If you are a UK expat living in Australia, and you have children approaching university age, a high-quality education for them is likely to be at the forefront of your mind.
But, as you may already be aware, the costs of studying at a UK university can often be prohibitive.
In this special guest article, Sam Goodwin from UK Study Options explains some of the important things you need to consider around UK university fee status and how they could affect you.
Funding your child’s university education
The UK draws students from all around the world who aspire to be accepted by its many well-known and prestigious universities.
But studying in the UK comes at a large financial cost, as you will need to cover tuition fees, living expenses, accommodation, and travel costs.
It is never too early to start planning the saving and preparation you will need to undertake for a university education for your children.
Some advance planning is always a good idea. By starting to save when your child is young, the power of compounding and long-term investment growth can really help drive your wealth.
Overseas students can pay a premium to attend university in the UK
There are two levels of tuition fees at public universities in the UK, dependent on whether you are seen as a UK-based or overseas student.
“Home fees” are capped at a fixed amount no matter the course your child applies for or university they attend.
As of July 2024, home students pay tuition fees of between £1,820 and £9,250 a year, depending on which UK nation their university is located in. Most students can apply for a government-provided tuition fee loan that covers the cost of this and is paid directly to the university.
However, overseas students can pay anything from £12,000 to £67,000 each year, subject to the course and university to which they apply.
Unlike home fees, there is no cap on the tuition fees that can be charged for overseas students, and these are decided by each university.
This means that, for a six-year medical degree in England, for example, an overseas fee-paying student could be facing tuition fees of £402,000 without the help of a student loan from the government.
Confirming your child’s fee status
Because each of the four UK nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) have a different set of fee status rules, working out the level of fees your child will be liable for can be complicated.
The rules are complex and discretionary in their nature and, to add another layer of complexity, as an expat family you will often find yourself on the borderline between home and overseas. Moreover, each university could view your case differently.
Because of the autonomy that universities have been given, it is common that applicants could be classed as a home fee-payer at one university but an overseas fee-payer at another university, even in the same UK nation.
Understanding the requirements for home fees as an expat in Australia
Because of the complexity, it’s important to check the specific requirements that will be applicable to your child’s application rather than rely on the experience of friends or family members or make an assumption about your eligibility.
For UK expatriate applicants, you will generally have to demonstrate how you have an “ordinary residence” in the UK or Ireland for the three-year period prior to starting university.
As a parent of a child looking to attend university in the UK you should be aware that universities will ask you for many details of your life including:
- Your home address in the UK
- Details of your nationality and dual nationalities
- Your regular travel patterns
- Your employment details.
They will be looking to see that you have a regular and habitual life at your UK home or that you’re only temporarily absent from the UK to take up employment abroad.
There is legal precedent that means you can have ordinary residence at two places at once. For British expats who have lived in Australia for many years, and maybe taken out dual citizenship, this means you could still have the opportunity to demonstrate eligibility for home status.
You will however need to prepare and plan for this well in advance of the university application.
We can help you manage your university application process
UK Study Options are experts in UK university fee structures and status requirements and provide personalised advice to expat families helping them to achieve home fee status.
Our service gives you comprehensive advice and support from the moment you engage with us until your child starts university.
This includes support with any university fee status queries during the application cycle. If you have any questions or need more information regarding the services we offer, you can email us at hello@ukstudyoptions.com or call us on +44 (0)208 1871865.
Get in touch
bdhSterling and UK Study Options will shortly be teaming up to deliver a live webinar on UK university fee status for expat families.
You can sign up for this here – Webinar Registration – Zoom.
If you want to discuss any of the issues you’ve read about in this article, please get in touch with us.
Please note
This is a guest article, provided by UK Study Options. bdhSterling are not affiliated with UK Study Options and are purely providing this article out of interest for our clients. The article is for information only. Please do not solely rely on anything you have read in this article and ensure that you conduct your own research to ensure any actions you may take are suitable for your circumstances.
