Student Finance Eligibility

Bermudian students may be eligible for Tuition Fee Loans in England if they meet the relevant eligibility criteria. To qualify, students must:

• Hold a valid UK passport.
• Be ordinarily resident in a specified British Overseas Territory (including Bermuda) before commencing their studies.
• Be enrolling on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course.
• Meet the three-year ordinary residence requirement in the UK, the Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man), or specified British Overseas Territories.

Students who meet these requirements should apply for university admission and student finance through the same process as UK students, selecting the appropriate eligibility options within their application. Tuition Fee Loans are repaid after a student leaves or completes their course and their income exceeds the applicable repayment threshold.

Courses starting before 1 January 2027
Students whose courses begin before 1 January 2027 should apply through the current Student Finance England system.

Tuition Fee Loans

A Tuition Fee Loan:

• Helps cover tuition fees charged by a university or college.
• Is paid directly to the education provider.
• Is repayable only after the student has completed or left their course and their income exceeds the relevant repayment threshold.
• Is subject to Student Finance England eligibility requirements, including residency and nationality criteria.

For full details on student finance & eligibility, visit: www.gov.uk/student-finance

Courses starting on or after 1 January 2027
Students commencing courses on or after 1 January 2027 may need to apply through the new student finance system, known as the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).

The LLE is designed to provide eligible learners with access to Tuition Fee Loans to support the cost of approved courses. Please note that Maintenance Loans are not available to Bermudian students studying in the UK.

Eligibility

You may be eligible for funding through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement if:

• You are undertaking an eligible qualification at Levels 4 to 6, or certain postgraduate Level 7 courses.
• You meet the residency and other eligibility requirements set out by the UK Government.
• You have lived in Bermuda or the UK for the three years immediately preceding the start of your course.

Applying for Student Finance

Applications for courses beginning on or after 1 January 2027 are expected to open from September 2026.

If your course lasts longer than one academic year, you will be required to reapply for student finance annually.

Repaying Your Loan

Any student loans received through the LLE must be repaid. Repayments will only begin once you have completed or left your course and your income exceeds the applicable repayment threshold.

For information on loan repayments, interest rates, and repayment thresholds, please refer to the UK Government’s student finance guidance Student finance if your course starts on or after 1 January 2027: Overview – GOV.UK

Immigration Status

If you are studying in the United Kingdom you must possess a UK Passport.
For more information on applying for your first adult UK passport please click here.

Bermudian students intending to study in the UK on a BOTC Bermuda passport can stay in the UK for no more than six months. If they wish to remain in the UK for a longer period, they must apply for a UK passport or a visa. Please click here for more information on UK Visas.

Bermudian students planning to study in the UK for more than six months on a BOTC passport, with the intention of applying for a UK passport upon arrival, may face unnecessary delays such as difficulties with enrolment.

It is recommended that visitors to the UK, including students, ensure they travel with the correct passport for the duration of their travel before they enter the UK.

Home Fees Tuition Status

Effective from 1st September 2007, the Student Fees (Qualifying Courses and Pensions) (England) Regulations (SI 2007 No. 778) and the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations (SI 2007 No. 779) extend the category of students eligible to be considered home students for tuition fee purposes. This extension includes British Overseas Territories Citizens (BOTCs).

The criteria are that a person must:

• Be an EC national on the first day of the academic year of the course.
• Be undertaking the course in the United Kingdom.
• Be ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the EEA, Switzerland, and the overseas territories throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the academic year of the course.

British Overseas Territories Citizens (BOTCs) are also eligible for tuition fee loans for courses in England. The criteria are that a person must:

• Hold a UK passport.
• Be starting their first year of a full-time or part-time undergraduate course (not entering their second or third year).
• Be ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the EEA, Switzerland, and the overseas territories throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the academic year of the course.

Students from the Overseas Territories who meet the above criteria apply for university courses and fee support using the same procedures as UK students. They must select the relevant options in the application form. Students begin repaying their loan in April following the completion of their course.

BOTCs are not eligible for maintenance loans from Student Finance England.

Note: You must hold both a Bermuda BOTC passport and a UK passport to benefit from the above provisions. If you fall outside these criteria, please call our office to discuss your circumstances.

Higher Education Courses: Find & Apply

Full-time courses

Unistats – compare official course data from universities and colleges, including student satisfaction and jobs after study.
UCAS – search and apply for full-time courses by course name, provider name or location.
National Careers Service – search for full-time and part-time courses.

Part-time courses

National Careers Service – search for full-time and part-time courses.
Unistats – search for part-time courses. Unistats requires you to apply directly to the college or university.

Open University courses

The Open University – search and apply for distance learning courses.

Specialist music, dance and drama courses

CUKAS – search and apply for music conservatoire courses.

Postgraduate courses

Search for postgraduate study on:
Prospects
Postgraduate Search
Postgrad.com