What should expect EU students after Brexit?

Foreign universities are studying for over 11,000 students. students from Lithuania. United Kingdom (UK) remains the most popular trend among higher education students outside the homeland. According to UNESCO data, 2016 4339 Lithuanians studied there.

However, the withdrawal of the UK from the EU can make a big difference to student choices. How will the situation of students coming from EU countries change in the UK after the official Brexit date of 2019? March 29th?

Study cost

To date, UK students studying UK undergraduate programs have been subject to a fixed £ 9250 annual tuition fee, as much as UK citizens pay.

July 4 this year UK Education Secretary Damian Hinds has confirmed that this amount will not change for those students who will study at national universities in 2019. in the autumn – after the official departure from the EU – and power in all studies.

It was decided to avoid immediate changes in the education system, which would bring unexpected troubles to both students and universities.

Russell Group Head of University Dr. Tim Bradshaw welcomed the decision not to raise the tuition price for UK students studying in the EU.

„It’s very important that Brexit remains attractive to UK students from EU countries. The Russell Group Universities (24 of the UK’s most prestigious Universities – Rev. Ed.) Each year have over 100,000 students. Requests from EU citizens to study. Students coming from these countries are welcome and needed in the UK as they enrich university life and provide the necessary stimulus to the country’s economy, „said T. Bradshaw.

Thus, the financial conditions for students starting their studies at UK universities in 2018 or 2019 will not change. However, it is not yet known what kind of tuition fees will be applied to EU students in the UK in the future. This will depend on the UK-EU agreement that will define the bilateral relationship after Brexit.

If it were decided not to qualify EU citizens as „home” students, they would have to pay higher fees for non-EU students ranging from 10,000. up to 38 thousand pounds depending on the chosen undergraduate study program. This amount may discourage young people in EU countries, including Lithuania, from studying in the UK.

The situation would be aggravated by the fact that EU citizens in the UK would no longer be able to receive a loan for tuition fees when they lost their status as a „home” student. Most of the Lithuanian students pay for the education in Great Britain just by taking this loan, so after Brexit study in the country will become accessible only to the wealthy.

Need a visa?

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly denied that leaving the EU will end the free movement of people between the UK and EU countries. If this language turned out to be a reality, the UK’s willingness to study for EU citizens would be required to obtain a student visa for this country, which costs £ 348.

True, these changes should not come into force right after the official Brexit date of 2019. March 29, but not before the transitional period of two years.

The issue of visas is also relevant after the graduation of the UK to stay in EU citizens. Until now, students from EU countries who want to start working in the UK have not needed a visa, but this would change if Brexit’s agreement ceased the principles of free movement.

The UK will not stay

The European Parliament even emphasized in several resolutions that the rights of EU citizens residing in the UK after Brexit are one of the key priorities of the negotiations.

With this in mind, the UK government has confirmed in July this year that EU citizens who have lived in the country for at least 5 years will have the opportunity to acquire a „permanent resident” status. It will ensure the possibility of working, studying and receiving social benefits in the same manner as it has been used up to now.

However, this would mean that EU students whose UK studies generally last from 3 to 4 years of age would not be able to obtain this status, which would impede the ability to stay in and work in the country.

„So far the situation is very vague. The specific conditions for continuing to study or staying in the UK will only be clear after the formal conclusion of the Brexit negotiation process. So far, we are ignorant and look forward to more specific solutions. Nevertheless, the views of many students from Lithuania and other EU countries studying in the UK are already heading to other European countries where EU rules guarantee free movement, social security or employment rights, „said the University of Warwick, a prestigious university. Student from Lithuania.

Source: http://www.alfa.lt