Understanding your tuition fee status

Your tuition fee status determines whether you will pay UK tuition fees or International tuition fees for your course.

You will usually pay UK fees if you:

  • are settled in the UK and have ordinarily resided in the UK for at least three years
  • or hold a special category status such as refugee

However, there are many different categories under which applicants may be eligible for UK fee status, and this is not an exhaustive list,
In many cases, we can determine your fee status using the information provided in your application. If we need additional information, we'll contact you and guide you through the next steps.

For independent guidance on fee status regulations, you can also visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website.

Have a question?

If we are not able to make a decision on your fee status based on the information provided in your application, we will send you a request for further information. This will either be a request to provide your share code to us so we can verify your eVisa, or we may send you a fee status questionnaire.

If you are sent a fee status questionnaire, you will need to complete all compulsory sections as well as any other sections relevant to your circumstances. It is important to complete the questionnaire as thoroughly as possible so that the University can make an accurate and quick decision. As well as completing the form, you will need to provide documentary evidence, such as a copy of the photo page of your passport. Please read the guidance notes within the form as to what evidence is acceptable.

Once we have received your reply to our request for further information, this will be assessed by a trained member of our Admissions team in line with the UKCISA guidance. Fee status assessments consider a variety of factors, including nationality, immigration status and ordinary residence. All relevant factors will be taken into account in the University’s decision to determine whether UK or International tuition fees apply.

We aim to review fee status questionnaires within 20 working days, but at peak times of the year this may take longer. In some cases, the regulations are complex and considerable time is required to ensure we make the correct decision. It is important that you complete the questionnaire fully and accurately, and provide any required supporting evidence as indicated in the questionnaire.

If the questionnaire is not completed correctly or the required documentary evidence is missing, we may need to contact you for clarification. This will delay the decision on your fee status and may also affect how quickly we are able to communicate the academic decision on your application.

Once a decision has been taken, if you would like clarification on your fee status or you wish to appeal the decision, the first step is to email the Admissions Office to request feedback. If following this feedback, you are still unhappy with the decision that has been taken, you should follow the University’s appeals and complaints procedure. Please clearly outline in your appeal which UKCISA category you believe you meet and address how you meet all of the criteria in the category.

It is important to raise any query relating to your fee status prior to accepting your offer at the University. We will only consider changes to your tuition fee category after this point if there is a good reason why you were not able to draw relevant circumstances to our attention, or submit relevant evidence, at the time you accepted our offer. This is outlined in the Terms and Conditions of Study. Fee status can only be changed part way through a course for very specific reasons.

For information about when fee status can change once the course has started or about further steps that can be taken if you are not happy with the University’s decision on your fee status, please visit the relevant section of the UKCISA website.

Some aspects of the fee status requirements are open to the interpretation of individual universities and sometimes a decision made by one university will not necessarily correspond to, or have bearing on, a decision of another university. At Loughborough, every assessment is considered independently based on the information and evidence you provide informed by our interpretation of the UKCISA guidelines.

It is rare that fee status will change during your studies, but there are some changes in immigration circumstances (such as obtaining indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship) which may entitle you to UK fee status in the next academic year of study. 

If you begin your studies with us and you believe a change in your immigration circumstances would impact your fee status classification, please email admissions@lboro.ac.uk to confirm under which UKCISA category you believe you now qualify for UK fee status. We will then review whether you would be eligible for reassessment and advise further. Please note that if there is a requirement in the category for three years’ ordinary residence in a relevant area then this must be met prior to the start of the course.

Unfortunately, we are unable to complete individual fee status assessments before you apply. If you would like to understand your likely fee status before applying, we recommend using the guidance available through the UKCISA website.

Not sure how to complete your fee status questionnaire or what evidence to provide? Contact our Admissions team for guidance. We'll be happy to help you understand the process and the information we need.