University of London affiliates say Brexit will not affect EU student fees until 2019

Several University of London affiliates have pledged that fees for European Union students would remain the same as those for UK students, in some cases up to the academic year of 2018-19, after Britons voted to leave the EU in a referendum on 23 June.

Goldsmiths College, School of Oriental and African Studies and Queen Mary University of London spokespersons confirmed the move to IBTimes UK.

Patrick Loughrey, dean of London's Goldsmiths University, said the educational institution will continue to fund student and staff mobility across the globe for the next three years amid uncertainty in higher education over funding for schemes like Erasmus+.

"We are proud of our diverse community and we are also renowned for building friendships across the world. The referendum result will not change this. I can confirm that fees for EU member state students would remain the same as those for UK students up to and including the academic year 2018-2019."

Simon Gaskell, president and principal of Queen Mary University of London, added: "I can assure EU students enrolled at our institution and those who were considering applying here this autumn; that their tuition fees would stay at the rate for home students, no matter what."

Wider reassurance has also been arriving from the UK government. Jo Johnson, the minister of state for universities and science, tweeted on Monday (27 June) that: "UK welcomes EU students. Current students and this autumn's applicants will continue to receive student finance for duration of their course.

At present, EU applicants to UK universities are entitled to identical procedures, tuition fees (currently in the region of £9,000 per year), and student loan facilities as home students. A spokesperson for the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills said further advice would be issued in due course.