The deadline to apply for EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) was 30 June 2021. However, if you were resident in the UK by 11pm on 31 December 2020, it is possible to make a late application under the scheme if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ to do so, but there can be no guarantee of a successful outcome. 

Please view our online information and guidance on the EUSS.

If you have any questions, please email immigration@reading.ac.uk.

If you do not qualify for the EUSS, you will be required to obtain immigration permission under the Immigration Rules in place at the time you travel to the UK or apply for immigration permission. The type of immigration permission you require will depend on what you are coming to the University to undertake and for how long.

Student visa (study for up to and more than six months)

If you are coming to the UK to study for longer than six months, you will need to apply for and obtain immigration permission under the Student route before travelling to the UK.

You can view the Student visa requirements on our website which includes specific financial requirements, English language evidence, and qualification requirements. The University will need to issue you with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support your Student visa application.

You will be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge to cover the duration of your stay in the UK and the visa application fee.

Visitor (up to a maximum of six months) 

You can only come to the UK as a visitor to study if your course is less than six months in length or you are studying a course by distance learning.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can enter the UK for up to six months without needing a visa, including for study purposes at an accredited institution, which includes the University of Reading but you must meet the Visitor requirements.

If you are studying a course by distance learning you can come to the UK as a visitor on occasion for short periods of time, for example to attend an induction, modules/lessons over a week/weekend or sit exams. The majority of the course must be studied from outside of the UK.

You will not be limited to studying one course and you are not required to have a place on a course before you arrive.

You may need to prove that you have enough money to cover all reasonable costs of your visit without working or accessing public funds, including the cost of the return or onward journey. You will be able to use someone else's money to prove this if you have a genuine personal or professional relationship with them (for example, a family member), and they will provide support to you for the duration of your visit.

You should ensure you take out comprehensive travel and health insurance to cover your trip, before travelling. You cannot extend visit immigration permission or switch into a different immigration route from within the UK.

Please see our webpage for further information.

Short-term study (English language courses only between six to 11 months)

This route is or students who are coming to the UK to undertake an English language course that is between 6 and 11 months in duration at an accredited institution, which includes the University of Reading. You will need to apply for and obtain immigration permission under the Short-term study route before you travel to the UK. This will include paying the Immigration Health Surcharge to cover the duration of your stay in the UK and the visa application fee.

You will need to have enough money to cover your fees, living costs, accommodation and the cost of your return or onward journey without working or accessing public funds - you will have to provide evidence as specified in Appendix Finance.

You will only be able to study the course for which you are granted permission and you must leave the UK within 30 days of the end of your course, or at the end of 11 months, whichever comes first.

Please see our webpage for further information.

If you have any questions please email immigration@reading.ac.uk.

EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals who were both resident in the UK before the end of the transition period and hold status under the EU Settlement Scheme or have a pending application with a valid Certificate of Application can continue to use identity cards until at least 31 December 2025.

In all other cases, you will not be able to use your national identity card to enter the UK and will require a valid passport. 

If you hold a valid passport with a biometric chip you can use the automatic ePassport gates to enter the UK if they are available. 

You should check the requirements at the time you want to travel.

Current EU students

Tuition Fees

Available to EU students starting at the University in or before 2020/21 will continue to pay home fees for the duration of their course and be eligible for the UK’s EU settlement scheme if they arrived before the end of this year (31 December 2020). Students who started at the university in the 2020/21 academic year but arrive after 31 December 2020 will also be eligible for home fees but will need to apply for a student visa.

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting undergraduate or postgraduate taught study at university in the 2020/21 academic year will have guaranteed eligibility to pay tuition fees and have access to financial support in the form of a tuition fee loan for the full duration of their course in England on the same basis as a UK student.

Bursaries

Reading Bursary:

Available to EU undergraduate students (who meet the residency criteria) on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course commencing their studies in 2022/23 academic year with a household income of £27,000 or below. Students that started their course prior to the 2018/19 academic year, must have a household income of £25,000 or below to be eligible for this bursary. In order to be considered for this bursary you must ensure that you have been income assessed by your Student Finance Authority and that you and your sponsors (parents) have given consent to share the household income information with the University. Visit these pages for more details on the Reading bursary.

Placement Bursary:

Available to UK and EU undergraduate students (who meet the residency criteria) of all subjects if you started your studies with the University on or before the academic year 2022/23. In order to be considered for this bursary you must ensure that you have been income assessed by your Student Finance Authority and that you and your sponsors (parents) have given consent to share the household income information with the University. Visit these pages for more details on the Reading bursary.

Prospective EU students

Tuition Fees

EU students commencing a new programme of study will pay Overseas fees with effect from the 2021/22 academic year. Students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 may still be entitled to pay Home fees if they have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.

If you would like your fee status to be reviewed by the Admissions Team because you believe you fall under the EU Settlement Scheme criteria, please complete their online fee assessment form as fully as possible. After submitting the online form, you will be contacted by Admissions when your fee status query has been reviewed. 

What you need to do will depend on when you are residing in the UK.

• If you are living in the UK and started a course before the end of 2020, it is important that you read and follow the UK government guidance on healthcare in the UK. 

• If you are arriving in the UK after 1 January 2021 and you have not paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of a visa application, it is highly advisable that you take out comprehensive private health insurance before you travel to the UK.

• If you have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of a visa application and have been granted immigration permission, you will have access to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and will not require private health insurance. However, you will still need to pay for certain types of services (e.g. prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests). You can apply for an IHS reimbursement if you do not work or intend to work in the UK. However, if you get a reimbursement, you will not be able to get as much free healthcare in the UK. You should carefully consider all the guidance before deciding whether to apply for a reimbursement.

For further information on healthcare in the UK please visit our online information.

The Disability Advisory Service (DAS) will continue to support prospective and current disabled students regardless of whether you are an Undergraduate, Postgraduate or an EU or International Student. The Disabled Students’ Allowance is only available to students who are  resident in the UK. If you are ordinarily a resident of another country, please contact DAS about the equivalent support we can offer.

The University has travel insurance cover for all staff and students travelling on University business.

For emergency medical and travel assistance, please contact the medical assistance company Healix in the first instance so that they can advise you on the next steps based on your circumstances.

They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can contact them on +44 (0) 2086 084 100 or by email at rsa@healix.com. You can also download the Healix app.

If you are an EU student currently studying at Reading, please contact our International Student Advisory Team. They may not have all the answers but they will do their best to provide the latest guidance and can direct you to other sources of information if needed.

Email the team at: immigration@reading.ac.uk

If your query is related to Erasmus+, please contact our Erasmus & Study Abroad team as follows:
Email the team at: studyabroad@reading.ac.uk
Call the team on: 0118 378 4566

If you are a prospective student considering studying at the University, please contact our Global Recruitment and Admissions teams by asking us a question online.