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This policy outlines the principles and procedures governing tuition fees at City St George’s, including student obligations, payment schedules, instalment options, refund eligibility, and consequences for non‑payment.

2026 Policy

Owing to the merger between City, University of London and St George's, University of London the following separate policies are applicable for 2026:

2027 Policy

Download the City St George's fee assessment policy applicable for the 2027 admissions cycle.

Purpose

This policy is to provide a clear and consistent framework for the assessment of tuition fee for applicants and students in accordance with the relevant statutory fee regulations.

Scope

This policy is applicable to all applicants to the University and remains relevant through their time as a registered student.

Principles

City St George’s, University of London (the "University") determines the tuition fee status of applicants and/or students in accordance with the Fee Regulations.

The Fee Regulations allow publicly funded education institutions to charge fees to Students who are classed as having Overseas fee status at a different or higher rate than those classed as Home unless they fulfil certain residence and immigration status criteria set out in the Fees Regulations.

A breakdown of the Fee Regulations and further advice is available at www.ukcisa.org.uk.

This Fee Status Assessment Policy should be read in conjunction with the University's Admissions Policy.

The assessment of an applicant’s fee status is made independently of the University's academic assessment of their application to study on their chosen course.

The University does not make decisions on the fee status of an applicant before an application is received.

Where an applicant’s fee status is clear, given the requirements of the Regulations, the University will not reassess an applicant counter to the Regulations.

An applicant's or student’s fee status is based on the residence and immigration status criteria set out in the Fee Regulations and therefore any other terminology employed (‘Home’/’Overseas’) may not have any relation to a person’s residence or immigration status or other rights in the context of any fee status decision by the University under this Fee Status Assessment Policy.

Should an applicant or student, their nominated representative, agent, or any other third party acting on an applicant’s or student's behalf omit any requested or relevant information or provide false or misleading statements or documentation during the applicant's application, during any appeal or review, or after the outcome of their fee status decision, the University reserves the right to withdraw the offer or the place of study, change the fee status or terminate a student’s registration, and refer any concerns regarding an applicant's application or fee questionnaire to be investigated under the University's Fraudulent Applications Policy.

Roles and responsibilities

The relevant Admissions Team, supported by Senior Admissions Staff in the case of a review or an appeal, are responsible for assessing fee status. These responsibilities are described in more detail in the next section of this policy.

Procedure

Initial Fee Assessment Procedure

On receipt of any Undergraduate or Postgraduate Taught application for admission to the University, an applicant’s fee status will normally be assessed by an Admissions Officer and is based upon the information provided within the application against the residence and immigration criteria set by the Fees Regulations.

When the University can determine an applicant’s fee status from the information in the application, it will be confirmed in the offer letter, stating whether the applicant has been assessed as Home or Overseas. Unless a review or appeal changes this decision, the applicant will be responsible for paying the fee rate that applies to their status when they register.

Where it is not possible for the University to determine an applicant’s fee status from the information in the application, the University may require the applicant to provide further information or evidence of their residence or immigration status including requiring the applicant to complete and return a fee questionnaire to the relevant Admissions Team as indicated on correspondence.

If an applicant has been requested to submit a fee questionnaire as part of their offer, they must respond within 10 working days. If an applicant is unable to provide requested information within the 10 working days stipulated, the University may offer an extension if in its opinion there are reasonable grounds to do so. This will be no longer than a further 10 working days and is at the University's discretion. If the University does not hear from an applicant within the 10 working days or receives an incomplete fee questionnaire or no extension is agreed, then the University will complete its decision based on the information provided by the applicant at that date.

Additional information may be requested if the fee status cannot be determined by the further information provided on the fee status questionnaire.

If the applicant does not return the fee questionnaire in the period requested by the University during the application cycle their fee status classification will be determined as Overseas, if in the reasonable opinion of the University they do not meet the residence and immigration criteria required for Home fee status in the Fee Regulations.

Fee status decisions by the University are based on the circumstances as they are on the Relevant Date. If the applicant believes their circumstances have changed between the date of assessment and the Relevant Date, and this could affect the outcome of their fee status assessment, it is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the University of the change in circumstances. It is the University’s responsibility to determine whether the change in circumstances effects the applicant’s fee status.

If the applicant later provides information which changes their fee status, but that information was already available at the time your original fee assessment was made, the University reserves the right not to initiate a review of its fee status decision and to retain any monies previously paid toward the Overseas fees due from the applicant or student.

Any changes in fee status classification during the course will apply only at the following Relevant Date applicable to the applicant's course and will not be applied retrospectively. Students requesting a review post registration on their course must note clause 37 below. If an applicant accepts their offer and has already been told their fee status, they have ten working days from the date they receive that decision to request a review. If they do not request a review within those ten days:

  • They are considered to have accepted the fee status decision
  • They will be charged the fees that apply to that status when they register.

If an applicant does not seek a review within the ten working days, any review will only be initiated at the discretion of the University and, where in the University's reasonable opinion exceptional circumstances exist.

The University will aim to determine the fee status of all applicants prior to registration. If an applicant’s fee status is not determined at the point of registration, the fee status will be set to Overseas subject to the outcome of any ongoing review and/or appeal. This step will normally be taken by the University on the Relevant Date applicable to the applicant's course.

If an applicant's fee status has been determined as Overseas but still subject to review or appeal at the Relevant Date the applicant will be required to register as a student with Overseas fee status to gain access to the University's facilities, both physical and electronic. However, the terms of clause 26 of this Fee Status Assessment Policy shall apply should their review or appeal be upheld.

The applicant or student will be sent or copied into all communication by the University regardless of whomsoever provides the information or conducts the dialogue.

Fee Assessment Review and Appeals

If an applicant disagrees with the University's fee status decision, they are entitled to request a review and if the applicant remains dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, seek an appeal. The University will ensure that all reviews and appeals are treated equitably and consistently.

The University will aim to ensure that all reviews and appeals are conducted promptly and, in principle, within 15 working days of receipt of the request for review or appeal. If the review or appeal is likely to take longer, then the applicant will be informed of this.

Reviews or appeals which dispute the Fee Regulations themselves cannot be considered.

Anonymous requests for review or appeal will not be considered.

Review

A review is a request for reconsideration of the University's fee status decision following the submission of documentation by an applicant.

If an applicant requests a review, the request should be made, in writing, with an explanation of why a review should be undertaken within 10 working days of the initial fee assessment decision being received by the applicant.

If the University determines that the applicant's grounds for review are upheld, their fee status will be amended, and any fee adjustment and reimbursement will be made with 28 days of the review decision. If the University determines there are no grounds for a change, then the reasons will be provided in writing, and the original fee status will be retained.

Third party requests for review will only be considered where the third party is authorised in writing by the applicant or student. Nominated representatives on a UCAS form are considered to have been authorised. The applicant is deemed responsible for any information, provided during a review or appeal, by their nominated representative or agent. This includes the accuracy and veracity of the information. The applicant will be copied into all correspondence.

Apart from in circumstances where the University has determined (in its reasonable opinion) that a student has disclosed relevant exceptional circumstances, the University will not initiate a review of a student's fee status post registration other than in the circumstances already provided in this Policy.

Appeal

Applicants or students may only submit an appeal if they have previously requested a review but were refused or been through a completed review using the processes described above.

An appeal may be submitted on the following grounds:

  • That new material circumstances and evidence relating to the applicant's or student's residence, or immigration status is available for consideration which, for good reason, was not available at the time of the University's decision to classify the applicant’s or student’s fee status.
  • That there was a procedural error which has resulted in the University reaching an incorrect decision to classify the applicant’s or student’s fee status.
  • There was bias or a perception of bias.

Applicants or students must submit an appeal in writing within ten working days of receiving the University's review decision by following the guidance in the outcome correspondence.

On receipt of an appeal, the admissions team will consider whether the request meets the required grounds for an appeal. If grounds for appeal are met, the case will be referred to Senior Admissions Staff and notification of this will be made in writing.

If grounds for appeal are not met the applicant or student will be notified with reasoning in writing, and their appeal shall be concluded.

The appeal shall be reviewed by Senior Admissions Staff who have not been involved in any previous stage of the fee status assessment process. Senior Admissions Staff will consider all the information provided during the process.

The outcome of the appeal will normally be provided within 15 working days of receipt of the appeal. If this is not possible, the applicant or student will be informed of the expected timescale.

If the fee assessment appeal is upheld or partially upheld the applicant's or student's fees status will be amended, and any required fee adjustments and reimbursements will be implemented by the University within 28 days of that appeal decision. If the fee assessment appeal is not upheld, the original fee status will be retained.

An appeal decision is final, and an applicant or student will not have any right to appeal further within the University.

If following an appeal, a student remains dissatisfied, they may refer their appeal or complaint to The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (the OIA) following receipt of a Completion of Procedures Letter. An applicant is not eligible to appeal to the OIA until they become a registered student.

Advice and guidance

Applicants and students who wish to discuss their fee status assessment should contact their relevant Admissions team in the first instance. Further guidance, including a breakdown of the fee regulations, is available externally from UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs).

Failure to comply

All applicants to the University must comply with this policy. An applicant may not register with the University without a defined fee status or without becoming liable for the payment of course fees at a level determined by the University's fee status decision. Applicants or students who feel the University is in breach of this policy can follow the reviews and appeals process outlined in section 6.

Review

The policy is reviewed by the Director of Admissions, supported by the Admissions team, and is approved by the University Senate, chaired by the President of the University. The policy is reviewed on an annual basis.