President Alice Gast has repeatedly affirmed that “Imperial is, and will remain, a European university”. Imperial is providing staff and students with support and regular updates as we work to mitigate and manage the considerable uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process. Our European ambitions remain undimmed. We are growing our European collaborations. We are working to influence decision-makers in Westminster and Brussels as we campaign for access to European research networks and immigration reform that will allow science to thrive.

Latest News

The current political situation is fast-moving and uncertain. This page and our FAQs will be updated regularly with key developments.

If you would like to receive our regular Brexit Briefings, please contact a.wolthuizen@imperial.ac.uk. You can also access past Brexit Briefings in our archive. (login required)

• Parliament has voted to delay the vote on the new Brexit deal until all legislation to implement the deal is passed. This is to avoid a no deal-Brexit by accident. The government is now expected to introduce this legislation next week. 

• The vote to delay also means that the Prime Minister must now request a further extension from the EU. 

• Government has re-confirmed immigration arrangements for EU citizens in case of a no deal Brexit which will allow EU citizens arriving after Brexit to stay for three years through the European Temporary Leave to Remain scheme. More detail is set out in our Support for staff FAQs. EU citizens and their families living in the UK before Brexit continue to have until at least 31 December 2020 to apply to he EU Settlement Scheme for settled/pre-settled status. Imperial continues to support staff applications. More detail can be found in the EU Settlement Scheme FAQs.

What happens next?

• Week c/ 21 October  Further votes in Parliament                         
• 31 October                   The UK will have had to pass a deal, leave without a deal or request a further extension
• 31 January                  Any Brexit extension would last until at least this date 

No Deal Guarantees

Despite the present Brexit uncertainty a number of guarantees are in place whether the UK leaves the EU with a deal or without one:

• The government will protect the rights of EU/EEA citizens currently living in the UK. Hundreds of our colleagues successfully applied for settled or pre-settled status through the EU Settlement Scheme, and Imperial is continuing to support staff. EU citizens will be able to enter the UK to visit, work or study after the UK leaves the EU. For stays longer than 3 months, European Temporary Leave to Remain will be required. See our staff FAQs page.

• The government will underwrite all existing EU research funding from Horizon 2020, including existing ERC and MSCA grants. Future Horizon 2020 funding open to third-country participants will also be underwritten. We are urging the government to clarify the status of future ERC and MSCA grants. We continue to support new applications. See our staff FAQs page.

• EU students starting an undergraduate or postgraduate course in 2019/20 and 2020/21 will still be eligible for home fee status and for financial support as at present. See our students' FAQ page.

• The EU has confirmed that under a no deal-Brexit UK nationals will be able to enter the EU visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period after the UK leaves the EU, provided EU nationals enjoy the same conditions when travelling to the UK. The UK government has already confirmed that in the event of no-deal EU nationals will be able to stay in the UK for up to 90 days in any 180 day period without a visa.