For EU students starting their course from September 2022, the UK Government confirmed that they will not be eligible to pay the same fees as UK students, nor be eligible for funding from the Student Loans Company (other than certain exceptions detailed on the Student Finance Eligibility site). This means that some EU students may be classified as International students, and the legal advice to the sector has been clear that we cannot continue to charge Home fees to these EU students, as this might be considered to be discriminatory.
However, we recognise that this transition from Home to International fee payer may well be difficult, particularly for undergraduate students paying for three or more years of tuition. At Westminster, we want to support as many undergraduate students as possible through this period of change and for this reason have created the EU Qualifications Welcome Awards scheme.
For students starting their undergraduate course with us in September 2024 at level 3 (Foundation) or level 4 (first year), who are accepted on their programme based solely on an eligible EU qualification, we will award a tuition fee reduction of £4,500 per academic year.
It is important to note that eligibility for this award is not based on nationality – all students who meet the criteria will receive the award, regardless of nationality – and so students undertaking an EU qualification in an international school outside of Europe may also be eligible.
To receive the award, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Classify as International/Overseas for fees purposes
- Commence a course with us in September 2024 at level 3 (Foundation) or level 4 (first year). Students entering at level 5 or level 6 are not eligible
- Enter solely on the basis of an eligible EU qualification. See a list of eligible qualifications. Please note that students entering via a mix of EU and non-EU qualifications would not be eligible
Recipients of the EU Qualifications Welcome Awards are also eligible to hold a second University of Westminster scholarship.
Application process
Students do not need to apply for the EU Qualifications Welcome Awards. We will assess applicants’ eligibility at the confirmation stage when we receive their grades. If you are already an unconditional offer holder, you do not need to inform us at this stage, as we will be reviewing all eligible applications. The revised fee will not be reflected on your offer letter, however, but will show on your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
Read the full terms and conditions. If you have any queries about the scheme, or want to check your likely eligibility, please contact [email protected].