Are you eligible for scholar finance?

Uncertain when you can apply for scholar finance? We take a look at the eligibility standards, and who qualifies for residence charges within the UK.

Sophie Rogers21 Feb 2022

Eligibility for scholar finance within the UK

Your eligibility for a scholar mortgage is dependent upon various various factors, comparable to the place you reside and what you’re finding out. ’Residence price standing’ is decided by the place you usually dwell, however the tuition price that you just’re charged additionally is dependent upon the place you examine. In Scotland and Northern Eire, college students from the remainder of the UK (RUK) are charged extra.

The next is a top level view of the widespread eligibility standards for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Eire. Scholar finance eligibility could be complicated – significantly concerning residency. This text is meant as a abstract solely. For full particulars, please confer with the related scholar finance physique to your nation or, when you dwell abroad, to the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).

The place you reside – normal residence standards

The place you usually dwell earlier than you begin finding out usually determines whether or not you’re eligible for residence price standing, tuition price or upkeep (residing price) assist. Your ‘residency’ is predicated on residing repeatedly in a nation or area, normally for 3 years. In case you moved solely for training your residency could also be deemed to be the place you lived beforehand.

Under, we cowl the scholar finance eligibility for UK college students, college students from throughout the EEA/EU territories (together with UK nationals), and worldwide college students.

In case you’re within the UK

To use for full scholar finance in one of many UK’s 4 nations (England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Eire), the next should apply:

• You have to be a UK nationwide, Irish citizen or have ‘settled standing’ i.e. with no restriction on how lengthy you may keep within the UK
• You could even have lived within the UK or its islands (the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man) for the three years earlier than your course begins
• You could apply to the nation the place you usually dwell to get scholar finance. In case you moved to a distinct UK nation due to finding out there, that does not rely as being ‘ordinarily resident’

Full scholar finance consists of tuition price loans and upkeep loans to your residing prices. In case you’ve been quickly overseas, or away with the UK Armed Forces, you are normally nonetheless eligible for assist.

In case you do not meet the overall residence standards above, there are some exceptions the place you should still be capable of apply for scholar finance. For instance, if:

• You or a detailed relative dwell within the UK and are recognised as a refugee, or have been granted humanitarian safety
• You’re staying within the UK as a stateless individual, having lived legally within the UK for 3 years earlier than your course

Non permanent absence

In case you’ve been away from the UK within the three years earlier than you begin your course, you should still be eligible for assist. You’ll must proof that you just usually and lawfully lived and have been settled within the UK throughout that interval, other than short-term or occasional absences.

• Brief durations of absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, or taking a niche 12 months, shouldn’t have an effect on your eligibility
• Non permanent employment exterior the realm could also be acceptable, relying on the character of the job, how lengthy you have been overseas and within the UK, and whether or not you maintained a residence within the UK all through
• In case you’re a UK-resident away with the UK Armed Forces, or a direct member of the family, you must be capable of apply for funding assist from the nation the place you usually lived earlier than you enlisted, until you’ve completely moved elsewhere.

For college students with pre-settled standing beneath the EU settlement scheme, absence of greater than six months in complete from any 12-month interval might break your interval of steady residence.

There’s no rule of thumb for what counts as a brief absence. All choices are made by scholar finance funding our bodies on a case-by-case foundation, on the premise that they need to rise up in a courtroom of legislation – though their choices could be appealed. For steering, confer with UKCISA.

Scholar finance eligibility after Brexit

The transition interval for Brexit ended on 31 December 2020. For programs beginning after 1 August 2021, the coverage for England is printed under, with different UK nations being broadly related.

EU college students from exterior the UK

For programs beginning on or after 1 August 2021, when you’re an EU scholar residing exterior the UK you’ll not be capable of get a tuition price mortgage from the UK. You’re additionally more likely to be charged the identical tuition charges as different worldwide college students.

Nevertheless, in 2021/22 some universities are providing transitional assist comparable to EU charges or EU scholarships, to maintain charges according to earlier years. These might apply for a single 12 months or the length of the course, relying on the college.

EU Settlement Scheme

In case you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen residing within the UK and also you registered with the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) by 30 June 2021, you then’ll proceed to be eligible for UK residence price standing.

Relying on how lengthy you’ve lived within the UK (together with the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man), you possibly can be granted one in every of two statuses:

• Settled standing is awarded when you’ve already lived within the UK for 5 steady years
• Pre-settled standing is awarded for something lower than 5 years; when you attain 5 years residence within the UK you may apply for settled standing

These decide your scholar finance eligibility – however guidelines differ throughout the UK nations.

• Settled standing: you’re more likely to be eligible for tuition price and upkeep assist when you’ve lived within the UK and its islands for the three years earlier than you begin your course
• Pre-settled standing in England: when you’re an EU nationwide you need to be eligible for tuition price assist when you meet residency situations, whereas EEA and Swiss ‘frontier’ or migrant staff (and relations) might get tuition price and upkeep assist (they’ll want to substantiate their work standing) – former EEA and Swiss migrant staff are additionally eligible
• Pre-settled standing in different UK nations: as above, besides EU college students can also qualify for upkeep assist. For instance, EU college students who usually dwell in Scotland and have lived within the UK and islands for 3 years earlier than the beginning of their course

You need to apply for scholar finance from the UK nation the place you reside i.e. England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Eire.

Relations becoming a member of somebody with ‘settled’ standing

In case you’re a detailed member of the family of somebody within the UK who has settled standing, chances are you’ll be eligible to hitch them.

The definition of ‘shut household’ means partner, civil associate or ‘direct descendent’ comparable to a toddler or grandchild. In some instances, it could additionally rely on when that ‘relationship’ started – and it should nonetheless be ongoing whenever you begin your course.

The definition of ‘settled’ means somebody who’s usually resident within the UK, with no restriction on how lengthy they’ll stay. This consists of British residents and other people with settled standing beneath the EU Settlement Scheme. You may nonetheless apply to hitch relations beneath the EU Settlement Scheme – see Government guidance for particulars.

In case you be a part of a member of the family within the UK and are resident within the UK and islands for 3 years earlier than the beginning of your course – and also you’re not solely resident for the aim of training – chances are you’ll be eligible for residence charges. You may additionally be eligible for tuition price assist. Your course have to be taken within the UK and begin after 2022/23.

The above applies when you’re finding out in England. For different UK nations, verify with their scholar finance physique – Scholar Finance Wales, Scholar Finance Northern Eire, or the Scholar Awards Company Scotland.

Irish residents residing within the UK or Eire

Irish residents primarily based within the UK or Eire are lined by the Widespread Journey Space settlement.

To qualify for residence price standing and tuition price assist, you should have lived within the UK or Eire for the three years earlier than the beginning of your course. You would additionally get upkeep assist when you’ve lived within the UK for the three years earlier than the beginning of your course.

Irish residents residing within the EEA, Switzerland or EU abroad territories

Irish residents who dwell within the EEA or Switzerland should still be eligible for residence price standing and tuition price loans in England for programs beginning earlier than 1 January 2028, in the event that they meet the next standards:

• Residing within the EEA or Switzerland on 31 December 2020 (or had moved again to the UK instantly after residing within the EEA or Switzerland), and
• Residing within the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at the very least the final three years, and
• Residing repeatedly in these areas between 31 December 2020 and the beginning of their course

Irish residents in EU abroad territories (such because the Canary Islands, Madeira, Greenland) shall be eligible for residence price standing in England till 1 January 2028. They’ll must have lived within the UK, EEA, Switzerland or abroad territories within the three years earlier than the beginning of their course.

The above applies when you’re finding out in England. For different UK nations, verify with their scholar finance physique – Scholar Finance Wales, Scholar Finance Northern Eire, or the Scholar Awards Company Scotland.

UK nationals residing within the EEA or Switzerland

UK nationals (or shut relations) who dwell within the EEA or Switzerland could also be eligible for residence price standing, tuition price and upkeep assist, relying on their residency. The factors embody:

• Residing within the EEA or Switzerland on 31 December 2020 (or having moved again to the UK instantly after residing within the EEA or Switzerland), and
• Residing within the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at the very least the final three years, and
• Residing repeatedly in these areas between 31 December 2020 and the beginning of their course

This is applicable for any course ranging from 1 August 2021 till 1 January 2028 in England.

Different UK nations align broadly with England, aside from Scotland. Right here, UK nationals from the EEA or Switzerland will solely get tuition price assist until they – or their mum or dad or partner – beforehand lived in Scotland. In that case, they’d even be eligible for upkeep assist. For particulars, verify with the Scholar Awards Company Scotland (SAAS).

UK nationals residing within the EU abroad territories

In case you’re a UK nationwide (or shut member of the family) residing within the EU abroad territories on 31 December 2020, you’ll proceed to be eligible for residence price standing in England on programs that begin earlier than 1 January 2028.

UK nationals residing in British Abroad Territories

In case you’re a UK nationwide (or shut member of the family) residing in one of many British Abroad Territories, you must qualify for residence price standing. You probably have ‘settled standing’ on arrival within the UK (for instance when you’re a British citizen) you might also be eligible for a tuition price mortgage. In each instances, you’ll must have lived within the UK, its islands or the British Abroad Territories for the three years earlier than your course begins.

In case you’re from Gibraltar

In case you’re from Gibraltar, chances are you’ll be eligible for residence charges and tuition price assist on programs beginning earlier than 1 January 2028. You’ll must have lived within the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland for the three years main as much as the beginning of your course.

Crown Dependencies

After Brexit, college students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man (referred to as the Crown Dependencies) shall be eligible for residence price standing in England from 2021/22 onwards. This shall be on the premise of getting three years residency within the UK or above islands.

Worldwide college students

Universities and schools will normally cost you larger charges than residence college students. These fluctuate by establishment and in addition by sort in fact – you may verify particular person course charges on our course chooser. Make sure you set your location to show the proper price.

You’re unlikely to be eligible for monetary assist from the UK scholar loans system until you meet one of many residence exceptions outlined above. In case you qualify for scholar finance on these grounds, you are thought of a house scholar and tuition charges can be charged accordingly.

For any queries about visas and scholar finance eligibility for worldwide college students, confer with UKCISA.

Worldwide college students

Universities and schools will normally cost you larger charges than residence college students. These fluctuate by establishment and in addition by sort in fact – you may verify particular person course charges on our course chooser. Make sure you set your location to show the proper price.

You’re unlikely to be eligible for monetary assist from the UK scholar loans system until you meet one of many residence exceptions outlined above. In case you qualify for scholar finance on these grounds, you are thought of a house scholar and tuition charges can be charged accordingly.

For any queries about visas and scholar finance eligibility for worldwide college students, confer with UKCISA.