ right to work. This will not change after Brexit.

You can also check whether someone has settled or pre-settled status but you are not required to do this until 1 January 2021.

Staff who gained their professional qualifications outside the UK

There will be no change for staff whose professional qualifications were recognised before Brexit.

Staff who need to seek recognition after Brexit should read professional qualifications not recognised before Brexit.

Review how you collect, use and share personal data

Check and update your data protection procedures so you can still receive and share personal data after Brexit.

Importing specialist equipment

Check before Brexit that you’ll be able to continue importing goods, for example, scientific instruments or lab equipment.

Planning trips to the EU

If you’re arranging trips to the EU, you’ll need to check:

Back to top