Definitions for determining tuition fee status

If you qualify for home fee status this means that you can be charged home fees. It is important to be aware that many fee status categories require you to meet the conditions at the start of your course, and as such while fee status can be reconsidered during your course, only very few categories allow a fee status once set, to be changed after the start of the course.

There are number of qualifying categories. You will need to meet all the criteria in any one of the categories to be eligible. A comprehensive overview is provided within UKCISA’s guide to home fees. We have covered the main category below.

You may find that you meet more than one category, if you do, seek advice from the UWE Bristol Student Money Service or UKCISA to find out which category best suits your circumstances and offers you the most support.

Three years in UK and islands, settled in UK

This is the category that most home UK students will meet. To qualify under this category, you must, on the first day of the academic year in which the course starts (1 September for courses starting in the autumn and 1 January for those starting in the spring):

• have 'settled status' in the UK. 'Settled status' meaning to have no restriction on your length of stay in the UK. To be settled you must either be a British Citizen, Republic of Ireland Citizen, have the 'Right of Abode' or Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain in the UK. 

and

• be 'ordinarily resident' in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course.  

and

• have been 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man for three preceding years, but not wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving full-time education.

Other ways to be allocated home fee status

In addition to the above category, there are other ways that you can be allocated home fee status, as explained on the UKCISA website. This is a very complex area. Contact the UWE Bristol Student Money Service or UKCISA for advice.

If you applied for a place at UWE Bristol while you were living abroad please seek advice from the UWE Bristol Student Money Service.

If you are a continuing EU student and started your course before academic year 21/22, you will remain under the current rules for the length of your course. If you undertake a new course, or a change occurs during your studies that breaks this link such as changing your mode of attendance, you will then be assessed under the new rules. Do seek advice from the Student Money Service if this applies to you.

While many of the EU categories changed from 2021/22, if you are an EU, other EEA or Swiss national, or a family member who is covered by the Withdrawal Agreements (for example hold settled or pre-settled status) and meet the residency requirements, you will continue to have access to apply for home fee status and student financial support.

For advice on eligibility under the EU Settlement Scheme please contact the UWE Bristol Student Money Service.

If you are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreements, and cannot meet the residency requirements, please refer to our international student information.

If you are unsure about eligibility for home fees and funding please contact the Student Money Service.

From the 2024/25 academic year continuing students who are granted settled status in the UK may become eligible for Home UK Fees and UK government funding from the following academic year. Additional requirements also need to be met. Further detail can be found in the UKCISA guide. Please contact the UWE Bristol Student Money Service for advice and to request a fee status reassessment.

If you qualify for home fees and student finance, and already hold a higher education qualification, you may not be eligible for any further funding. Please refer to our fees and funding information for students who already hold a higher education (HE) qualification.

Offshore students are those who meet the 'ordinarily resident' criteria in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Relocation to the UK mainland solely for the purpose of study is not sufficient to change the classification of 'offshore student'.

Students who do not satisfy any of the above are classed as international students. This list is not exhaustive and this is a complex area.

If you think your fee status is incorrect and you should be assessed as a home (UK) student, please email international@uwe.ac.uk straight after you hear of this fee status assessment.

A fee status questionnaire will be sent to you via your welcome website once you have submitted an application, and this will be used to determine your fee status. You may be asked for further evidence.

Supporting evidence could include:

• relevant endorsements in your passport relating to your immigration status
• date of arrival in the EU or the UK
• permitted length of stay (please ensure that you send a photocopy of the relevant page of your passport and in addition, the pages containing your personal details)
• documents issued by the Home Office relating to your immigration status/details and places of residence over the past ten years
• address details for the past three years
• immigration status share code.

It is important that you provide as much information as possible to enable us to make a correct fee assessment.