EEA and Swiss Nationals
The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the following countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Note that Switzerland is not part of the EU or EEA but does have a bilateral agreement with the EU which provides certain rights to students.
Before arrival
Make sure you have one of the following documents:
- a valid passport
or - a national identity card
Entry to the UK
If you are an EEA national and have been accepted onto a course of study, you are entitled to enter the UK freely and have the right of residence for the duration of your programme. You may also want to apply for a residence permit during your stay in the UK (although this is not compulsory). For further information refer to the UKCISA EEA and Swiss students page.
Dependants
If your partner and children are EEA nationals they are free to join you in the UK. If they are not EEA nationals then your partner and dependent children under the age of 21 years will usually be able to join you but will need to apply for an EEA family permit from the British Embassy or High Commission where they are living.
Employment
EU and EEA nationals are free to work in the UK. For further information refer to the UKCISA EEA and Swiss students page. If you are Bulgarian or Romanian national and want to work beofre 1 January 2014, you will need to apply for a student registrarion certificate, on form BR1. Please see the UKCISA link for more information on this.