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Student visas for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals

Guidance on applying for your student visa

If you were in the UK before 31 December 2020

If you want to stay in the UK after 31 December 2020, you would need to have applied for permission to stay under the  (EUSS).

The deadline for applying was 30 June 2021.

Studying in the UK after 1 January 2021

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen you will need to apply for a student visa under the .

You will need to apply and receive your Student Route visa before arriving in the UK.

You cannot switch to the Student Route visa in the UK if you have entered as a Standard Visitor. You must apply in your home country.

If your CAS has now expired please contact the International Student Advice team.

Visit our Student Visas page for more information about the Student Route. Further information about the new Student Route can also be found on the .

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) Reimbursement eligibility

EU, Icelandic, Liechtensteiner, Norwegian and Swiss full-time students studying in the UK can apply for a reimbursement of the IHS fee.

You may be entitled to a full or partial reimbursement of your IHS payment if you meet all of the following criteria:

  • full-time student in UK higher education
  • your visa started on or after 1 January 2021
  • you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland
  • you do not work or do not intend to work in the UK

You will need to consider whether you intend to work in the UK before deciding to apply for the IHS reimbursement.

This is because if you work in the UK, your EHIC will no longer be valid as your home country will no longer be responsible for your healthcare while you are in the UK.

You cannot repay the reimbursement if you change your mind or if your circumstances change.

If you get an IHS reimbursement you can only use your EHIC to access ‘medically necessary treatment’ during your stay.

Medically necessary treatment means healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return home, such as:

  • emergency treatment and visits to A&E
  • treatment for a long-term or pre-existing medical condition
  • routine medical care for pre-existing conditions that need monitoring

We recommend that you buy insurance to cover any healthcare requirements not covered by your EHIC.

More information about eligibility and the application process can be found on the .

If you have been granted Settled or Pre-settled status (EUSS)

You do not need to apply for a Student Route visa if you have applied for, and been granted, Settled or Pre-settled status.

Further information about the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) can be found on the .

If you are coming to the UK for an Exchange or Study Abroad course

You'll need one of two visas, depending on the length of your exchange or study abroad.

Visa information for exchange and study abroad

Contact us for more information

If you have any queries, please contact the International Student Advice team by emailing student-visa@port.ac.uk.