Update on what we know so far

  • The UK Government has released this statement regarding the implications of the referendum (Webpage)

The key points are as follows:
Current and prospective EU students and staff

  • Our first priority is to reassure current and prospective EU students and staff that their enormous contribution to our universities is extremely highly valued, and that the referendum result does not have any immediate implications for their immigration status, fee status or access to tuition fee loans.

  • As noted by the UK Government, ‘there will be no immediate changes following the EU Referendum, including in the circumstances of British citizens living in the EU, and European citizens living here. This includes those studying or working at UK universities. For students, visitors, businesses and entrepreneurs who are already in the UK or who wish to come here, there will be no immediate change to our visa policies.’

  • The UK’s Students Loan Company issued a statement to reassure EU nationals currently attending English universities who are in receipt of student loans from the SLC, or who intend to begin studying from this autumn, will continue to receive these loans and grants until they finish their course. The following statement has also been published by the Welsh Government to clarify and reassure EU students at Welsh universities, and we are expecting a statement for Scotland shortly. We are continuing to press our Government on eligibility for EU students for loans for 2017/18 onwards.

We would be grateful for your support in communicating these messages to your networks, in particular your students and staff considering study or work in the UK and students and staff studying or working at your member institutions.

UK’s continued participation in EU programmes

  • The referendum result has no immediate effect on UK researchers applying to or participating in Horizon 2020. UK participants can continue to participate in the programme in the usual way and we urge European researchers to treat their UK colleagues as they have before.

  • The referendum result has no immediate effect on beneficiaries of Erasmus+ or those considering applying in 2017. The UK’s future access to the Erasmus+ programme will be determined as a part of wider discussions with the EU. DG Education and Culture has clarified that ‘According to the Treaties which the United Kingdom has ratified, EU law continues to apply to the full to and in the United Kingdom until it is no longer a Member. This therefore also applies to the projects financed through the Erasmus+ programme’.


More information can be found in the following FAQs document: UK Referendum on Membership of the European Union: Questions & Answers  

Again, we would be grateful for your support in communicating these messages to your networks.


04.07.2016