How to apply for finance - EU students
EU students with ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’ status under the EU Settlement Scheme studying in Northern Ireland can apply for financial help towards tuition fees by sending an application form to the Student Finance Services European team. RoI nationals are not required to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Applying for financial help
If you are an EU student applying for financial help in Northern Ireland, England, or Wales, you need to:
- complete the relevant application form for your type of course and year of study (there are guidance notes to help you complete each form)
- send the completed form to the Student Finance Services European team by the relevant deadline
Application forms for new students
New full-time students who apply for their course through UCAS by July will be sent an application form for student finance automatically.
Application forms for continuing students
You will need to complete an application form for every year of your course. If you have applied for student finance before, you should also automatically be sent an application form. This will be sent to your home address in your EU country of origin, not your UK address while you study.
If you haven’t applied for student finance before, you will need to fill in the form for new full-time students.
Where to send the form
Once you've completed the form, post it to the Student Finance Services European team. You also need to post any relevant documents (the guidance notes in your application pack will tell you what you must send). If you don't send the documents you are asked to, this could delay your application.
New or continuing EU students in academic year 2021-2022
If you’re currently in higher education, or starting in the 2021-2022 academic year, and assessed as eligible to receive loans and grants from Student Finance NI, you’ll continue to do so until you finish your course.
This applies to all student finance from Student Finance NI for students in Northern Ireland for which EU nationals are eligible, including:
- grants and loans to cover tuition fees (for those resident in the EEA for three years)
- loans and grants for maintenance (limited to those resident in the UK for at least three years)
- some other grants and allowances
For more information about the support available, contact your university’s student finance office or Student Finance European Services Team.
What happens to your application
Once the Student Finance Services European team has received your form:
- they will send you a letter to confirm they've received it
- they will work out if you are eligible to receive financial help, and if so how much
- if they need any further information from you, they will write to you and ask for it
- they will write and tell you how much you are entitled to
- they will arrange for the money to be paid directly to your college or university
Deadlines
You must send in your application form by the relevant deadline.
Apply no later than nine months after the first date of the academic year relevant to your course.
Information about academic year
Academic years begin in the autumn, winter, spring and summer, and last for 12 months. The first day of the academic year is not necessarily the day on which you begin that year of your course. It is decided by the period during which your year begins.
The academic year starts on:
- 1 September, if your study begins between 1 August and 31 December inclusive
- 1 January, if your study begins between 1 January and 31 March inclusive
- 1 April, if your study begins between 1 April and 30 June inclusive
- 1 July
If your circumstances change
If your personal circumstances change as a part-time or full-time student, for example there is a change to your:
- address
- marital status
- parents' marital status
you should email or write to the Student Finance Services European Team. If you change, suspend or leave your course, the Student Finance Services European team will need confirmation from your university or college.