Home Fee Status UK 2026: The Complete Guide
A practical guide to residence routes, university fee decisions, Student Finance England, Settled and Pre-Settled Status and the January 2027 LLE transition.
England, standard full-time course, 2026–27
Subject to eligibility, living arrangements and household income
For most eligible courses and modules starting from this date
Short answer
Home fee status is a fee classification decided by your higher-education provider. In England, the standard full-time tuition-fee cap is up to £9,790 for 2026–27, but Student Finance England makes a separate decision about loans and eligibility.
Short answer
Home fee status determines whether a university or college charges you the regulated home rate or its international rate. For a standard eligible full-time undergraduate course in England, the maximum home tuition fee is £9,790 in 2026–27.
That does not automatically mean you will receive student finance. Your provider makes the fee-status decision, while Student Finance England separately assesses whether you qualify for a Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Loan or other support.
Key takeaways
The general settled-person route normally requires qualifying status and three years of ordinary residence in the relevant area before the first day of the first academic year.
Protected EU Settlement Scheme routes can use different residence areas and evidence rules. Settled and Pre-Settled Status must not be treated as interchangeable.
A home-fee decision does not automatically give you Student Finance England support. The two decisions use related but separate rules.
The 2026–27 maximum Maintenance Loan is £9,118 living with parents, £10,830 outside London or £14,135 in London.
Most eligible courses and modules starting from 1 January 2027 move into the Lifelong Learning Entitlement system.
What home fee status means
Your university or college decides whether you are charged home or overseas fees. Providers apply the relevant regulations and may ask for evidence through a fee-status questionnaire or reassessment process.
International fees are set by each provider and course. There is no single national overseas fee. Home fees for standard full-time undergraduate courses in England are capped by government at £9,790 for 2026–27.
Student Finance England makes a separate decision about public support. It considers nationality or immigration category, residence, course, provider, age and previous study. The House of Commons Library confirms that a student may be classified as home by a provider but still be unable to access Student Finance England support.
Home fee status and Student Finance England eligibility are related but separate decisions. One does not automatically guarantee the other.
Who may qualify?
The general settled-person route normally involves three gateways:
- 1Qualifying status
You have a qualifying status, such as British or Irish citizenship, indefinite leave to remain or Settled Status.
- 2Ordinary residence
You normally and lawfully live in the relevant area by choice, rather than only being there for a temporary purpose.
- 3The three-year period
You have normally lived in the relevant area for the three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course.
The official first day of the academic year depends on the course start date:
- 1 September for courses starting from 1 August to 31 December;
- 1 January for courses starting from 1 January to 31 March;
- 1 April for courses starting from 1 April to 30 June;
- 1 July for courses starting from 1 July to 31 July.
Check the Student Loans Company guidance on academic years before calculating your residence period.
Protected Withdrawal Agreement and EU Settlement Scheme routes can count specified residence in the UK, Gibraltar, the EEA or Switzerland. A residence timeline alone does not decide the outcome. The protected route, relevant dates, ordinary-residence facts and funding category must all be established.
Settled and Pre-Settled Status
Settled Status can place an applicant within a settled-person category, subject to the residence, course and other conditions. Pre-Settled Status is limited leave and is assessed through separate protected categories.
A qualifying Pre-Settled route may support home fees and tuition-fee support. Maintenance support usually requires a qualifying full-support category, such as an eligible EEA or Swiss worker, self-employed person or family-member route. Status alone does not guarantee the outcome.
Some protected routes include course-start or residence cut-offs, but 1 January 2028 is not a universal deadline for every Settled or Pre-Settled applicant. Check the current official eligibility rules for the exact route.
Special categories
Refugee, humanitarian-protection, stateless-leave, Calais-leave, domestic-violence ILR, Afghanistan and Ukraine routes have category-specific tests. Do not apply the standard three-year rule without checking the exact category and the residence period that applies after the relevant leave or status was granted.
Start with the official Student Finance England eligibility guidance. The regulations are complex, and the provider and Student Finance England can ask for different evidence because they make separate decisions.
2026–27 fees and loans
| Support | 2026–27 position |
|---|---|
| Standard full-time Tuition Fee Loan | Up to £9,790Paid directly to the provider |
| Maintenance, living with parents | Up to £9,118 |
| Maintenance, outside London | Up to £10,830 |
| Maintenance, in London | Up to £14,135 |
These are maximum loan figures, not grants or guaranteed awards. The actual Maintenance Loan depends on eligibility, household income, living arrangements, course details and other circumstances. See the official 2026–27 student finance rates.
Repayment
For Plan 5, the repayment threshold for the 2026–27 tax year is £25,000. Repayments are normally 9% of gross income above the applicable threshold. A remaining balance is normally written off 40 years after the April when repayment first became due.
The current published Plan 5 interest rate is 3.2% until 31 August 2026. Plan 5 interest is normally based on the previous March’s Retail Price Index and is set each September. March 2026 RPI was 4.1%, but the official rate from 1 September 2026 had not yet been formally announced at this publication date. Check the live repayment page and the annual Department for Education or Student Loans Company announcement before financial planning.
The interest rate affects the balance and how long repayment may take. It does not change the standard 9% payroll deduction calculation.
The January 2027 LLE change
For most eligible courses and modules starting on or after 1 January 2027, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement replaces the previous funding structure. Current official guidance says applications will open from September 2026.
A new eligible learner may apply for Tuition Fee Loans up to a total of £39,160 at 2026–27 rates. This represents around four years of full-time study or 480 credits, but it is a monetary loan entitlement, not a guaranteed separate credit wallet. Previous government-funded tuition support will usually reduce the remaining amount.
LLE borrowing uses Plan 5 repayment rules. Read the full Ready Study Global LLE guide and check the current GOV.UK LLE guidance.
How to check your position
- 01
Identify your nationality or immigration status and the exact eligibility route you rely on.
- 02
Map your residence history against the relevant first academic-year date.
- 03
Collect status, address, work, family-member and study-history evidence where relevant.
- 04
Ask the provider to assess fee status and Student Finance England to assess funding separately.
- 05
Keep the written decision and ask for the provider’s reassessment or appeal route if important evidence was missed.
- 06
Use RSG’s university application guidance if you need help organising your application and next questions.
Citable summaryHome fee status and Student Finance England are related but separate decisions. A provider decides whether you are charged home or overseas fees, while Student Finance England applies its own rules for nationality or immigration status, residence, course, provider, age and previous study. Settled Status, Pre-Settled Status and other protected routes must be assessed on their exact facts.
Frequently asked questions
Is home fee status the same as Student Finance England eligibility?
No. Your university or college decides fee status. Student Finance England separately decides whether you qualify for tuition, maintenance or other support.
Is the £9,790 tuition figure a grant?
No. It is the 2026–27 standard full-time Tuition Fee Loan limit for eligible courses and providers in England. A Tuition Fee Loan is repayable.
Can Pre-Settled Status include residence outside the UK?
Some protected routes can count specified residence in Gibraltar, the EEA or Switzerland. The exact route, dates and evidence still need to be checked.
Can I get a Maintenance Loan with Pre-Settled Status?
Possibly, but not from status alone. A qualifying full-support category, such as an eligible worker or family-member route, may be required.
Does the three-year residence rule apply to every applicant?
No. It is a common rule under the general settled-person route, but protected and special categories have different tests.
Can Ready Study Global guarantee my fee or funding decision?
No. The provider and Student Finance England make the decisions. Ready Study Global can provide general university application guidance.
What changes for courses starting from January 2027?
Most eligible courses and modules starting on or after 1 January 2027 move to the Lifelong Learning Entitlement system. Applications are due to open from September 2026.
Primary sources
- GOV.UKNew full-time student finance for 2026–27
- GOV.UKStudent finance eligibility
- Department for EducationEligibility rules for protected routes
- GOV.UKPlan 5 repayments and current interest
- GOV.UKLifelong Learning Entitlement overview
- House of Commons LibraryHome fee status and student support in England
- Student Loans CompanyUnderstanding academic years
- Student Loans CompanyHow Plan 5 interest is calculated
Editorial note
Primary sources and volatile 2026–27 figures were rechecked on 28 July 2026. Review early if the Department for Education, Student Loans Company or fee-status regulations change.
Need help preparing your application?
Ready Study Global can help you compare suitable courses and organise a direct university application. The provider and Student Finance England still make the fee-status, admission and funding decisions.
Ready Study Global does not charge students a consultancy fee for university application guidance. University tuition, deposits, visa fees, tests, accommodation and other provider or third-party costs remain payable.
Important: This article provides general information about England. Ready Study Global does not provide legal, immigration or regulated financial advice. Admissions, fee-status and student-finance decisions are made by the relevant institutions and public authorities. Rules and individual outcomes can change, so check the live official guidance before acting.
Ready Study Global Editorial Team
Ready Study Global is a UK-registered education consultancy supporting students with university and course applications. Our editorial process prioritises current official sources and clear separation between general guidance and formal eligibility decisions.
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