Just got European citizenship - does the open up (cheap) European universities

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A family member has just got citizenship in a European country for her kids (via a grandparent). Does that mean they can access European universities and their much cheaper tuition fees?? Or would they be viewed as overseas students and have to pay higher fees? The family live in the UK. Many thanks.

I think you'll be eligible for any courses with EU citizen fees.

DS1 is in Holland, paying EU fees - we have french citizenship - there's no residence requirement like in the UK, he will also get a non means-tested grant this year + free health insurance + free travel (yay).

DS 2 will probably stay in France where it's the same story - EU citizens and every one else, though you won't get grants which are for tax payers only and are very means-tested

As above.
Be aware though that in many countries student life and the whole university experience is very different from the UK.
I'm in Italy, my niece is starting uni in Milan on Thursday and will be paying over €1000 rent for a room in the far outskirts of the city.
Some of my students have gone to the Netherlands and had a very good student life experience but accommodation is difficult to find. (one student had to not accept her place as they simply couldn't find her anywhere to live)
My daughter (UK/Italian) never really seriously considered uni here, but applied and was accepted in Ireland and Sweden. She chose Bath in the end.
Lots of research needed- and to get priorities in place- what sort of experience is important, courses in English or the home language etc. Entry tests - here in Italy the good universities ask for an entry test held a couple of times a year as well as exam results. The not so good ones just have "open courses" where anyone who finishes school can go. The former are very competitive.

My dc have EU passports and we are looking to apply for dd for the Netherlands next year.

I have heard it’s increasingly difficult to find accommodation. Dh was saying last night that we could buy a house there. We’ve been thinking about moving back anyway as we used to live in NL. Not sure dc would want to spend their entire time at uni living with us!

The experience is very different, a friend is in the Netherlands for masters and hates it, no student life, accommodation was expensive and hard to find, course is in English but other students blank her despite the fact she speaks passable Dutch

I think for many countries it depends on where you live

I though for the Netherlands you would need an EU passport and to be resident in the EU. So if living in France with a Dutch (or other EU) passport, you could go to the Netherlands for the same fees as home Dutch students, but not if living in the UK even with Dutch passport

I would be pleased to hear this is wrong though if someone knows better...?

DS had a difficult time finding a room in his second year - there are halls for international students in the first year, spent a couple of months finding something and yes it's expensive, nearly 800 EUR but this year he'll get 450 from the Dutch govt plus jobs very easy to find, even speaking no Dutch at all, so it evens out a bit.

I'd say the level of pastoral care is on a par with what I had in the UK in the 90s, ie not much but not nothing, so you do have to be quite autonomous.

Even with the accomodation it's going to be a lot cheaper than a UK uni because the fees are 1k first year then 2 this year. Plus of course the degrees are recognised everywhere in the EU unlike UK ones.

From 2026 a Polish citizen will have to work & pay taxes ( or his parents for several years) and live in Poland to have free university access.
So until then... free uni

Lots of places tightening the rules. The Netherlands are going to start teaching a certain number of lessons/courses in Dutch

You need to check up the rules and regulations for each individual country

Some countries will require you to have language qualifications whereas others teach more courses in English.

DD did University in Sweden and graduated a couple of years ago. Accommodation can be a big issue in many traditional University towns and many would be students register on accommodation waiting lists when they are 16. Housing can be a lot cheaper though if you get enough queuing points - DD shared an apartment in her final year with 2 friends and it cost her less than £200 a month including heating.

I think it will be different in different countries. In my countries students need to be fluent in the language to be able to enroll in the normal classes. dont think citizenships play any role at all.

@DiDonk thanks that’s very interesting. Why does your ds get €450 euros? And that’s good to hear about jobs. I’m really hoping she goes and ends up settling there (she’s been studying Dutch alongside a-levels) and gives the uk a swerve.

We are in Belgium and there are limited English language degrees. Dd's tuition is about 800 euros a year. (2500 euros for non EU) There are no grants or loans available unless very low income family. Many kids stay at home and go to local Uni/college. Accommodation is hard to find and expensive apart from very limited places offered by the Unis. And then everyone seems to go home at the weekend! I was shocked that Thursday night is party night and at the weekend the campus is dead.

I think it's a cost of living thing, there's various grants and so on but they are means tested. This is just temporary but universal, at least I hope so as haven't had anything yet.

On the whole he's having a good time, the teaching is good and there's an interesting international mix of students.

Hope your DD takes the plunge if she wants to!