Definitions for determining tuition fee status

Qualifying for home fee status means that you can be charged the home fee rate of tuition fee. It is important to be aware that many fee status categories require you to meet the criteria 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 this point.

There are number of qualifying categories outlined within UKCISA’s guide to home fees. You will need to meet all the criteria in any one of the categories to be eligible.

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.

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 an EU student and started your course before academic year 21/22, you will remain under the rules that were in place when you started, for the duration 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 UWE Bristol Student Money Service if this applies to you.

If you are an EU, other EEA or Swiss national, or a family member who is covered by the Withdrawal Agreements (holding settled or pre-settled status) and meet the residency requirements, you will have access to apply for home fee status and student financial support.

For advice on eligibility under the EU Settlement Scheme please contact a UWE Bristol immigration adviser.

If you are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreements and cannot meet the residency requirements, you are likely to be charged 'overseas' fees. Please refer to our international student information.

If you are unsure about eligibility or have questions about your fee status, please contact the Student Money Service.

The Government have announced that from the 2024/25 academic year continuing students who are granted settled status in the UK may become eligible to be assessed for home fees. Additional requirements will also need to be met. Further detail can be found within 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 the criteria to be assessed for 'Home' fee status, will be classed as 'Overseas'.

If you think your fee status is incorrect, please email international@uwe.ac.uk immediately after you receive your 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.