Publicly funded universities usually group the fee status of their students by two categories: ‘home’ and ‘overseas/international’.
Fee status: Home
Normally, home students are required to be both a national and a resident (for a minimum of three consecutive years) of the European Economic Area countries. This includes all European Union countries and the UK. Swiss nationals and children of Turkish workers may also be eligible for home status, subject to fulfilling certain criteria. There are other criteria for an applicant to be considered a home student, and applicants should refer to the full criteria on UKCISA to determine their fee status.
EU students starting degrees in the academic year 2020-2021 will continue to be eligible for the same fees as ‘Home’ students. However, following the EU exit the criteria for home student status will change and EU students will not be eligible for home student status. EU students applying for entry from August 2021 will also not qualify for tuition fee loans from Student Finance England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet made announcements for the academic year 2021-22, but we will update this page when they do.
You should note that the fees for home students differ between universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, therefore specific fees should be checked with the universities you are interested in applying to.
Fee status: International
Students who do not meet the ‘Home’ criteria will be considered international students and pay international fees. These vary between veterinary schools but can be found on each individual university website. You should ensure that you are able to cover the cost of your tuition before beginning a degree programme.
Tuition fee and maintenance loans (Home students only)
UK applicants can usually apply for government tuition fee loans and means-tested maintenance loans through Student Finance. UK graduates applying for a second degree or a graduate accelerated entry course will not be eligible for tuition fee loans, though they may qualify for maintenance loans. It is best to apply for student finance as soon as you have made your UCAS application.
For more information, refer to the following organisations according to where you currently live:
- Student Finance England
- Student Awards Agency Scotland
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
EU Students commencing study in the academic year 2020-2021 will still be able to apply for loans to cover their tuition fees throughout their degree. Those EU students applying for entry in 2021 will not be eligible for tuition fee or maintenance loans.
Students from the Islands are subject to different funding arrangements to mainland UK students. For information on support available to you for tuition fees and living costs you should contact your island education offices.
International students do not qualify for any UK government financial support.
The Department for Education and Employment have advised that the official educational guidelines on financing a second undergraduate degree are that “previous attendance on a full-time higher education course at a publicly funded institution in the United Kingdom will usually mean that a student is not eligible for support for fees for another course. Previous attendance at a non-publicly funded institution will also usually debar them, if any support from public funds toward their fees was available to them.”
Currently government regulations mean that UK students are entitled to claim a means tested Maintenance Loan to help with the costs associated with course related and living costs if studying Veterinary Medicine as a second degree provided they satisfy the eligibility criteria. This is applied for in the normal way via GOV.UK page on Student Finance
Scholarships and bursaries
Universities may also offer their own bursaries or scholarships. It is best to research what is available on the websites of the medical schools in which you are interested.
Other means-tested government grants may be available for eligible UK students:
It can be difficult for international students to access financial support as this is often very limited. You should always check the fee levels at a university before accepting a place. You should check with your university if you are eligible for any bursaries. The British Council may be able to offer you funding and guidance can also be sought from the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA). Commonwealth citizens may be able to apply for grants from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
