Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Government's decision to remove home student status from Cypriot students will not deter Cypriots from attending university and further education in the UK.

International students make a vital contribution to UK universities. Our institutions thrive on being global institutions and will always be open to international students – this includes the thousands of highly valued Cypriot students, as well as EU students, who study at UK universities each year.

The government will also be implementing the new graduate route in summer 2021 to support providers in attracting overseas students. This will allow international students in the UK who are on a Tier 4 visa at the time it is introduced the options to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for 2 years.

EU citizens and their family members who start courses in England in the 2020/21 academic year or before will remain eligible for undergraduate and postgraduate financial support or an Advanced Learner Loan from Student Finance England as well as further education funding for students aged 19 and over for the full duration of their course provided that they meet the residency requirements.