Important information about EU Settlement scheme for EEA nationals

Are you a national of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with Pre-Settled status in the UK? You should apply for Settled Status as soon as possible and here is why….

If you have Settled Status, you can get full funding, including Maintenance Loan, from Student Finance England.

Nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with Pre-Settled Status (PSS) can get a Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance England (SFE). Some EU nationals with PSS can already get Maintenance Loans and supplementary grants from SFE, if they are classed as Migrant Workers – although this requires a continual commitment to working and evidence is regularly required by SFE.

However, did you know that once you have Settled Status in the UK, assuming the usual considerations are met, undergraduates can get Maintenance Loans and supplementary grants, without needing to meet the conditions for migrant working? Postgraduate students may also be able to get Master’s Loans and Doctoral Loans to help with the costs of their study.

The award of living expenses loans by SFE is usually defined by your status at the start of your course. However, moving from Pre-Settled to Settled Status is classed as an “event” by SFE that can trigger a change in your eligibility mid-course.

This means you will be able to get full SFE funding from the start of the academic year if Settled Status is granted before or within the first 3 months of that academic year. Otherwise, you would be eligible for the funding from the next instalment of funding, which is usually the start of the next term.

Once you have Settled status you should complete a form PN1 to apply for full funding. You can find the PN1 form for this academic year 2022 – 2023 here.

When do I qualify for Settled status?

You are eligible for Settled Status when you have been continuously resident in the UK for 5 years. (although there can be breaks outside of the UK – see here for more information)

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOUR PRE-SETTLED STATUS EXPIRES TO APPLY FOR SETTLED STATUS.

You will have to prove your residency as part of your application. Please see here for information about ways to prove your residency.

Once you can prove you can meet the residency requirement you should make your free application to switch your status from here.

There are other benefits to applying for Settled Status as soon as you can, for example:

• There is no limit to the amount of time you can stay in the UK.
• You can spend up to 5 years outside of the UK and still retain your Settled Status in the UK (it is 2 years for Pre-settled Status)
• Any children born to you in the UK will automatically be British Citizens.

If you need further advice or help with applying for Settled Status, or if you are unsure whether you are eligible for Settled Status,  please contact the International Advice team by email: brexit@brighton.ac.uk

If you want to discuss your eligibility for Student Finance England funding, please contact us by phone: 01273 642888.

Student Advice