For universities in the UK, like Durham, there are two tuition fee rates – a lower rate for applicants assessed as ‘home’ and a higher rate for applicants assessed as ‘overseas. Whether you pay a ‘home’ fee or an ‘overseas’ fee depends on you meeting certain criteria.
Fee status criteria are set out in regulations and guidance published by the four countries of the UK – the criteria which apply to Durham is for “Higher Education in England”. The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) publishes advice and guidance on fee status which is helpful if you are in doubt about what your fee status might be.
Recruitment and Admissions are responsible for assessing fee status for applicants and students. Because fee status assessments are carried out by each university you apply to, it’s possible that in borderline cases different universities may come to different decisions.
When you apply to us, an assessment of your fee status is made automatically based on the information on your application form. If you receive an offer then your fee status will be confirmed in your offer letter, and for international students at UCAS as well.
If you think you have been assessed incorrectly you can appeal by contacting us at [email protected], giving reasons why you disagree with the assessment. If it is considered you have grounds for appeal then we will contact you with details on how to proceed.
You will be asked a number of questions on our online application form which helps us to assess your fee status. We will send you a notification through your applicant portal to let you know what your fee status is.
If you think you have been assessed incorrectly then you can submit a Fee Status Review request. You do this through your applicant portal by clicking on the arrow next to your course and selecting ‘View Fee Status’.
There are certain circumstances where it is possible for you to change fee status part way through your course (from overseas to home). If after checking the UKCISA website you think this might apply to you, then you can contact us explaining why you think your fee status should change, and if appropriate we will send you a form to complete asking for further information. You will also need to send us any documents to support your case.
We will only deal directly with you in cases of fee status unless you give us express permission in writing that we may speak to a parent or other person of your choosing. If you would like to nominate someone to act on your behalf then please complete our enquiry form.
Undergraduate and PGCE students should contact us at [email protected]
Postgraduate students should contact us using our enquiry form.
Whilst we know some of what we might expect for fee status following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, we are currently waiting for revised fee status regulations to be published by the UK Government. This means that in some instances we may not be able to resolve appeals until after these have been published and considered. Meanwhile, UKCISA is the best place to check for updates.
Should a student already enrolled with the University provide new information that they could otherwise have provided at an earlier date in the admissions process which would entitle them to Home/EU fee status, the University would apply any such change to the next full academic year of study. The remainder of the year would be charged at the international rate.
To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, communication regarding fee status assessment by the University will, by default, be only possible with the applicant or student directly. Should an applicant or student wish to nominate a third party (e.g., parent, teacher, or agent) to discuss this on their behalf, they should fill out our enquiry form and should provide the name, telephone number, email address for the third party to which they are giving permission and the applicant’s relationship to this person. Applicants should also state what they are nominating access for (i.e., in this instance their fee status assessment). An opportunity to nominate a third party will also be provided on the Home Fees Verification and Fee Status Enquiry forms.
Tuition and accommodation fees are payable following your arrival at the University. An invoice will be issued to you indicating the date by which you must have paid these fees. Payments, in sterling, can be made direct debit, credit card, cheque or bankers draft or bank transfer. However, direct debit is the University's preferred method of payment.
Tuition fees can be paid in one lump sum, or in three installments, divided into three equal payments. For information about the payment and division of your tuition fee payments, please contact the Finance department.
More information on paying your tuition fees.
Durham University makes every effort to ensure that the information published on this page is accurate. However, the University cannot guarantee the information may not be altered owing to circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) change in Government policy, or change of law. Any changes will be incorporated into the University’s website as early as possible.
