EU/ EEA/Swiss Migrant Workers.
If you’re a migrant worker or you’re the family member of one, you could be eligible for tuition fee and living cost funding if you can provide evidence of continued employment in the UK.
To be eligible you must be:
- an EEA or Swiss national, and have lived in the EEA or Switzerland for at least 3 years before the start of your course
- living in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course – this means before 1st September for a course that starts in September, and before 1st January for a course that starts in January, rather than your actual start date.
- working or self-employed in the UK
- working enough to reasonably support yourself throughout your studies
The work you are undertaking does not have to be full-time, but it must not be of an ancillary nature, i.e. if it was not for your place on your course, you would not be undertaking the work. For example, a work placement which is part of your university course or work as a student ambassador or as student staff within the SU shop or bar.
Furthermore, the work must not be deemed to be ‘marginal’. This means you must be working and earning enough to cover your costs without a maintenance loan.
If you are awarded migrant worker status it will not automatically last for the duration of your course. You will be required to provide evidence, such as payslips at regular intervals to confirm that you still meet the eligibility criteria.
You can find out more about applying as a migrant worker at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/migrant-worker-evidence-for-student-finance-england
If you have any questions or need further guidance on eligibility for migrant worker status, please get in touch with SU Advice.
Last updated: April 2025
Last updated: February 2024