EU Transition Scholarship

Due to the UK leaving the European Union, changes have been made to the tuition fees that EU, EEA and Swiss nationals pay to study in the UK. This page contains information about the fee changes and our EU Transition Scholarship.

If, after reading the information, you have further questions, please get in touch with us.

New EU students starting in 2023/24

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, if you're an EU, EEA or Swiss national, starting a course at a UK University, you will no longer be eligible for the same fees as UK students. You'll pay the same fees as an international student.

At the University of Portsmouth an EU Transition Scholarship will be applied to your fees reducing them to the same amount as UK students. To be eligible for a Transition Scholarship you need to be an EU, EEA or Swiss national and resident. This means the tuition fee will be £9,250 for Undergraduate courses (please see course pages for Master's and Postgraduate research course fees).

The scholarship will apply to new undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research students for the following intakes: September and January 2023/24, September and January 2024/25 and September and January 2025/26.

You won't be eligible for undergraduate, postgraduate or advanced learner financial support or loans from Student Finance England. But you may be able to apply for other forms of financial support.

Existing EU students continuing a course into 2023/24

If you're an eligible student assessed as a 'Home' or 'EU' fee-payer in the academic year 2023/24 or earlier, you’ll pay the same tuition fees throughout your course.

What if I am part of the EU Settlement Scheme? 

Guidance regarding eligibility of EU students for 'Home' fee status for courses beginning from 2023/24 academic year can be found on the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.

Current information suggests if you are an an EU, EEA or Swiss national and have been granted 'settled' status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you'll generally be eligible for home fee status, tuition fee and maintenance support if you have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for at least 3 years. For more details on eligibility and what support is available visit the Studying in the UK: guidance for EU students pages on the Gov.uk website. 

If you already meet the conditions to be classed as a UK student for fees and funding purposes, you won’t receive the scholarship. You’ll pay the same fees as UK students.

EU Transition Scholarship Terms and conditions

• The scholarship is only available to students who join us in September 2023, January 2024, September 2024, January 2025, September 2025 and January 2026.
• You must be an EU, EEA or Swiss national and have been resident in the EU, EEA or Switzerland for a minimum of 3 years to be eligible for this scholarship. If you already meet the conditions to be classed as a UK student for tuition fees, you won't receive this scholarship. 
• The scholarship is available to full-time and part-time students studying an undergraduate, postgraduate taught, postgraduate research degree on campus with annual fees of £17,200 or above (for 2023/24).
• The scholarship is also available to students on a study abroad programme bringing tuition fees in line with UK students (£4,625 for one term, £9,250 for a full academic year).
• The scholarship will take the form of a tuition fee reduction, resulting in the actual fee you pay being the equivalent to the fee of a UK student in the same academic year, effective at the time of registration and applied for the length of your course. 
• The scholarship cannot be combined with any other scholarship, discount or fee offer, apart from the Alumni discount.
• The discounted fee will be stated on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Study (CAS). This is the final document you receive when you have an unconditional offer to study at the University of Portsmouth and have paid your deposit. 

Tuition fee deposits 

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national starting a course at a UK university, you will need to pay a tuition fee deposit unless you are confirmed as 'Home' fee status. 

If you are a recipient of an educational loan from your government, this can meet the deposit requirement by emailing the evidence to directloan@port.ac.uk. 

Find information about deposits and any other exemptions on our ‘Tuition fees for international students’ page.

Exemptions (including Republic of Ireland)

The changes in student fees and funding will not affect you if you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss national benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. 

The changes will also not affect you if you're an Irish national living in the UK or Ireland. Your right to study and access benefits and services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals under the Common Travel Area arrangement. 

In general, you’ll continue to be required to meet the same criteria as UK nationals to be eligible for UK fees and funding.