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Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, said undergraduates from EU countries are eligible for home fee status, which means they are charged the same tuition fees as UK students.
Mr Hinds said: “Students from the EU make an important contribution to the universities sector and it is a testament to our system that so many students from abroad choose to come and study here.
“Today we are providing clarity and certainty on their fees for the duration of their courses.”
The Education Secretary has also committed to freezing the maximum amount a university can charge in tuition fees at £9,250 a year in 2019.
The decision to keep tuition fees at their current rate comes after a survey of more than 14,000 students showed just 38 per cent believed they had good or very good value for money from their course.
It also followed Theresa May’s decision to increase the salary threshold at which graduates begin repaying their student debt from £21,000 a year to £25,000.
Mr Hinds said: “We’ve already raised the amount of money graduates need to earn before starting to pay back their student loans, and freezing tuition fees for another year is another example of the steps the government is taking to support those in higher education.”
EU nationals will also remain eligible to apply for Research Council PhD studentships at UK institutions for 2018 to 2019 to help cover costs for the duration of their study.
Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson welcomed the move and highlighted the government’s commitment to the UK’s world-class higher education sector.
Mr Johnson said:“Through our modern industrial strategy and the additional £4.7 billion committed for research and innovation over the next 5 years, we are ensuring the UK has the skills and environment it needs to continue leading the way in academia and research.
“A key part of our success is attracting talent from across the globe.
“ This will provide reassurance to the brightest minds from across Europe to continue applying to study in the UK, safe in the knowledge financial assistance is available if needed.”
However, the migration status of EU nationals in the UK is still being discussed as part of wider discussions with the EU.
Theresa May was clear in her letter to the President of the European Council that that the UK should seek an early agreement on the rights of UK nationals in the EU and EU nationals in the UK, on a reciprocal basis.
81% of students studying in higher education in the UK are from the UK, 6% are from the rest of the EU and 13% are from the rest of the world.
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