This information explains the conditions you need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the ‘home’ rate (or, in some cases, a middle rate) on courses of higher education (HE) in Scotland. HE courses include HNC and HND courses, undergraduate degrees (for example, BA, BSc, BEd), and postgraduate degrees (for example, MA, MSc, PhD). Check if your course is in higher education (HE) or further education (FE).
- a 'home' fee for those who meet all the conditions of one (or more) categories; or
- a ‘rest of UK’ (‘RUK’) fee – capped at a middle rate roughly equivalent to the 'home' fee charged in England – for students who are considered to be of 'RUK' status. Under some (but not all) categories, students who are not eligible for 'home' fees may instead qualify for this 'RUK' fee and institutions have agreed with the Scottish Government to cap this fee at a middle rate for the foreseeable future; or
- a top-rate ‘overseas' fee for all other students.
Changes to some of these HE category summaries in November 2019: We have updated some of the following categories. This is to reflect confirmation we have recently received from the Scottish Government about which categories offer the possibility of only a ‘home’ fee and which, in its view, also offer the possibility of the ‘RUK’ fee.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be settled in the UK on the relevant date; and
(b) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland because you moved from elsewhere in the UK and Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident wherever you moved from; and
(c) your ordinary residence in Scotland on the relevant date must not be attributable to / connected with any period of residence in Scotland that was wholly/mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education within the immediately preceding three-year period; if it is, then you will not be eligible under this category unless you acquired the right of permanent residence in the UK "as a result of residence for full-time education which has led to" this right; and
(d) you must also have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the full three year period before the relevant date, eg if your course begins in October 2017, the date in (a) above will be 1 August 2018 and you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands from 1 August 2015 to 31 July 2018; and
(e) the main purpose for your residence in the UK and Islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three-year period. However, if you have the right of permanent residence you are excluded from this 'main purpose' test, as long as you were ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately prior to the five-year period of UK residence which led to you obtaining this right.
Eligibility for the 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (b) and/or (c) but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you fail paragraph (b), above, and you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you are settled in the UK or you are the family member of a UK national
Note: If you are the family member of a UK national, the requirement to be settled does not apply to you;
and
(b) you have left the UK and exercised a right of residence elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland but were settled in the UK immediately before leaving
Note: If you are the family member of a UK national then you do not have to have been settled in the UK immediately before that person exercised a right of residence. A right of residence covers those people, and their family members, who are in the EEA and/or Switzerland as workers, self-employed people, students and/or self-sufficient people;
and
(c) you were ordinarily resident in Scotland, immediately before leaving the UK, in a way that was not attributable to, or not connected with, any period of residence in Scotland, that was mainly for receiving full-time education, within the immediately preceding three years; and
(d) you have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three years preceding the relevant date; and
(e) in a case where the ordinary residence referred to in (d) above was wholly/mainly for the purposes of receiving full-time education, you were ordinarily resident in EEA/Switzerland immediately before that three-year period.
No eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. There is no eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) on the relevant date, you must either:
(i) be a non-UK EU national; or
(ii) be a family member joining or accompanying such a non-UK EU national [as in (i) above] in the UK; or
(iii) be a UK national who has exercised a right of residence, at any point in the past, for more than three months in another EEA member state / Switzerland as a:
- worker; or
- self-sufficient person; or
- student; or
- family member of a worker/self-sufficient person/student; or
(iv) be a family member joining or accompanying such a UK national [as in (iii) above] in the UK.
A 'dual national' who has UK nationality and another EU nationality cannot use their non-UK EU nationality to meet paragraph (a)(i) above. Such a UK/EU 'dual national' can only be eligible under this category if they meet the conditions of paragraph (a)(iii) above. For such a UK/EU 'dual national', the exercising of a right of residence can include time spent in the non-UK EU country of which the student is a national;
and
(b) you, or the person that you are a relevant family member of, must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA, Switzerland and/or the EU overseas territories for the three years before the relevant date; and
(c) where eligibility depends on you (the student) being the person who has been ordinarily resident in the residence area for the three years before the relevant date, the main purpose of your residence in that area must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three-year period.
Up until August 2012, a student studying in Scotland and paying the ‘overseas’ fee could potentially become a ‘home’ fee payer from the following academic year if: the country of their nationality joined the European Union (EU); or they were a relevant family member of someone whose country joined the EU; or they acquired citizenship of an EU member state; or they were a relevant family member of someone who acquired citizenship of an EU member state. Since 1 August 2012, only those who are nationals of a country that joins the EU can benefit from this provision.
No eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. There is no eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you are an EU national (but not a UK national), or the family member of such a person, on the relevant date; and
(b) you are ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date; and
(c) you were ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three-year period before the relevant date; and
(d) if your residence described in (c) above was mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA/Switzerland immediately prior to the three-year period of ordinary residence in the UK and Islands.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (b) but meet all other requirements, we understand you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you have the right of permanent residence in the UK under European Community (EC) law on the relevant date; and
(b) you are ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland because you moved from elsewhere in the UK and Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident wherever you moved from; and
(c) your ordinary residence in Scotland on the relevant date is not attributable to, or connected with, any period of residence in Scotland that was mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education within the immediately preceding three-year period; if it is, then you will not be eligible under this category unless you acquired the right of permanent residence in the UK "as a result of residence for full-time education which has led to a right of permanent residence"; and
(d) you were ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three-year period before the date in (a) above; and
(e) the main purpose for your residence in the UK and Islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three-year period unless you qualified for permanent residence due to residence for full-time education and you were ordinarily resident in the EEA/Switzerland immediately prior to the three-year period in (b)
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (b) and/or (c) but meet all other requirements, we understand you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be an non-UK EEA / Swiss national in the UK as a worker, or the family member of such a worker; and
(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three years preceding the relevant date.
Note: If you are the child of an EEA worker who is no longer working or living in the UK, you may still be entitled to pay 'home' fees if you have, at some point, lived in the UK as the child of that person whilst he/she exercised his/her right to reside as a worker (but not a self-employed worker). You should seek advice from your institution, from your Students' Union, or by telephoning our students' advice line, if you would like to explore this option.
No eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. There is no eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be the child of a Swiss national; and
(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the relevant date; and
(c) if the main purpose for your residence in the EEA/Switzerland, as in (b) above, was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately before that three-year period.
Note: There is no requirement that your Swiss parent is, or has been, economically active in the UK.
No eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. There is no eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be the child of a Turkish national; and
(b) your Turkish national parent must be ordinarily resident in Scotland and must be, or have been, lawfully employed in the UK; and
(c) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date; and
(d) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland and/or Turkey for the three years before the date in (c) above.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (c) but meet all other requirements, we understand you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then, or you must be the spouse or civil partner or child of such a person; and
(b) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship
The Immigration Rules revoke someone's Refugee Status once s/he subsequently obtains a new nationality, eg when a refugee gains British citizenship. If you have, or a relevant family member has, Refugee Status and you are, or the person with that status is, considering applying for British (or any other) citizenship, you should be aware that such an application could have an effect on your fees status or your eligibility for Student Support.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you meet (a), but not (b), then we understand that you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee. If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you fail paragraph (b), above, and you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
If you apply for asylum and the Home Office decides that you do not qualify for refugee status but that you should be allowed to stay in the UK it will, for example, grant humanitarian protection, discretionary leave or some other type of immigration leave (immigration permission).
To be eligible for 'home' fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must:
1. have been refused refugee status but granted leave as above and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since the Home Office decision; or
2. be the spouse, civil partner or child of someone who meets the conditions in 1. (above);
and
(b) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you meet (a) but not (b), then you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee. However, we are currently re-checking this with the Scottish Government. If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you fail paragraph (b), above, and you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) be the child of an asylum seeker, or an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child; and
(b) be living in Scotland on the relevant date; and
(c) have been living in Scotland for the three-year period immediately before the date in (b); and
(d) have been under 18 years old on the date when you or your parent applied for asylum, and that application must have been made before 1 December 2006; and
(e) be under 25 years old on the date in (b).
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee?
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. We will continue to seek clarity from the Scottish Government as to whether there is eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
If you are studying in the UK on the basis of a formal student exchange between your institution in your own country and your UK place of study, you will not normally have to pay fees. If you do have to pay fees, these will be at the ‘home’ rate.
No eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the ‘home’ fee. There is no eligibility for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be a person who has been granted temporary protection; and
(b) you must be younger than 18 years old prior to the first day of the current academic year for which you are being assessed; and
(c) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date (and not wholly because you moved from elsewhere in the UK and Islands to undertake this course); and
(d) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since you were first granted temporary protection.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (c), but you meet all other requirements, we understand you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be an Iraqi national who has been granted indefinite leave to enter the UK, under the Locally Engaged Staff Assistance Scheme (Direct Entry) operated by the Home Department, or the spouse, civil partner or child of such a person; and
(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since you were first granted such indefinite leave to enter; and
(c) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date. If you are not an Iraqi national yourself, but are the spouse, civil partner or child of such a person, then that Iraqi national must also be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (c), but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
The 'home' rate fee is not available under this category. However, we have previously understood that you will be eligible for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee, if you meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be a British Overseas Territories national, or the family member of such a national; and
(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in either the UK or any of the British Overseas Territories throughout the 3 year period prior to the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee?
We will continue to seek confirmation from the Scottish Government as to whether it is possible to be eligible for the middle rate / 'RUK' fee under this category.
This category is only for students commencing an academic year on/after 1 August 2016.
In order to qualify for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be a Syrian national who:
1. has been granted humanitarian protection (HP) to enter the UK under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme; and
2. has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since first being granted that HP to enter the UK; and
3. is ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date;
or
(b) you must be:
1. the spouse / civil partner, or child, of a person in (a); and
2. ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (a)(3) or (b)(2) but meet all other requirements, we understand you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. If you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
This category is only for students commencing an academic year on/after 1 August 2017.
To be eligible for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be:
1. under the age of 18 and have lived in the UK throughout the seven-year period preceding the relevant date; or
2. aged 18 years old-or-above and, preceding the relevant date, have lived in the UK throughout either half your life or a period of twenty years.
and
(b) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland because you moved from elsewhere in the UK and Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident wherever you moved from; and
(c) your ordinary residence in Scotland on the relevant date must not be attributable to / connected with any period of residence in Scotland that was wholly/mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education within the immediately preceding three-year period; if it is, then you will not be eligible under this category unless you acquired the right of permanent residence in the UK "as a result of residence for full-time education which has led to" this right; and
(d) you must also have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the full three year period before the relevant date, eg if your course begins in October 2017, the date in (a) above will be 1 August 2017 and you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands from 1 August 2014 to 31 July 2017; and
(e) the main purpose for your residence in the UK and Islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three-year period. However, if you have the right of permanent residence you are excluded from this 'main purpose' test, as long as you were ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately prior to the five-year period of UK residence which led to you obtaining this right.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (b) and/or (c) but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you fail paragraph (b), above, and you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
This category is only for students commencing an academic year on/after 1 August 2018.
In order to qualify for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be an Afghan national who:
1. has been granted limited leave to remain in the UK under the Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme [that is, a Home Office Scheme for people made redundant as a direct consequence of the UK’s reduction of military presence in Afghanistan]; and
2. has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since first being granted that leave; and
3. is ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date;
or
(b) you must be:
1. the spouse / civil partner, or child, of a person in (a); and
2. ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (a)(3) or (b)(2), but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate (RUK) fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
This category is only for students commencing an academic year on/after 1 August 2018.
In order to qualify for ‘home’ fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be a person who:
1. has been granted limited leave to remain in the UK as a stateless person under the immigration rules; and
2. has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since first being granted that leave; and
3. is ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date;
or
(b) you must be:
1. the spouse / civil partner, or child, of a person in (a); and
2. ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (a)(3) or (b)(2), but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
This category came into effect on 6 April 2019
In order to qualify for 'home' fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:
(a) you must be a person who has been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK due to being identified as a victim of modern slavery; and
(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands at all times since first being granted that discretionary leave; and
(c) you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the relevant date
For the purposes of this category, 'modern slavery' includes human trafficking, slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.
Eligibility for 'RUK' fee
If you meet all the conditions of this category, you will be eligible for the 'home' fee. If you fail to meet (c), but meet all other requirements, you will be eligible for the middle rate ('RUK') fee, provided that you are ordinarily resident in the UK on the relevant date. However, if you are ordinarily resident in Scotland having moved from the Islands to undertake a course, then you are considered to be ordinarily resident in the Islands.
Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you you will be treated as being ordinarily resident in the Islands, check with your institution about what fee rate they will charge you (they might have a special 'Islands' rate).
