UKCISA - international student advice and guidance

Basics

Last modified: 17 August 2016

Government Student Support provision exists in each of the four UK countries, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The rules about eligibility for Student Support are broadly similar in each case. However, there are some significant differences between each country, and the type/level of financial support available varies.

You apply for support from the government of the UK country in which you normally reside; this may be different from the country you choose to study in.

After eligibility has been established, the relevant authority will assess your, and/or your family's, income to calculate the level of support to which you are entitled. We cannot describe the calculations used to assess levels of support; information on this is contained in guidance issued by the relevant government department or agency.

Certain courses attract additional help or alternative support. If you are in financial hardship, and you are eligible for Student Support, you might be able to apply for further help through your institution. They can access additional Government support such as Access to Learning Funds (England), Discretionary Funds (Scotland), Financial Contingency Funds (Wales), and Support Funds (Northern Ireland).

The Student Support package also includes extra grants for students with particular needs, for example disabled students and those with dependants.

Eligible courses

Last modified: 13 September 2018

Undergraduate Student Support is only available if you are studying on a designated course, namely:

an undergraduate degree
a Higher National Diploma (HND) / Certificate (HNC)
a Diploma of Higher Education
a teacher training course

In Scotland, undergraduate Student Support is also available for a Certificate in Higher Education or a Diploma / Advanced Diploma.

All of the above are higher education (HE) undergraduate courses. If you are studying on a HE postgraduate course, see our info on Government Student Support for postgraduate study.

If you are studying on a further education (FE) course, check with your institution whether any funding is available.

You may not be eligible if you have previously received Student Support (or a mandatory award) to study a HE course. The same applies if you have already studied a course at the same or lower level, including qualifications you have obtained in other countries.

Funding for healthcare courses

Last modified: 18 August 2017

Admission on healthcare courses, such as Nursing or Midwifery, can depend very much on whether you will be granted funding. In England, the former NHS Bursary scheme has now closed to new applicants (ie those starting in August 2017 onwards). However, students on eligible healthcare courses can apply for the general Student Support available to other students.

If you wish to follow a healthcare course as a full fee-paying student, check with the institution in advance if they accept fee-paying students onto the course.

NHS bursary reform

Applying for NHS bursaries, or new 2017-onwards funding

Incorrectly refused, and those not eligible

Last modified: 28 March 2018

If your application for Student Support is refused, you should ask for the reasons for the refusal in writing. If you feel you have been refused incorrectly, you can normally challenge the decision. This will usually involve telephoning, or writing to, the official who informed you of the refusal. You should explain why you think the decision is wrong.

If you are still not satisfied, you can formally appeal against the decision but first you should speak to an adviser at your institution, your Students' Union, or on our Student Advice Line.

Read our information on EEA/Swiss migrant workers if you have been refused following an application to be considered as an EEA/Swiss worker, or as the family member of such a worker.

If you are not eligible for Government Student Support, you may wish to read our information about scholarships and funding your studies, as well as how to manage the cost of living in the UK.

If you did not originally think you would need financial support, but you have now experienced a change in your financial circumstances, you should read our information about unexpected financial hardship.

Applying in England: Basics

Last modified: 13 April 2018

You must meet all of the conditions of at least one of the categories outlined below in Applying in England: Who is entitled?.

You should apply to Student Finance England. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts but you must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

The UK government produces the England Student Support regulations, and accompanying guidance, for students and assessors. You can read its guidance for practitioners, which can be useful if you are refused Student Support and you do not agree with that decision.

If you do not meet all of the requirements of a category at the start of your course, you may still become entitled to support later on if you experience a relevant change of circumstances. If you are unsure about whether you have become entitled to Student Support, or if you need further information, speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union, or on our students' advice line.

Applying in England: Who is entitled?

Last modified: 03 May 2019

Student Support is, broadly speaking, composed of:

a loan for tuition fees;
a loan for living costs;
certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students;
a non-repayable maintenance grant. If you are eligible for a full maintenance grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

If you meet all the requirements of one or more of the following categories, you will be entitled to some level, and amount, of Student Support. This is only a brief summary of persons who are entitled.

If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to Student Support, or if you need further information, speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union, or on our students' advice line.

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1. England: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. England: EU nationals and family

3. England: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

Depending on which conditions you satisfy under this category, you may be eligible for either full Student Support or only the loan for tuition fees. To be eligible:

(a) you must be an EU national, but not a UK national, on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

for the grant/loan for tuition fees, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course; or
for full Student Support, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the five-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course (unless you made your application for Student Support, or have previously been assessed as eligible for support, before 25 March 2016, in which case you only need to have been ordinarily resident for a three-year period);

and

(d) if during any part of the period in (c) [above], the main purpose for your residence was to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK or elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately prior to that period of ordinary residence in the UK and Islands. It does not matter if you were in the EEA and/or Switzerland mainly in order to receive full-time education during this earlier period.

Notes:

If you become an EU national because your country joins the EU, you are treated as if you were an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, even if you started the course before your country joined the EU. Seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.
If you do not meet the requirement in (c) to have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three/five years because you have, instead, been ordinarily resident elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland, see category 2 (above) for an alternative possible provision.

4. England: People with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. England: Non-UK EEA and Swiss workers, and family

6. England: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA/Switzerland

7. England: Child of a Swiss national

8. England: Child of Turkish worker

9. England: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a refugee and have been in that relationship on the date on which he/she made his/her application for asylum; or
be the child of such a refugee, or the child of such a refugee's spouse / civil partner, and be able to show that on the date that refugee made his/her application for asylum, you were:
- under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

If your permission to be in the UK has run out, you are still eligible for Student Support if you can show that you applied to extend or change your immigration status before your permission to be here expired, and you are still waiting for a decision on that application, or that you are in the process of appealing against a Home Office decision to refuse you further immigration permission.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or your own spouse / civil partner is, granted refugee status after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

The Immigration Rules revoke someone's Refugee Status once s/he subsequently obtains a new nationality, eg when a refugee gains British citizenship. If you have, or a relevant family member has, Refugee Status and you are, or the person with that status is, considering applying for British (or any other) citizenship, you should be aware that such an application could have an effect on your fees status or your eligibility for Student Support.

10. England: People granted humanitarian protection, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

a "person granted humanitarian protection", which means a person:
- who has been granted leave to remain in the UK under the Immigration Rules, on the grounds of 'humanitarian protection'; and
- whose leave to remain is 'extant', or in respect of whose leave to remain an appeal is pending; and
- who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since being granted their humanitarian protection;

the spouse or civil partner of a "person granted humanitarian protection" (as above), and you must have been the spouse or civil partner of that person on the date on which they applied for asylum;

the child of a "person granted humanitarian protection" (as above), or a child of that person's spouse or civil partner, and, at the time the person granted humanitarian protection applied for asylum, you must have been under 18 years old and the child of that person or of someone who was the spouse or civil partner of that person on that date;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

Notes:

If the immigration permission of the "person granted humanitarian protection" has run out, he/she (or an appropriate family member of that person, as in (b)2. and (b)3. above) will still eligible for Student Support if that person:
- applied to extend/change his/her immigration status before his/her permission to be here expired and a decision is still awaited on that application; or
- is in the process of appealing against a Home Office decision to refuse further immigration permission.
If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or your own spouse / civil partner is, granted humanitarian protection after the start of the course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

11. England: Those granted stateless leave, and family

12. England: Long Residence

13. England: Those with section 67 leave

Applying in Scotland: Basics

Last modified: 13 April 2018

You must meet all of the conditions of at least one of the categories outlined below in Applying in Scotland: Who is entitled?.

You should apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts.

The Scottish Government produces the Student Support regulations for Scotland. You can read further information in the funding section of the Scottish Government website.

Applying in Scotland: Who is entitled?

Last modified: 06 August 2018

Student Support is composed of:

the payment of your tuition fees, if you study in Scotland;
a loan for tuition fees if you study outside Scotland;
a loan for living costs;
certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students;
a non-repayable Young Students' Bursary (if you study in Scotland and start the course before you turn 25), a non-repayable Students' Outside Scotland Bursary, or the Additional Loan for students from households with a low income.

If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to Student Support, or if you need further information, speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union, or on our students' advice line.

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1. Scotland: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Scotland: EU nationals and family

3. Scotland: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands and family

4. Scotland: Those with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Scotland: Non-UK EEA/Swiss workers and family

6. Scotland: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA/Switzerland

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be entitled to full Student Support. To be eligible:

a) you must be settled in the UK; and

b) you must have left the UK and exercised a right of residence in another EEA member state or Switzerland or, if you have the right of permanent residence, have gone to the country in the EEA or Switzerland of which you or your family member is a national.

Note: You have exercised a right of residence if you have been a worker, a self-employed person, a student or a self-sufficient person somewhere in the EEA or Switzerland, other than the UK;

and

c) if you are a UK national, you were ordinarily resident in Scotland immediately before exercising your right of residence elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland.

Note: If you satisfy this, there is an additional requirement that you were not in Scotland on this date mainly in order to receive full-time education and that your residence there on that date must not be attributable to, or connected with, any period of residence in Scotland mainly for full-time education within the immediately preceding three years;

and

d) you have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three-year period before the relevant date. (If, during that three-year period, you were ordinarily resident in the EEA or Switzerland mainly in order to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately before that three-year period.

Note: This is the category that entitles you to full Student Support if you are a British citizen or the family member of a British citizen if you have been living outside the UK but elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland. Family members of UK nationals do not have to have settled status in the UK, and family members who were born outside the UK are eligible for Student Support under this category. This means that you can qualify for Student Support under this category if:

you are the family member of a UK national who has exercised a right of residence after having been settled in the UK; and
you have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three-year period before the relevant date; and
if, during that three-year period, you were ordinarily resident in the EEA or Switzerland mainly in order to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately before that three-year period (this does include time spent there in full-time education).

7. Scotland: Children of Swiss nationals

8. Scotland: Children of Turkish workers

9. Scotland: People with refugee status and family

10. Scotland: People who are refused refugee status but allowed to remain in the UK and family

11. Scotland: Temporary protection

12. Scotland: Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and children of asylum seekers

13. Scotland: Iraqi nationals granted indefinite leave to enter the UK under the Locally Engaged Staff Assistance Scheme (Direct Entry), and family

14. Scotland: Syrian (Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme) nationals, and family

15. Scotland: Long residence

16. Scotland: Afghan (Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme) nationals, and family

17. Scotland: Those granted stateless leave, and family

Applying in Wales: Basics

Last modified: 13 April 2018

You must meet all of the conditions of at least one of the categories outlined below in Applying in Wales: Who is entitled?.

You should apply to Student Finance Wales. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts. You must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

Applying in Wales: Who is entitled?

Last modified: 03 May 2019

Student Support is composed of:

a loan, and in some cases a grant, for tuition fees;
a loan for living costs;
certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students;
a non-repayable Assembly Learning Grant. If you are eligible for a full Assembly Learning Grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to Student Support, or if you need further information, speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union, or on our students' advice line.

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1. Wales: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Wales: EU nationals and family

If you satisfy the conditions under this category, and no other categories, you are entitled only for a loan to pay your tuition fees ('tuition fee loan') and you should apply direct to the EU Customer Services Team of the Student Loans Company.

To be eligible:

(a) on the first day of the first academic year of the course, you must be:

a non-UK EU national; or
a UK national who has exercised a right of residence elsewhere in the EEA/Switzerland as a self-sufficient person, student, worker, or as a family member accompanying one of these types of people; or
the relevant family member of a non-UK EU national, and that non-UK EU national is in the UK as a self-sufficient person, student, or worker; or
the relevant family member of a UK national, and that UK national has exercised a right of residence elsewhere in the EEA/Switzerland as a self-sufficient person, student, worker, or as a family member accompanying one of these types of people;

and

(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(c) the main purpose for your residence in the EEA and/or Switzerland must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three year period.

Notes

If you become an EU national because your country joins the EU, you are treated as if you were an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, even if you started the course before your country joined the EU. The same applies if you are the family member of someone whose country of nationality joins the EU. For the purposes of the residence conditions, any country that joins the EU is considered always to have been part of the EEA.
You do not have to be the family member of an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, although the EU national in your family must be an EU national on that date (unless the EU national's country joins the EU). If you become, or a relevant family member becomes, an EU national after the course has started, seek advice.

3. Wales: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

4. Wales: EU nationals and family with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Wales: Non-UK EEA and Swiss workers, and family

6. Wales: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA and Switzerland

7. Wales: Child of a Swiss national

8. Wales: Child of Turkish worker

9. Wales: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a refugee and have been in that relationship on the date on which he/she made his/her application for asylum; or
be the child of such a refugee, or the child of such a refugee's spouse / civil partner, and be able to show that on the date that refugee made his/her application for asylum, you were:
- under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or if your own spouse / civil partner is, granted refugee status after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

10. Wales: ‘Persons with leave to enter or remain’ (humanitarian protection or discretionary leave or private life), and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

1. a "person with leave to enter or remain", which means a person:

who has -
- applied for refugee status but has, as a result of that application, been informed by the Home Office that, although he/she is considered not to qualify for recognition as a refugee, it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK on the grounds of humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, and who has been granted leave to enter or remain accordingly, or
- not applied for refugee status but has been informed by the Home Office that it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK on the grounds of discretionary leave, and who has been granted leave to enter or remain accordingly, or
- been granted leave to remain on the grounds of private life under the immigration rules. Leave to remain on the grounds of private life is usually only granted under the immigration rules to people who have lived continuously in the UK for half their life (if they are between 18 and 25 years old), or 20 years (if they are over 18), or 7 years (if they are under 18), or less than 20 years (if the Home Office accepts that there are very significant obstacles to them reintegrating abroad), or
- been informed by the Home Office that although he/she is not considered to qualify for leave to remain on the grounds of private life under the immigration rules, he/she has been granted leave to remain outside the immigration rules on the grounds of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; and
whose period of leave to enter or remain has not expired, or has been renewed and the period for which it was renewed has not expired, or in respect of whose leave to enter or remain an appeal is pending; and
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since he/she was granted leave to enter or remain;

2. the spouse or civil partner of a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). You must have been their spouse or civil partner at the time they made the application that resulted in them being given their leave;

3. the child of either:

a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). You must have been their child at the time they made the application that resulted in them being given their leave, and under 18 on that date; or
the spouse or civil partner of a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). At the time when the “person with leave to enter or remain” made the application that resulted in them being given their leave:
- they must have been the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been the child of the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been under 18;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

Notes

The leave to enter or leave to remain might have an expiry date. If the person makes an application to extend or change their leave before it expires, and that application is not decided before the expiry date, then immigration law dictates that they carry on being treated as a “person with leave to enter or remain” while they wait for a decision to be made (and if their application is refused, then also while they wait for an appeal or administrative review of the decision). They count as a “person with leave to enter or remain” for Student Support purposes during all of that time.
You, your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner), or your own spouse / civil partner might be granted humanitarian protection, discretionary leave, private life or Article 8 leave after the start of the course. If that happens, seek advice about whether you have become eligible for Student Support.

Changes to this category summary

This category was updated on 30 July 2018 to reflect amendments made to this category in the regulations which take effect on that day.

11. Wales: Persons with stateless leave, and family

This category was added to the regulations with effect from 30 July 2018.

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

1. a “person granted stateless leave”, which means a person:

who has extant leave to remain as a stateless person under the immigration rules; and
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since being given leave to remain as a stateless person;

2. the spouse or civil partner of a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). You must have been their spouse or civil partner at the time they made an application for stateless leave;

3. the child of either:

a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). You must have been their child at the time they made an application for stateless leave, and under 18 on that date; or
the spouse or civil partner of a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). At the time when the “person granted stateless leave” made an application for stateless leave:
- they must have been the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been the child of the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been under 18;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course.

Notes

The stateless leave might have an expiry date. If the person makes an application to extend or change their stateless leave before it expires, and that application is not decided before the expiry date, then immigration law dictates that they carry on being treated as a “person granted stateless leave” while they wait for a decision to be made (and if their application is refused, then also while they wait for an administrative review of the decision). They count as a “person granted stateless leave” for Student Support purposes during all of that time.

12. Those with section 67 leave, and children

Applying in Northern Ireland: Basics

Last modified: 13 April 2018

You must meet all of the conditions of at least one of the categories outlined below in Applying in Northern Ireland: Who is entitled?.

You should apply to Student Finance NI. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts. You must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

Applying in Northern Ireland: Who is entitled?

Last modified: 20 October 2017

Student Support is composed of:

money for tuition fees;
money for living costs;
certain supplementary grants for specific groups, for example for disabled students;
a non-repayable maintenance grant, for full-time students from households with a low income. If you are eligible for a full maintenance grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to Student Support, or if you need further information, speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union, or on our students' advice line.

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1. Northern Ireland: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Northern Ireland: EU nationals and family

3. Northern Ireland: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

4. Northern Ireland: People with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Northern Ireland: Non-UK EEA/Swiss workers, and family

6. Northern Ireland: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA and Switzerland

7. Northern Ireland: Child of a Swiss national

8. Northern Ireland: Child of Turkish worker

9. Northern Ireland: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a person and have been the spouse / civil partner of the refugee on the date on which he/she made an application for asylum; or
be the child of such a person, or of such a person's spouse / civil partner and, on the date on which that person applied for asylum:
- you were under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

10. Northern Ireland: People who apply for refugee status and are refused but who are allowed to remain in the UK, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

(1) a "person with leave to enter or remain", which means a person:

who has been informed by the Home Office that, although he/she is considered not to qualify for recognition as a refugee, it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK; and
who has been granted leave to enter or to remain accordingly [This can be in the form of any type of immigration leave (immigration permission), for example humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, but these are only examples]; and
whose period of leave to enter or remain has not expired, or has been renewed and the period for which it was renewed has not expired, or in respect of whose leave to enter or remain an appeal is pending;
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since he/she was granted leave to enter or remain;

(2) the spouse or civil partner of a "person with leave to enter or remain" (as above), and you must have been the spouse or civil partner of that person on the date on which they applied for asylum;

(3) the child of a "person with leave to enter or remain" (as above), or a child of that person's spouse / civil partner and, on the date on which the "person with leave to enter or remain" applied for asylum:

you were under 18 years old; and
the "person with leave to enter or remain" was your parent or your parent's spouse / civil partner;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or if your own spouse / civil partner is, granted leave after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

Definitions: for Student Support assessment

Last modified: 12 June 2018

This section has explanations about words and terms which occur in our information on Government Student Support. These explanations should not be read in isolation but, instead, combined with the appropriate Student Support category.

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Dependency

European Economic Area (EEA)

European Union (EU)

First day of the academic year

Ordinary residence

Overseas Territories

Relevant date

Settled

'Settled' means being both ordinarily resident in the UK and without any immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. The regulations take this definition of 'settled' from immigration law (section 33(2A) of the Immigration Act 1971).

You have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK if you fall into one of the following groups.

Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain (ILE/ILR)

If you have Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

If you have ILE or ILR in Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, then this is considered to be ILE or ILR in the UK whenever you are in the UK.

British citizen

If your passport describes you as a ‘British citizen’, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

Right of Abode

If you have a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the UK in your passport, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

Republic of Ireland citizen

If you are a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, you are treated as having no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. You are also an EU national.

Right of permanent residence in the UK

If you have the right of permanent residence in the UK under European law, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. However, in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, in both the fees and Student Support regulations, you are excluded from using the category for people with 'settled status in the UK'.

Scotland's fees and Student Support regulations include people with the right of permanent residence under their definition of ‘settled’.

Non-UK national serving in the British armed forces

If you are a non-UK national serving in the British armed forces, you are treated as having no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. This is because of section 8(5) of the Immigration Act 1971.

Where status is not ‘settled’

You do not have settled status if you:

have a time limit on the length of your stay in the UK, as shown by your current immigration permission (you have 'limited leave'); or
are exempt from immigration control, for example you are living in the UK as a diplomat or a member of their household/family (there is an exception to this if you are a non-UK national serving in the British armed forces [see above]); or
have a type of British passport that does not give you British citizenship, for example British National (Overseas), and you do not have Indefinite Leave.

UK and Islands

Worker

Relevant family members - applying in England

Note: The definitions of family members in the fees regulations are different from, and more restrictive than, those used in immigration law. For example, the fees regulations only count the specific people listed below as a “relevant family member” of an EU national. Other family members may have the right to come to the UK under EU law, but they are not a “relevant family member” for fees purposes.

EU nationals (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant (eg child/grandchild) of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner, who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- 21 or over and dependent on the EU national or on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
additionally, but only where the EU national is not a UK national and is self sufficient, the dependent direct ascendant (eg a dependant parent/grandparent) of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Family of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant (eg child/grandchild) of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner, who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- 21 or over and dependent on the EEA worker or on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
dependent direct ascendant (eg a parent/grandparent) of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner

Family of a Swiss worker:

spouse / civil partner
child

Settled family members of a UK national who exercises a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse / civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent) who must be dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse civil partner. This does not apply to UK nationals who have exercised a right of residence as a student.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the England Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" means a parent, guardian, or any other person having parental responsibility for a child, and "child" shall be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility

Relevant family members - applying in Scotland

Relevant family members - applying in Wales

EU nationals (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild) who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EU national, or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
if the EU national is self-sufficient and not a UK national, the direct ascendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EU national or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner.

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Family members of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild), who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EEA worker, or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
direct ascendant of the EEA worker, or of the spouse / civil partner or the EEA worker (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EEA worker or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner.

Family members of a Swiss worker:

spouse / civil partner
child

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse or civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg, child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse or civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse or civil partner, (eg, parent/grandparent), who must be dependent.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the Wales Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" includes a guardian, any other person having parental responsibility for a child and any person having care of a child, and "child" [...] is to be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility

Relevant family members - applying in Northern Ireland

EU nationals (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild) who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EU national, or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
if the EU national is self-sufficient and not a UK national, the direct ascendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EU national or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner.

EEA workers (Category 5)

Family members of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild), who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EEA worker, or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
direct ascendant of the EEA worker, or of the spouse / civil partner or the EEA worker (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EEA worker or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner.

Family members of a Swiss worker:

spouse/ civil partner
child

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse or civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who must be dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse / civil partner. This does not apply to UK nationals who have exercised a right of residence as a student.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the Northern Ireland Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" means a parent, guardian, or any other person having parental responsibility for a child, and "child" is to be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility.

Funding postgraduate study

Last modified: 05 November 2018

This section gives you information about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as a postgraduate student.

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Government Student Support for postgraduate study

Brexit: Impact on student finance

Last modified: 30 April 2019

The funding bodies in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, have all given reassurances to EU nationals about continuing student finance eligibility for those already on courses.

Here is a summary of assurances for students:

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Students starting in 2017/18

Students starting in 2018/19

Students starting in 2019/20

Scotland has confirmed that it will "extend [its 2017/18 and 2018/19] commitment to the 2019/20 cohort [which] means that all eligible non-UK EU citizens who come to Scotland to study for an undergraduate higher education qualification in 2019/20 will benefit from free tuition". See Scotland's 2019/20 statement. On 26 February 2019, Richard Lochhead, Scotland's Minister for FE, HE, and Science, confirmed on Twitter that "EU students in Scotland can be reassured that in the event of a ‘No Deal’ Brexit, our commitment to support students commencing courses in Scotland in academic year 2019-2020 will remain". See Richard Lochhead's tweet, which followed new legislation amending Scotland's fees and student support regulations, to the same effect, laid before the Scottish Parliament on 25 February 2019.

England has confirmed the same funding package, as for 2018/19 and before, for EU students commencing study in 2019/20. This means they will "be able to access financial support for the duration of their course on the same basis as is available today" - see England's published 2019/20 statement. This published statement was added to by a ministerial statement in parliament on the same day, in which it was indicated that family members are included in these provisions - see England's ministerial 2019/20 statement. On 21 January 2019, a representative of England's Department for Education confirmed to us that its "assurances are not altered if the UK leaves the EU without a deal: EU nationals (and their family members) who start a course in England in the 2019/20 academic year or before will continue to be eligible for home fee status and student finance support from Student Finance England for the duration of their course, provided they meet the residency requirement". New legislation, amending England's fees and student support regulations to the above effect, was laid before Parliament on 31 January 2019.

Wales has confirmed that "EU nationals who intend to study in Wales for the academic year 2019/20 [...] will be eligible to receive loans and/or grants from Student Finance Wales. This is a continuation of the Welsh Government’s current policy and means that students will be eligible to receive support until they finish their course". See Wales's 2019/20 statement. New legislation, amending Wales's fees and student support regulations to the above effect, was laid before the Welsh Assembly on 5 March 2019.

Northern Ireland has now confirmed that "EU nationals who are currently in receipt of student loans from Student Finance Northern Ireland, and EU students applying for university places in NI in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 academic years will continue to have access to student loans and certain grants, even if the course concludes after the UK’s exit from the EU". See Northern Ireland’s 2019/20 statement. Northern Ireland has also now laid new legislation, amending its own fees and student support regulations, to the above effect (1 March 2019).

Students starting in 2020/21

Also see Brexit: Impact on fee status assessments

For general information, read Brexit: what does it mean for students and their family?

Government Student Support

Basics

Eligible courses

Funding for healthcare courses

Incorrectly refused, and those not eligible

Applying in England: Basics

Applying in England: Who is entitled?

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Applying in Scotland: Basics

Applying in Scotland: Who is entitled?

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Applying in Wales: Basics

Applying in Wales: Who is entitled?

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Notes

Changes to this category summary

Notes

Applying in Northern Ireland: Basics

Applying in Northern Ireland: Who is entitled?

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Changes to this category summary

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Becoming eligible

Definitions: for Student Support assessment

British overseas territories

European overseas territories

Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain (ILE/ILR)

British citizen

Right of Abode

Republic of Ireland citizen

Right of permanent residence in the UK

Non-UK national serving in the British armed forces

Where status is not ‘settled’

What kind of work?

EU nationals (Category 2)

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Settled family members of a UK national who exercises a right of residence (Category 6)

Meaning of 'child'

For all categories with eligibility for a family member

Meaning of 'child'

EU nationals (Category 2)

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

Meaning of 'child'

EU nationals (Category 2)

EEA workers (Category 5)

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

Meaning of 'child'

Funding postgraduate study

Research councils

Social work and social care councils

Brexit: Impact on student finance

About UKCISA

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