Letter from FCDO/BIOT received 14th March 2024 below

OFFICIAL

Dear all,

The UK Government has changed its rules on financial support for higher and further education for students studying in England. The changes will benefit Chagossians.

Chagossians with British citizenship moving to England will now be entitled to a range of support on arrival, including:

• Home fee status, making it cheaper for Chagossians to attend universities
• Tuition fee support, enabling Chagossians to take out a loan from the Student Loans Company to pay for tuition fees at universities
• Adult Education Budget funding, enabling Chagossians to study a range of adult education courses, including English language courses, for free
• Apprenticeship funding, enabling Chagossians to benefit from the Government’s support for apprenticeships

Prior to the rule changes, Chagossians would have needed to live in the UK for at least 3 years before becoming eligible for support.

The rules around maintenance support to help meet the cost of living while studying at university in England remain unchanged. To be eligible for maintenance support, Chagossians with British citizenship will normally need to have lived in the UK for 3 years before the start of their studies.

The changes will benefit Chagossians from academic year 2024/25 (beginning in September 2024).

The changes are recorded in The Education (Student Fees, Awards and Support) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.

Education is a devolved matter in the UK, so the rules in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland differ.

Guidance on gov.uk for Chagossians will be updated shortly to reflect these changes.

You can find more information about higher education, further education, and apprenticeships on gov.uk

Please share this update with your networks,

Kind regards,

FCDO – Chagossian Policy team

Follow us online: www.gov.uk/fcdo