UK University Home Fee Status: 5 Questions Brits in the U.S. Ask

“My child has a British passport, but they’ve lived in the U.S. their whole life. Do they have any chance of getting Home fees?”

This is a question I hear all the time from British families in the U.S. — and the answer is more nuanced than many parents expect.

A British passport doesn’t automatically mean Home fees. But growing up in America doesn’t automatically mean Overseas fees either. Check out the UKCISA website for more guidance.

Here are five of the questions families ask me most often:

1. My child was born in the U.S. — could they still get UK Home fees?

Potentially, yes.

Being born in the U.S. does not, by itself, prevent a British citizen from qualifying for Home fees.

I work with British families in the U.S. every year, including students who were born in America and have spent most or all of their school years here. Some of those students are ultimately assessed as eligible for Home fees.

There are no guarantees, and British citizenship alone isn’t enough. But don’t assume that being born and raised in the U.S. automatically rules your child out.

2. We’ve lived in the U.S. for years — does that automatically make my child an Overseas student?

No. The circumstances surrounding your family’s time overseas can matter.

One of the important concepts in fee-status assessments is ordinary residence. This has a particular legal meaning and isn’t necessarily as simple as looking at where your child currently lives or attends school.

Universities may need to understand why your family moved overseas, how long you’ve been there, whether a parent’s employment abroad was temporary, and what your family’s continuing relationship with the UK has looked like.

So don’t assume that you’ve simply been “away too long.” Your individual circumstances need to be considered.

3. We still own a home in the UK — does that help?

It can be relevant, but owning a UK property doesn’t automatically establish Home fee status.

What may matter is the role that home actually plays in your family’s life.

A property that remains your family home, is available for your use and is regularly returned to is a rather different circumstance from owning an investment property that is permanently rented to someone else.

Universities can look at the wider picture, including your residence history, time spent in the UK and other evidence of your continuing connections.

Think of a UK home as one piece of the picture, rather than a golden ticket to Home fees.

4. What does “ordinary residence” actually mean if we live between the UK and U.S.?

This is where things become particularly interesting for families with lives spanning both countries.

Ordinary residence is about more than simply counting days or looking at the address on a school record. Broadly, it concerns where someone normally and habitually lives and the circumstances surrounding that residence.

It is also possible, in some circumstances, for a person to be ordinarily resident in more than one country at the same time.

That doesn’t mean that owning a UK home and visiting several times a year automatically makes you ordinarily resident there. But it does help explain why fee status for British families overseas isn’t always a simple UK versus U.S. question.

The details of your family’s actual circumstances matter.

5. What happens when the university decides our fee status?

The UCAS application is not necessarily the end of the process.

If your child’s fee status isn’t immediately clear, an individual university may send a fee-status questionnaire asking for more detailed information.

You may be asked about citizenship, where your family has lived, employment overseas, time spent in the UK, your UK home and other aspects of your residence history. Universities may also ask for documents supporting the information you provide.

This is why I always encourage British families to make sure their UCAS application gives an accurate and complete picture — including their British citizenship, current U.S. residence and genuine permanent home address.

And don’t panic if a university asks questions. For a British student applying from overseas, further investigation of fee status can simply be part of the process.

The bottom line – UK Home Fees for British Students in the U.S.

The question I would not ask is simply:

“My child lives in America — are they an Overseas student?”

There are too many other factors involved.

Instead, think about the fuller picture: citizenship, residence history, why your family is living overseas, your continuing relationship with the UK and the concept of ordinary residence.

There are no guarantees. But I see British students who have been born or raised in the U.S. receive Home fee status, so it’s certainly worth making sure your child’s individual circumstances are properly considered.

Fee-status regulations are complex, can change, and differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This article provides general guidance only and should not be taken as a determination of an individual student’s fee status.

Thinking about applying to university in the UK from the U.S.?

I work with students and families across the U.S. throughout the UK university application process, from choosing universities and understanding entry requirements to UCAS applications, personal statements and the practicalities of studying overseas. Find out more about UK university admissions and how I work with students.

Want to read more about UK Home fee status? You might also find my guides to whether British citizens living in the U.S. can qualify for Home fees and how UCAS residency works for British families overseas helpful.