Student Grants.

RBB_2

My son is working abroad and children are educatated locally.

The eldest is wantng to go to a UK university next year. How can she avoid being classed as a 'foreign' student?

InaPickle

I don't think they would be if they are British and are shown to have lived in the UK for the bulk of their lives, particularly the last 3 years. The fact that their parents work abroad would be considered irrelevant, from what I understand of it.

Oldernotwiser

How old is your son and for how long has he been working abroad?

RBB_2

Son is 49 and was in government service until 3 years ago, having worked abroad for over 20 years. Returns home for leave/holiday every year. Granddaughter has spent 8 weeks in UK this last year. Son sold a property he owned about 10 years ago. Has UK investments on which he pays tax.

InaPickle

Hmm...I wonder if there might be any special rules of (ex)government officials? Your son might be able to find out through old colleagues.

wontfallforit

RBB wrote: »

My son is working abroad and children are educatated locally.

The eldest is wantng to go to a UK university next year. How can she avoid being classed as a 'foreign' student?

One of my university friends was a British national, with British parents...but she was a lifelong Swiss resident. As such, when she went to uni, she had to pay full international fees (then over 8k per year), with no access to student funding. Different rules apply to EU residents (fees were then around £3.5k per year).

Specific fee bands for EU / Non-EU residents may have changed in recent years since the introduction of top-up fees for UK residents (i.e. they may have increased!). If your grandchildren can't be deemed UK residents - regardless of citizenship - they may have to be considered 'international' students, or EU students if they are resident within the EU (erm, obviously!).

There may be different rules for government employees, past or present. Given the circumstances, you need a definitive answer from an official source...no idea where to find that, though, sorry!

Best of luck to them

olly300

wontfallforit wrote: »

There may be different rules for government employees, past or present. Given the circumstances, you need a definitive answer from an official source...no idea where to find that, though, sorry!

The only governmental employees whose children have a different status are those who work in the Diplomatic Services or Armed Services. The 3 year rule has been implemented for decades, and my own family suffered with this as it depends on where the child lived not the parents.

I suggest the OP son contacts the governmental office he worked for to get rule clarification. Universities due to needing fees are only to happy to classify students in the wrong category.

Oldernotwiser

RBB wrote: »

Son is 49 and was in government service until 3 years ago, having worked abroad for over 20 years. Returns home for leave/holiday every year. Granddaughter has spent 8 weeks in UK this last year. Son sold a property he owned about 10 years ago. Has UK investments on which he pays tax.

Sorry, I misred your op and thought that it was your son who would be studying!

From what you've said the children will be classedasinternational/EU students, depending on the country where they live.