Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the policy rationale is for granting home fee status to students arriving under the Ukraine visa schemes, and whether she has considered extending equivalent fee status to students from Gaza.

To qualify for automatic home fee status in England, a person must generally be settled and have three years ordinary residence in the UK and islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course. There are some exceptions to this for persons granted international protection or under dedicated resettlement routes, such as Ukraine.

The UK government is committed to supporting students from Gaza with fully funded scholarships to take up places at UK universities where they have been unable to travel due to the conflict. Support is targeted at students holding fully funded and verifiable scholarships, including Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded Chevening Scholarships, ensuring that tuition fees and living costs are met by eligible financial sponsors in line with the immigration rules. Students also undergo the necessary visa processes, including biometric and security checks, prior to travel.