I am 19, British and hoping to start a BA degree course at the University of Birmingham in the near future. This will be a three year course, run at the normal rate, and they will charge the full amount permitted for tuition fees. What is the present upper limit for tuition fee loans?

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Student finance

Overview

You may be able to borrow money to help pay for university or college tuition fees and to help with living costs.

You might get extra money on top of this, for example if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.

If you’re a continuing student or you’ve already created an account, log in to your account.

Before you apply

You start repaying once you earn over a certain amount. The size of your monthly repayments will depend on how much you earn, not what you owe.

You’ll be charged interest on the loan from the day you take it out. The terms and conditions can change.

The rules are different if your course started before September 2012.

Read the student finance privacy notice to find out how the information you provide will be used.

How to apply

Find out how to apply for student finance.

If you’re under 25 and have no contact with your parents, you might be able to apply as an ‘estranged student’.

There’s a different process if you’re a student from Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Contact the education authority if you live in the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) or Isle of Man.

You can give someone permission to act on your behalf (for example using Power of Attorney) if you want them to apply for you.

New full-time students

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

If you’re studying an accelerated degree course, you could get up to £11,100.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

You must report any changes to your living arrangements in your online account, so you get the correct amount of student finance. You might need evidence of any changes.

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £4,014.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

Applying during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information about:

changes in your household income

self-isolation stopping you from posting evidence

contacting the Student Loans Company

Coronavirus and maintenance loans

You do not need to tell SLC if your course has moved online, as long as your living arrangements stay the same. If they have changed, you must update your address in your online account.

Extra help with travel costs

You might get a grant to cover some travel expenses if you normally live in England but study away from home. If you’re a medical or dental student you might also qualify for help with the costs of attending clinical placements in the UK.

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Continuing full-time students

What you’re eligible for depends on when your course starts.

You may also be able to get extra help.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2016

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. You have to pay the loan back.

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

You must report any changes to your living arrangements, including if you’re no longer studying abroad in your online account, so you get the correct amount of student finance.

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £4,014.

In your final year, you’ll receive less money than you did in previous years.

If your course started before 1 August 2016

You can apply for grants and loans if your course started before 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Maintenance Loan for living costs

Students aged 60 and over cannot apply. You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to £5,247 | Up to £5,410

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £6,597 | Up to £6,802

Living away from home, in London | Up to £9,205 | Up to £9,490

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £7,838 | Up to £8,081

Maintenance Grant for living costs

You have to give details of your household income and your course start date.

The grant is paid into your bank account at the start of each term. You do not have to pay it back, but any funds you get will reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get.

Special Support Grant

You may get a Special Support Grant instead of a Maintenance Grant if you get or qualify for:

Income Support

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Housing Benefit

the housing element of Universal Credit

The amount you get is the same as the Maintenance Grant, but it will not reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get.

You may get the Special Support Grant if, for example, you’re a lone parent or have certain disabilities.

You’ll be told if you can get the grant when you apply for student finance.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Help with the costs of studying abroad

Help during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information, including if:

your university or college is shut

your household income changes

you’ll need to repeat or extend your studies

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Part-time students

You may be able to get a loan if your part-time course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more.

‘Course intensity’ measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course.

You can work this out by comparing your module credits with the number of module credits a full-time student will study. You’ll be asked how many credits you’ll study when you apply for the loan.

Check with your university or college if you’re not sure.

What you can apply for depends on when your course starts.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

You can get up to £6,935 in an academic year.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

How much you can get depends on:

where you live while studying

your household income

your course intensity

The loan is paid directly into your bank account 2 weeks after the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

You can only apply for a Maintenance Loan as a Distance Learning student if you cannot attend your course in person because of a disability.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

You’re not eligible for a Maintenance Loan if you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course.

If your course started before 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

EU students

You may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan and help with living costs if you’re from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Tuition Fee Loan

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Full-time student at a private university or college | Up to £6,165 | Up to £6,165

Part-time student | Up to £6,935 | Up to £6,935

Part-time student at a private university or college | Up to £4,625 | Up to £4,625

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Tuition Fee Loan.

Help with living costs

You may be eligible for help with your living costs if both the following apply:

you’ve lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course

you have settled status

Academic years start on 1 September, 1 January, 1 April or 1 July. Ask someone who runs your course if you do not know which one applies.

Student Finance from August 2021

If you’re starting a course on or after 1 August 2021, you must have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get student finance.

If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study here.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Apply

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Extra help

Check on the student finance calculator to see what extra help you might be able to get.

Students on a low income

You can apply for:

Universal Credit

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

Students with children or dependent adults

You can apply for:

Childcare Grant - full-time students only

Parents’ Learning Allowance - full-time students only

Adult Dependants’ Grant - full-time students only

Universal Credit

Disabled students

If you have a disability, long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) you can apply for:

Disabled Students’ Allowance

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Medical, social work and teacher training students

You can apply for:

NHS bursaries if you’re studying certain medical, dentistry or healthcare courses

help with costs of travel to UK clinical placements if you’re studying a medical, dentistry or healthcare course

social work bursaries if you’re a social work student

extra help if you’re a teacher training student

Students studying abroad

You might get a grant to cover some travel expenses if you normally live in England but study away from home.

Help from your university or college

Many universities and colleges offer extra money directly to students.

Funding from charitable trusts

Use the Turn2us grant search to check whether you qualify for funding from a charitable trust.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify for student finance depends on:

your university or college

your course

if you’ve studied a higher education course before

your age

your nationality or residency status

Your university or college

This should be a university, college or other institution that offers a qualifying course.

Your course

Check with the university or college that your course is recognised.

If you’re studying full-time

You may be eligible for student finance if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course

Check on the student finance calculator to find out which loans and grants you could be eligible for.

If you’re studying part-time

Your course needs a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more for you to be eligible for student finance.

You’ll be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

You’ll be eligible for a Maintenance Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

an Initial Teacher Training course (if it’s degree level or above)

an integrated master’s degree

a Foundation Degree in dental hygiene and dental therapy

a DipHE in dental hygiene and dental therapy or operating department practice

If you’ve studied before

You’ll usually only get student finance if you’re doing your first higher education qualification - even if your previous course was self-funded. You may still be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances and for some courses.

If you changed course, stopped your studies or are repeating a year

If you stopped your course within the first year, you’ll get funding for the same course or a new course when you go back.

You might also get funding if you:

suspended your course or withdrew before it finished - and you’re going back to study any course

are repeating a year of your course at the same university, college, or institution.

If you stopped your studies for a personal reason (for example, you were ill or pregnant) you might get funding for all of your course - you should apply online with supporting evidence.

You can calculate the amount you will get by taking the total number of years of the course you are applying for and adding one year. Then take away the number of years you studied for. If you studied for part of a year you should count it as a whole year.

If you already have a degree

You may be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances.

You may get limited funding if you’re ‘topping up’ a higher education qualification, for example you’ve finished an HNC, HND or Foundation Degree and now want to do an Honours degree.

You may also get limited funding if you hold an Honours degree or a higher level of qualification and start a new course. This could be a part-time Honours degree, a joint Honours degree or an Integrated Master’s degree in one of the following (or 2 if it’s a joint Honours degree):

agriculture and related subjects

architecture (if it’s a MArch RIBA Part 2 course)

biological sciences

computer science

mathematical sciences

medicine and allied subjects

physical sciences

technologies

courses leading to qualification as a veterinary surgeon

You could also be eligible if you’re starting a healthcare course on or after 1 August 2017.

Your age

There’s no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans or grants.

If you’re 60 or over

You may get limited funding for Maintenance Loans if all of the following apply:

you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your
course

you’re studying full-time

your course started on or after 1 August 2016

The amount you can apply for depends on your household income.

Your nationality or residency status

You may be able to get help with:

your tuition fees and living costs (full support)

your tuition fees

The type of help you can get depends on your nationality and residency status.

When you’re eligible for full support

You can apply for full support if all the following apply:

you’re a UK or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay)

you normally live in England

you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of your course, apart from temporary absences such as going on holiday

You may be eligible for full support if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who:

returned to the UK by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

has been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years

You may also be eligible if your residency status is one of the following:

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

migrant worker from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (including family members) with settled or pre-settled status

child of a Swiss national and you and your parent have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

child of a Turkish worker who has permission to stay in the UK - you and your Turkish worker parent must have been living in the UK by 31 December 2020

a stateless person (including family members)

an unaccompanied child granted ‘Section 67 leave’ under the Dubs Amendment

a child who is under the protection of someone granted ‘Section 67 leave’, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as the person responsible for them (known as ‘leave in line’)

granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain

a child of someone granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain, who is also allowed to stay in the UK for the same period of time as their parent (known as ‘leave in line’)

you’ve been given settled status (‘indefinite leave to remain’) because you’ve been the victim of domestic violence

you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain as a bereaved partner

You could also be eligible if you’re not a UK national and are either:

under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years

18 or over and have lived in the UK for at least 20 years (or at least half of your life)

You must have been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 continuous years before the first day of your course.

When you can apply for help with your tuition fees

You can apply for tuition fee funding if you’ve been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland for the past 3 years and you have one of the following:

pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re an EU national or the family member of an EU national

pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re the family member of an Irish citizen or person of Northern Ireland

Irish citizenship

Gibraltarian status as an EU national

been living in Gibraltar as a UK national

If you’re an Irish citizen, you’re still eligible to apply if you’ve lived in the UK and Ireland in the 3 years before your course.

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Apply

Find out how to apply for student finance.

Parents or partners of students

Confirm your income if you’re the student’s parent or partner.

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Student finance

Overview

You may be able to borrow money to help pay for university or college tuition fees and to help with living costs.

You might get extra money on top of this, for example if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.

If you’re a continuing student or you’ve already created an account, log in to your account.

Before you apply

You’ll be charged interest on the loan from the day you take it out. The terms and conditions can change.

The rules are different if your course started before September 2012.

Read the student finance privacy notice to find out how the information you provide will be used.

How to apply

If you’re under 25 and have no contact with your parents, you might be able to apply as an ‘estranged student’.

New full-time students

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

If you’re studying an accelerated degree course, you could get up to £11,100.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £4,014.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

Applying during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information about:

changes in your household income

self-isolation stopping you from posting evidence

contacting the Student Loans Company

Coronavirus and maintenance loans

Extra help with travel costs

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Continuing full-time students

What you’re eligible for depends on when your course starts.

You may also be able to get extra help.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2016

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan if your course starts on or after 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Maintenance Loan for living costs

You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to 7,747 | Up to £7,987

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £9,203 | Up to £9,488

Living away from home, in London | Up to £12,010 | Up to £12,382

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £10,539 | Up to £10,866

If you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your course you can apply for up to £4,014.

In your final year, you’ll receive less money than you did in previous years.

If your course started before 1 August 2016

You can apply for grants and loans if your course started before 1 August 2016.

Tuition Fee Loan

Maintenance Loan for living costs

Students aged 60 and over cannot apply. You may have to give details of your household income.

The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Living at home | Up to £5,247 | Up to £5,410

Living away from home, outside London | Up to £6,597 | Up to £6,802

Living away from home, in London | Up to £9,205 | Up to £9,490

You spend a year of a UK course studying abroad | Up to £7,838 | Up to £8,081

Maintenance Grant for living costs

You have to give details of your household income and your course start date.

Special Support Grant

You may get a Special Support Grant instead of a Maintenance Grant if you get or qualify for:

Income Support

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Housing Benefit

the housing element of Universal Credit

The amount you get is the same as the Maintenance Grant, but it will not reduce the Maintenance Loan you can get.

You may get the Special Support Grant if, for example, you’re a lone parent or have certain disabilities.

You’ll be told if you can get the grant when you apply for student finance.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Help with the costs of studying abroad

Help during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read the guidance for students during coronavirus for more information, including if:

your university or college is shut

your household income changes

you’ll need to repeat or extend your studies

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Part-time students

You may be able to get a loan if your part-time course has a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more.

‘Course intensity’ measures how much of your course you complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course.

Check with your university or college if you’re not sure.

What you can apply for depends on when your course starts.

If your course starts on or after 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan.

Tuition Fee Loan

Your university or college sets your tuition fee, and the loan is paid directly to them. You have to pay it back.

You can get up to £6,935 in an academic year.

Maintenance Loan for living costs

How much you can get depends on:

where you live while studying

your household income

your course intensity

The loan is paid directly into your bank account 2 weeks after the start of each term. You have to pay the loan back.

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Maintenance Loan.

If your course started before 1 August 2018

You can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

EU students

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Tuition Fee Loan

| 2020 to 2021 academic year | 2021 to 2022 academic year

Full-time student | Up to £9,250 | Up to £9,250

Full-time student at a private university or college | Up to £6,165 | Up to £6,165

Part-time student | Up to £6,935 | Up to £6,935

Part-time student at a private university or college | Up to £4,625 | Up to £4,625

Use the student finance calculator to estimate your Tuition Fee Loan.

Help with living costs

You may be eligible for help with your living costs if both the following apply:

you’ve lived in the UK for more than 3 years before the first day of the first academic year of your course

you have settled status

Student Finance from August 2021

If you’re coming to the UK from 1 January 2021, you may need to apply for a visa to study here.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

Apply

Further information

2020 to 2021 academic year

2021 to 2022 academic year

Extra help

Check on the student finance calculator to see what extra help you might be able to get.

Students on a low income

You can apply for:

Universal Credit

extra help if you’re experiencing financial hardship

Students with children or dependent adults

You can apply for:

Childcare Grant - full-time students only

Parents’ Learning Allowance - full-time students only

Adult Dependants’ Grant - full-time students only

Universal Credit

Disabled students

Disabled Students’ Allowance

You may also qualify for disability related benefits.

Medical, social work and teacher training students

You can apply for:

NHS bursaries if you’re studying certain medical, dentistry or healthcare courses

help with costs of travel to UK clinical placements if you’re studying a medical, dentistry or healthcare course

social work bursaries if you’re a social work student

extra help if you’re a teacher training student

Students studying abroad

You might get a grant to cover some travel expenses if you normally live in England but study away from home.

Help from your university or college

Many universities and colleges offer extra money directly to students.

Funding from charitable trusts

Use the Turn2us grant search to check whether you qualify for funding from a charitable trust.

Eligibility

Whether you qualify for student finance depends on:

your university or college

your course

if you’ve studied a higher education course before

your age

your nationality or residency status

Your university or college

This should be a university, college or other institution that offers a qualifying course.

Your course

Check with the university or college that your course is recognised.

If you’re studying full-time

You may be eligible for student finance if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

a pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course

Check on the student finance calculator to find out which loans and grants you could be eligible for.

If you’re studying part-time

Your course needs a ‘course intensity’ of 25% or more for you to be eligible for student finance.

You’ll be eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

a Foundation Degree

a Certificate of Higher Education

a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

a Higher National Certificate (HNC)

a Higher National Diploma (HND)

an Initial Teacher Training course

an integrated master’s degree

You’ll be eligible for a Maintenance Loan if your course is in the UK and one of the following:

an Initial Teacher Training course (if it’s degree level or above)

an integrated master’s degree

a Foundation Degree in dental hygiene and dental therapy

a DipHE in dental hygiene and dental therapy or operating department practice

If you’ve studied before

If you changed course, stopped your studies or are repeating a year

You might also get funding if you:

suspended your course or withdrew before it finished - and you’re going back to study any course

are repeating a year of your course at the same university, college, or institution.

If you already have a degree

You may be eligible for limited funding in certain circumstances.

agriculture and related subjects

architecture (if it’s a MArch RIBA Part 2 course)

biological sciences

computer science

mathematical sciences

medicine and allied subjects

physical sciences

technologies

courses leading to qualification as a veterinary surgeon

You could also be eligible if you’re starting a healthcare course on or after 1 August 2017.

Your age

There’s no upper age limit for Tuition Fee Loans or grants.

If you’re 60 or over

You may get limited funding for Maintenance Loans if all of the following apply:

you’re 60 or over on the first day of the first academic year of your
course

you’re studying full-time

your course started on or after 1 August 2016

The amount you can apply for depends on your household income.

Your nationality or residency status

You may be able to get help with:

your tuition fees and living costs (full support)

your tuition fees

The type of help you can get depends on your nationality and residency status.

When you’re eligible for full support

You can apply for full support if all the following apply:

you’re a UK or Irish citizen or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay)

you normally live in England

You may be eligible for full support if you’re a UK national (or family member of a UK national) who:

returned to the UK by 31 December 2020 after living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

has been living in the UK, the EU, Gibraltar, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein for the past 3 years

You may also be eligible if your residency status is one of the following:

refugee (including family members)

humanitarian protection (including family members)

child of a Swiss national and you and your parent have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

a stateless person (including family members)

an unaccompanied child granted ‘Section 67 leave’ under the Dubs Amendment

granted ‘Calais leave’ to remain

you’ve been given settled status (‘indefinite leave to remain’) because you’ve been the victim of domestic violence

you’ve been granted indefinite leave to remain as a bereaved partner

You could also be eligible if you’re not a UK national and are either:

under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years

18 or over and have lived in the UK for at least 20 years (or at least half of your life)

When you can apply for help with your tuition fees

pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re an EU national or the family member of an EU national

Irish citizenship

Gibraltarian status as an EU national

been living in Gibraltar as a UK national

Use the student finance calculator to see what finance you can get.

Apply

Apply for student finance or find out how to apply.

Apply

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My niece will be coming to the UK under a student visa this month from the United States. She has been double vaccinated and It will be her first time to travel during the covid pandemic. What documents should be shown at the Heathrow Airport?

You’ll need to show:

Entering the UK

Overview

If you’re travelling to England, what you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

You’ll need to:

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the 3 days before you leave for the UK

complete a passenger locator form

Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK because of COVID-19.

Your passport or identity card will be checked when you arrive at a UK port or airport to make sure you’re allowed to come into the country. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.

What you can bring with you

What you can bring with you depends on where you’re travelling from. You must declare to customs:

anything over your duty-free allowance

banned or restricted goods in the UK

goods that you plan to sell

more than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash, if you’re coming from outside the EU

You and your baggage may be checked for anything you must declare.

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

COVID-19 restrictions currently apply in England. Find out about the:

rules in Scotland

rules in Wales

rules in Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

Everyone travelling to the UK must:

book at least one coronavirus (COVID-19) test for after you arrive

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

follow the testing and quarantine rules in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

You’ll be committing a criminal offence if you do not have proof of a negative test or you have not completed the passenger locator form. You may be fined. You may not be allowed to board. If you are not British or Irish, you may not be allowed to enter the UK.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in England

What you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must book a COVID-19 test to take after you arrive

amber list - you must book 2 COVID-19 tests to take after you arrive and quarantine in the place you’re staying

red list - you must book a hotel quarantine package, which includes 2 COVID-19 tests

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

You might be exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of your job. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Children aged 4 and under do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests after they arrive in England.

If you’re travelling from a country on the amber list, you may be able to end your quarantine early by booking a third coronavirus test through Test to Release.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Check the rules and exemptions for quarantine and COVID-19 tests:

if you’re travelling to Scotland

if you’re travelling to Wales

If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland

Complete the passenger locator form

You need to provide your journey and contact details in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. You must do this by completing the online passenger locator form.

You’ll need to show your completed passenger locator form when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry.

You’ll also need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border.

Provide a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK - even if you’re a UK citizen.

If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local COVID-19 rules and guidance.

The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish.

You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive.

You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative COVID-19 test.

Find out more about providing a COVID-19 test result, including exemptions and acceptable types of test.

When you do not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test

You do not need a test if you’re travelling:

within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey

from Ireland

from Ascension, Falkland Islands, St Helena and Myanmar

Children under 11 do not need a test.

There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example:

you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list

you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons

you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities

Read the guidance about:

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to England

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to Scotland

You must still follow the rules for quarantining when you arrive in the UK.

You’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can enter the UK with either a passport or national identity card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland that should be valid for the whole of your stay.

From 1 October 2021, you will not be able to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you:

have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit

have a Frontier Worker permit

are an S2 Healthcare Visitor

are a Swiss Service Provider

Check if you need a visa to come to the UK after 1 January 2021.

You’re not from an EEA country

You must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from.

Check if you need a visa to enter the UK.

You may also need a visa if you’re ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK, for example you’re changing flights at a UK airport.

Applying for a visa

You must apply for your visa before you arrive in the UK.

Travelling with children

You may be asked at the border to prove the relationship between yourself and any children travelling with you, if you do not seem to be the parent, for example if you have a different surname.

You can prove this with:

a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child

divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the parent but have a different surname from the child

a letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if you’re not the parent

Before you board

Your ‘carrier’ (for example airline or transport provider) will check your passport and other travel documents. They’ll send this information electronically to Border Force.

You can ask to see the information about you that’s been sent by carriers.

At border control

You must wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you’re arriving into and follow social distancing rules.

You’ll need to show:

your passport or identity card

your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test

your passenger locator form

You must:

have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one

remove your face covering or sunglasses, if you’re wearing them

move through passport control together if you’re in a family

You will have to wait longer than usual at border control because of COVID-19.

Showing your passenger locator form

You need to show proof that you’ve completed a passenger locator form when you arrive at the UK border. The government will use the form to contact you if someone you’ve travelled with develops COVID-19 symptoms.

When you submit the form you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached. At border control you must show either a:

printed copy of the document

downloaded copy of document on your phone

Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully.

It is a criminal offence to provide false or deliberately misleading information when filling out your passenger locator form. You could be fined up to £10,000, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both, if you do not provide accurate details about the countries you have visited in the 10 days before you arrived in the UK.

You may also need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test at the border. You could be fined up to £500 if you cannot show proof when asked.

Arriving by bus or coach

You have to leave the bus when you arrive at border control.

Make sure you:

are ready to get off the bus when you arrive

have your travel documents ready

Read the guidance for school parties and groups coming to the UK by coach.

If you’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can use the UK/EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels.

The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

You can use automatic ePassport gates at some airports if your passport has a ‘chip’ on it and you’re 12 or over. If you’re between 12 and 17, you must be accompanied by an adult.

These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

If you’re from a non-EEA country

Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK.

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from:

Australia

Canada

Japan

New Zealand

Singapore

South Korea

United States

When you cannot use an ePassport gate

You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK:

with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa)

on a permitted paid engagement

You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates. Without a stamp you will not be allowed to carry out the activities you came to the UK to do.

Registered Travellers

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates.

Travelling with a UK biometric residence permit

You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your fingerprints were taken when you applied.

Your fingerprints will be checked at border control - they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document.

If you’re refused entry

You’ll be told in writing:

why you’ve been refused entry to the UK

if you can appeal against the decision

when you will be removed from the UK

You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately.

You may be allowed into the UK temporarily (usually for up to a week) but your passport will be taken from you and you must report to immigration officers at set times.

Baggage checks

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage.

If you break the rules your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized.

If your baggage is checked

Your baggage is usually checked in front of you.

Customs officers keep a record of:

all baggage they open and check

any damage to your baggage or belongings during a check

If your things are damaged

You may be offered compensation if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check.

Making a complaint

You can:

ask for the duty manager if you want to complain about a customs check while you’re at the border

send your complaint to Border Force if you want to complain later

Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called ‘transiting’. Some travellers call it a ‘layover’.

There are 2 types of transiting:

‘airside’ - you do not pass through UK border control before you leave on your connecting journey

‘landside’ - you do pass through UK border control, but come back through it and leave the UK within a short amount of time (usually 24 hours)

Find out if you need a UK visa for your layover.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you travel you need to:

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test

Check the rules for transiting.

Quarantining when you arrive in the UK

green list - you do not need to quarantine but you must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

You may be fined if you do not quarantine in the place you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay on time.

Some people are exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of their jobs. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Quarantine rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Find out what to do and whether you’re exempt if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Ending quarantine early through Test to Release

You may be able to end quarantine early through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test.

You must still take the 2 COVID-19 tests you booked before you travelled. Find out more about the tests you must book and take.

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

This guidance is for England. Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

When you can take the private COVID-19 test

The earliest you can take a test is 5 days after you arrive in England. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, you can take a test from the following Saturday.

When you can stop quarantining

If the test is negative you can stop quarantining as soon as you get the result.

If the test is positive you need to quarantine for another 10 days. Count the 10 days starting from the day you took the test, or from when you first had symptoms if that is earlier.

If you’re living or staying with someone in the UK they should also self-isolate for 10 days, starting from the day you took the test.

If the test is inconclusive you also need to quarantine for another 10 days. You can stop quarantining if you take another test with an eligible private provider and the result is negative.

You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not quarantine when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time.

What you’ll need

Before arriving in England, you’ll need to:

book a test with an eligible private provider

say that you’ll be using the Test to Release scheme on the passenger locator form

You cannot take a test through NHS Test and Trace to shorten your quarantine period. You must continue to quarantine if the result from an NHS Test and Trace test is negative.

If you did not book the test before you arrived in England, you can book one after you arrive. You will need to complete another passenger locator form to opt into the scheme.

your passport or identity card

Entering the UK

Overview

green list - you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

You’ll need to:

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the 3 days before you leave for the UK

complete a passenger locator form

Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK because of COVID-19.

You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.

What you can bring with you

What you can bring with you depends on where you’re travelling from. You must declare to customs:

anything over your duty-free allowance

banned or restricted goods in the UK

goods that you plan to sell

more than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash, if you’re coming from outside the EU

You and your baggage may be checked for anything you must declare.

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

COVID-19 restrictions currently apply in England. Find out about the:

rules in Scotland

rules in Wales

rules in Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

Everyone travelling to the UK must:

book at least one coronavirus (COVID-19) test for after you arrive

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

follow the testing and quarantine rules in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in England

What you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must book a COVID-19 test to take after you arrive

amber list - you must book 2 COVID-19 tests to take after you arrive and quarantine in the place you’re staying

red list - you must book a hotel quarantine package, which includes 2 COVID-19 tests

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

You might be exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of your job. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Children aged 4 and under do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests after they arrive in England.

If you’re travelling from a country on the amber list, you may be able to end your quarantine early by booking a third coronavirus test through Test to Release.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Check the rules and exemptions for quarantine and COVID-19 tests:

if you’re travelling to Scotland

if you’re travelling to Wales

If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland

Complete the passenger locator form

You’ll need to show your completed passenger locator form when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry.

You’ll also need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border.

Provide a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK - even if you’re a UK citizen.

If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local COVID-19 rules and guidance.

The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish.

You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive.

You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative COVID-19 test.

Find out more about providing a COVID-19 test result, including exemptions and acceptable types of test.

When you do not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test

You do not need a test if you’re travelling:

within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey

from Ireland

from Ascension, Falkland Islands, St Helena and Myanmar

Children under 11 do not need a test.

There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example:

you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list

you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons

you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities

Read the guidance about:

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to England

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to Scotland

You must still follow the rules for quarantining when you arrive in the UK.

You’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can enter the UK with either a passport or national identity card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland that should be valid for the whole of your stay.

From 1 October 2021, you will not be able to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you:

have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit

have a Frontier Worker permit

are an S2 Healthcare Visitor

are a Swiss Service Provider

Check if you need a visa to come to the UK after 1 January 2021.

You’re not from an EEA country

You must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from.

Check if you need a visa to enter the UK.

You may also need a visa if you’re ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK, for example you’re changing flights at a UK airport.

Applying for a visa

You must apply for your visa before you arrive in the UK.

Travelling with children

You can prove this with:

a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child

divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the parent but have a different surname from the child

a letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if you’re not the parent

Before you board

You can ask to see the information about you that’s been sent by carriers.

At border control

You must wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you’re arriving into and follow social distancing rules.

You’ll need to show:

your passport or identity card

your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test

your passenger locator form

You must:

have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one

remove your face covering or sunglasses, if you’re wearing them

move through passport control together if you’re in a family

You will have to wait longer than usual at border control because of COVID-19.

Showing your passenger locator form

When you submit the form you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached. At border control you must show either a:

printed copy of the document

downloaded copy of document on your phone

Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully.

You may also need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test at the border. You could be fined up to £500 if you cannot show proof when asked.

Arriving by bus or coach

You have to leave the bus when you arrive at border control.

Make sure you:

are ready to get off the bus when you arrive

have your travel documents ready

Read the guidance for school parties and groups coming to the UK by coach.

If you’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can use the UK/EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels.

The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

If you’re from a non-EEA country

Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK.

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from:

Australia

Canada

Japan

New Zealand

Singapore

South Korea

United States

When you cannot use an ePassport gate

You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK:

with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa)

on a permitted paid engagement

You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates. Without a stamp you will not be allowed to carry out the activities you came to the UK to do.

Registered Travellers

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates.

Travelling with a UK biometric residence permit

You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your fingerprints were taken when you applied.

Your fingerprints will be checked at border control - they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document.

If you’re refused entry

You’ll be told in writing:

why you’ve been refused entry to the UK

if you can appeal against the decision

when you will be removed from the UK

You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately.

Baggage checks

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage.

If you break the rules your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized.

If your baggage is checked

Your baggage is usually checked in front of you.

Customs officers keep a record of:

all baggage they open and check

any damage to your baggage or belongings during a check

If your things are damaged

You may be offered compensation if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check.

Making a complaint

You can:

ask for the duty manager if you want to complain about a customs check while you’re at the border

send your complaint to Border Force if you want to complain later

Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called ‘transiting’. Some travellers call it a ‘layover’.

There are 2 types of transiting:

‘airside’ - you do not pass through UK border control before you leave on your connecting journey

‘landside’ - you do pass through UK border control, but come back through it and leave the UK within a short amount of time (usually 24 hours)

Find out if you need a UK visa for your layover.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you travel you need to:

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test

Check the rules for transiting.

Quarantining when you arrive in the UK

green list - you do not need to quarantine but you must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Some people are exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of their jobs. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Quarantine rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Find out what to do and whether you’re exempt if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Ending quarantine early through Test to Release

You may be able to end quarantine early through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test.

You must still take the 2 COVID-19 tests you booked before you travelled. Find out more about the tests you must book and take.

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

This guidance is for England. Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

When you can take the private COVID-19 test

The earliest you can take a test is 5 days after you arrive in England. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, you can take a test from the following Saturday.

When you can stop quarantining

If the test is negative you can stop quarantining as soon as you get the result.

If you’re living or staying with someone in the UK they should also self-isolate for 10 days, starting from the day you took the test.

You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not quarantine when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time.

What you’ll need

Before arriving in England, you’ll need to:

book a test with an eligible private provider

say that you’ll be using the Test to Release scheme on the passenger locator form

your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test

Entering the UK

Overview

green list - you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

You’ll need to:

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the 3 days before you leave for the UK

complete a passenger locator form

Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK because of COVID-19.

You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.

What you can bring with you

What you can bring with you depends on where you’re travelling from. You must declare to customs:

anything over your duty-free allowance

banned or restricted goods in the UK

goods that you plan to sell

more than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash, if you’re coming from outside the EU

You and your baggage may be checked for anything you must declare.

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

COVID-19 restrictions currently apply in England. Find out about the:

rules in Scotland

rules in Wales

rules in Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

Everyone travelling to the UK must:

book at least one coronavirus (COVID-19) test for after you arrive

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

follow the testing and quarantine rules in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in England

What you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must book a COVID-19 test to take after you arrive

amber list - you must book 2 COVID-19 tests to take after you arrive and quarantine in the place you’re staying

red list - you must book a hotel quarantine package, which includes 2 COVID-19 tests

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

You might be exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of your job. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Children aged 4 and under do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests after they arrive in England.

If you’re travelling from a country on the amber list, you may be able to end your quarantine early by booking a third coronavirus test through Test to Release.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Check the rules and exemptions for quarantine and COVID-19 tests:

if you’re travelling to Scotland

if you’re travelling to Wales

If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland

Complete the passenger locator form

You’ll need to show your completed passenger locator form when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry.

You’ll also need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border.

Provide a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK - even if you’re a UK citizen.

If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local COVID-19 rules and guidance.

The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish.

You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive.

You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative COVID-19 test.

Find out more about providing a COVID-19 test result, including exemptions and acceptable types of test.

When you do not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test

You do not need a test if you’re travelling:

within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey

from Ireland

from Ascension, Falkland Islands, St Helena and Myanmar

Children under 11 do not need a test.

There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example:

you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list

you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons

you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities

Read the guidance about:

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to England

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to Scotland

You must still follow the rules for quarantining when you arrive in the UK.

You’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can enter the UK with either a passport or national identity card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland that should be valid for the whole of your stay.

From 1 October 2021, you will not be able to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you:

have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit

have a Frontier Worker permit

are an S2 Healthcare Visitor

are a Swiss Service Provider

Check if you need a visa to come to the UK after 1 January 2021.

You’re not from an EEA country

You must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from.

Check if you need a visa to enter the UK.

You may also need a visa if you’re ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK, for example you’re changing flights at a UK airport.

Applying for a visa

You must apply for your visa before you arrive in the UK.

Travelling with children

You can prove this with:

a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child

divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the parent but have a different surname from the child

a letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if you’re not the parent

Before you board

You can ask to see the information about you that’s been sent by carriers.

At border control

You must wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you’re arriving into and follow social distancing rules.

You’ll need to show:

your passport or identity card

your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test

your passenger locator form

You must:

have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one

remove your face covering or sunglasses, if you’re wearing them

move through passport control together if you’re in a family

You will have to wait longer than usual at border control because of COVID-19.

Showing your passenger locator form

When you submit the form you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached. At border control you must show either a:

printed copy of the document

downloaded copy of document on your phone

Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully.

You may also need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test at the border. You could be fined up to £500 if you cannot show proof when asked.

Arriving by bus or coach

You have to leave the bus when you arrive at border control.

Make sure you:

are ready to get off the bus when you arrive

have your travel documents ready

Read the guidance for school parties and groups coming to the UK by coach.

If you’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can use the UK/EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels.

The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

If you’re from a non-EEA country

Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK.

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from:

Australia

Canada

Japan

New Zealand

Singapore

South Korea

United States

When you cannot use an ePassport gate

You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK:

with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa)

on a permitted paid engagement

You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates. Without a stamp you will not be allowed to carry out the activities you came to the UK to do.

Registered Travellers

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates.

Travelling with a UK biometric residence permit

You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your fingerprints were taken when you applied.

Your fingerprints will be checked at border control - they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document.

If you’re refused entry

You’ll be told in writing:

why you’ve been refused entry to the UK

if you can appeal against the decision

when you will be removed from the UK

You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately.

Baggage checks

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage.

If you break the rules your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized.

If your baggage is checked

Your baggage is usually checked in front of you.

Customs officers keep a record of:

all baggage they open and check

any damage to your baggage or belongings during a check

If your things are damaged

You may be offered compensation if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check.

Making a complaint

You can:

ask for the duty manager if you want to complain about a customs check while you’re at the border

send your complaint to Border Force if you want to complain later

Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called ‘transiting’. Some travellers call it a ‘layover’.

There are 2 types of transiting:

‘airside’ - you do not pass through UK border control before you leave on your connecting journey

‘landside’ - you do pass through UK border control, but come back through it and leave the UK within a short amount of time (usually 24 hours)

Find out if you need a UK visa for your layover.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you travel you need to:

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test

Check the rules for transiting.

Quarantining when you arrive in the UK

green list - you do not need to quarantine but you must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Some people are exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of their jobs. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Quarantine rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Find out what to do and whether you’re exempt if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Ending quarantine early through Test to Release

You may be able to end quarantine early through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test.

You must still take the 2 COVID-19 tests you booked before you travelled. Find out more about the tests you must book and take.

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

This guidance is for England. Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

When you can take the private COVID-19 test

The earliest you can take a test is 5 days after you arrive in England. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, you can take a test from the following Saturday.

When you can stop quarantining

If the test is negative you can stop quarantining as soon as you get the result.

If you’re living or staying with someone in the UK they should also self-isolate for 10 days, starting from the day you took the test.

You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not quarantine when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time.

What you’ll need

Before arriving in England, you’ll need to:

book a test with an eligible private provider

say that you’ll be using the Test to Release scheme on the passenger locator form

your passenger locator form

Entering the UK

Overview

green list - you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

You’ll need to:

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the 3 days before you leave for the UK

complete a passenger locator form

Find out more about what you’ll need to do before you leave for the UK because of COVID-19.

You may also need a visa to come into or travel through the UK, depending on your nationality.

What you can bring with you

What you can bring with you depends on where you’re travelling from. You must declare to customs:

anything over your duty-free allowance

banned or restricted goods in the UK

goods that you plan to sell

more than €10,000 (or its equivalent) in cash, if you’re coming from outside the EU

You and your baggage may be checked for anything you must declare.

COVID-19 restrictions in the UK

COVID-19 restrictions currently apply in England. Find out about the:

rules in Scotland

rules in Wales

rules in Northern Ireland

Before you leave for the UK

Everyone travelling to the UK must:

book at least one coronavirus (COVID-19) test for after you arrive

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

follow the testing and quarantine rules in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in England

What you need to do depends on where you have been in the 10 days before you arrive. If you have been in a country or territory on the:

green list - you must book a COVID-19 test to take after you arrive

amber list - you must book 2 COVID-19 tests to take after you arrive and quarantine in the place you’re staying

red list - you must book a hotel quarantine package, which includes 2 COVID-19 tests

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

You might be exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of your job. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Children aged 4 and under do not need to take any COVID-19 travel tests after they arrive in England.

If you’re travelling from a country on the amber list, you may be able to end your quarantine early by booking a third coronavirus test through Test to Release.

COVID-19 testing and quarantine in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Check the rules and exemptions for quarantine and COVID-19 tests:

if you’re travelling to Scotland

if you’re travelling to Wales

If you’re travelling to Northern Ireland

Complete the passenger locator form

You’ll need to show your completed passenger locator form when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry.

You’ll also need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border.

Provide a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK

You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to the UK - even if you’re a UK citizen.

If your test result is positive you must not travel. You must follow the local COVID-19 rules and guidance.

The test must be taken in the 3 days before you depart. The results must be in English, French or Spanish.

You’ll need to show the test results when you check in to travel or board your plane, train or ferry. You may also be asked to show them when you arrive.

You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative COVID-19 test.

Find out more about providing a COVID-19 test result, including exemptions and acceptable types of test.

When you do not need to provide a negative COVID-19 test

You do not need a test if you’re travelling:

within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey

from Ireland

from Ascension, Falkland Islands, St Helena and Myanmar

Children under 11 do not need a test.

There are other reasons you might not need a test, for example:

you have a job on the ‘exempt jobs’ list

you’re travelling to the UK for medical reasons

you’re travelling from a country where you cannot access testing facilities

Read the guidance about:

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to England

taking a COVID-19 test before you travel to Scotland

You must still follow the rules for quarantining when you arrive in the UK.

You’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can enter the UK with either a passport or national identity card issued by an EEA country or Switzerland that should be valid for the whole of your stay.

From 1 October 2021, you will not be able to use an EEA or Swiss national identity card to enter the UK unless you:

have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme

have an EU Settlement Scheme family permit

have a Frontier Worker permit

are an S2 Healthcare Visitor

are a Swiss Service Provider

Check if you need a visa to come to the UK after 1 January 2021.

You’re not from an EEA country

You must have a valid passport to enter the UK. It should be valid for the whole of your stay.

You may also need a visa, depending on which country you’re from.

Check if you need a visa to enter the UK.

You may also need a visa if you’re ‘transiting’ or travelling through the UK, for example you’re changing flights at a UK airport.

Applying for a visa

You must apply for your visa before you arrive in the UK.

Travelling with children

You can prove this with:

a birth or adoption certificate showing your relationship with the child

divorce or marriage certificates if you’re the parent but have a different surname from the child

a letter from the child’s parent giving permission for the child to travel with you and providing contact details, if you’re not the parent

Before you board

You can ask to see the information about you that’s been sent by carriers.

At border control

You must wear a face covering at the airport, port or station you’re arriving into and follow social distancing rules.

You’ll need to show:

your passport or identity card

your proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test

your passenger locator form

You must:

have your passport or identity card ready - remove it from a holder or wallet if you use one

remove your face covering or sunglasses, if you’re wearing them

move through passport control together if you’re in a family

You will have to wait longer than usual at border control because of COVID-19.

Showing your passenger locator form

When you submit the form you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached. At border control you must show either a:

printed copy of the document

downloaded copy of document on your phone

Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully.

You may also need to show proof of a negative coronavirus test at the border. You could be fined up to £500 if you cannot show proof when asked.

Arriving by bus or coach

You have to leave the bus when you arrive at border control.

Make sure you:

are ready to get off the bus when you arrive

have your travel documents ready

Read the guidance for school parties and groups coming to the UK by coach.

If you’re from an EEA country or Switzerland

You can use the UK/EEA channel to get your passport or identity card checked - this is usually faster than the other channels.

The EEA includes the EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

These gates use facial recognition technology to check your identity against the photo in your passport.

If you’re from a non-EEA country

Your passport (and visa if you have one) will be checked at border control. You’ll usually be asked why you’re coming to the UK.

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates if you’re from:

Australia

Canada

Japan

New Zealand

Singapore

South Korea

United States

When you cannot use an ePassport gate

You must see a border control officer and get a stamp in your passport if you are entering the UK:

with a Tier 5 Creative or Sporting certificate of sponsorship for up to 3 months (and you want to enter without a visa)

on a permitted paid engagement

You cannot get a stamp if you use the ePassport gates. Without a stamp you will not be allowed to carry out the activities you came to the UK to do.

Registered Travellers

You can use the UK/EEA immigration lanes and the automatic ePassport gates.

Travelling with a UK biometric residence permit

You’ll have a biometric residence permit if your fingerprints were taken when you applied.

Your fingerprints will be checked at border control - they’ll be checked against the ones stored on your visa document.

If you’re refused entry

You’ll be told in writing:

why you’ve been refused entry to the UK

if you can appeal against the decision

when you will be removed from the UK

You’ll usually have to leave the UK immediately.

Baggage checks

You must co-operate if you’re stopped and asked about your baggage.

If you break the rules your goods and any vehicle you use to transport them may be seized.

If your baggage is checked

Your baggage is usually checked in front of you.

Customs officers keep a record of:

all baggage they open and check

any damage to your baggage or belongings during a check

If your things are damaged

You may be offered compensation if your baggage or belongings are damaged during a customs check.

Making a complaint

You can:

ask for the duty manager if you want to complain about a customs check while you’re at the border

send your complaint to Border Force if you want to complain later

Layovers and transiting through a UK airport

Passing through a UK airport while on the way to another country is called ‘transiting’. Some travellers call it a ‘layover’.

There are 2 types of transiting:

‘airside’ - you do not pass through UK border control before you leave on your connecting journey

‘landside’ - you do pass through UK border control, but come back through it and leave the UK within a short amount of time (usually 24 hours)

Find out if you need a UK visa for your layover.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing and quarantine

Before you travel you need to:

provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form

provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test

Check the rules for transiting.

Quarantining when you arrive in the UK

green list - you do not need to quarantine but you must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2

amber list - you must quarantine in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests

red list - you must quarantine in a hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests

You must follow these rules even if you have been vaccinated.

Find out which list the country you’ve been in is on and what you need to do.

Some people are exempt from some or all COVID-19 travel and entry requirements because of their jobs. Check if your job means you’re exempt.

Quarantine rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Find out what to do and whether you’re exempt if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

Ending quarantine early through Test to Release

You may be able to end quarantine early through the ‘Test to Release’ scheme if you pay for a private coronavirus (COVID-19) test.

You must still take the 2 COVID-19 tests you booked before you travelled. Find out more about the tests you must book and take.

You cannot use the Test to Release scheme if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list in the 10 days before you arrive in England.

This guidance is for England. Find out what to do if you’re:

travelling to Scotland

travelling to Wales

travelling to Northern Ireland

When you can take the private COVID-19 test

The earliest you can take a test is 5 days after you arrive in England. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, you can take a test from the following Saturday.

When you can stop quarantining

If the test is negative you can stop quarantining as soon as you get the result.

If you’re living or staying with someone in the UK they should also self-isolate for 10 days, starting from the day you took the test.

You may be fined up to £10,000 if you do not quarantine when you need to. You can be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine on time.

What you’ll need

Before arriving in England, you’ll need to:

book a test with an eligible private provider

say that you’ll be using the Test to Release scheme on the passenger locator form