Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's planned timetable is for issuing guidance to dependents of BN(O) visa holders who plan to start university in 2026 on whether they will be eligible for home fee status.

The creation of a bespoke immigration route for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (BN(O)), which is a pathway to settlement, reflects the unique and unprecedented circumstances in Hong Kong and the UK’s historic and moral commitment to BN(O) citizens. Subject to meeting the normal eligibility requirements, Hong Kong BN(O) status holders will be able to qualify for student finance and home fee status once they have acquired settled status in the UK. There are no plans to amend the eligibility requirements for these persons given that they are in line with those that apply to most other persons on routes to settlement.

The Student Loans Company publishes guidance about the eligibility requirements for accessing student finance.

The department has not made an estimate of the number of BN(O) visa holders or their dependents who are excluded from home fee status.