Can my Russian grandson go to University in England?

margaretk

I have a Russian grandson who was born in the Czech Republic whilst his parents were working there. His mother (who died when he was young) was Russian and his father (my son) English and who now lives in Poland with his wife and children. Although his parents were not married, both their names are on the birth certificate. My grandson is being brought up by his Russian grandparents and is now 16 years old. He is at present doing a 2-year course [text removed by MSE Forum Team] in Wales and would like to do a course at one of our Universities when he has completed [text removed by MSE Forum Team]. We are having difficulty finding out whether or not he can do this, what it would cost and would he be able to get dual nationality.

Can anyone give me any advice?

Savvy_Sue

The student finance question would be best asked on the Student board, there's a thread here where some very knowledgeable people are often available.

However I don't think it's a straightforward question: I know two sixth form students who've only been in the UK for two years, because their parents have been abroad. One of them may have to spend a 3rd year here before going to Uni (those parents are still working abroad). But they have the advantage of being British, and one of them would meet the test of "if your parents hadn't been doing this job, would they have been resident in the UK?"

For the nationality question, have you worked through the information on the UKBA site? Maybe starting here?

Dunroamin

He can certainly go to university here but he'd have to pay the fees for international students and would be ineligible for student loans.

ValHaller

margaretk wrote: »

Can anyone give me any advice?

Sort out the nationality question ASAP. If his father is English, he may be eligible for UK citizenship - but the option if any will probably disappear at age 18. Of course he may not want this - fair enough.

BTW edit your post and take out the college - you have made him almost certainly identifiable.

Dunroamin

ValHaller wrote: »

Sort out the nationality question ASAP. If his father is English, he may be eligible for UK citizenship - but the option if any will probably disappear at age 18. Of course he may not want this - fair enough.

BTW edit your post and take out the college - you have made him almost certainly identifiable.

Even as a British citizen he'll be ineligible to pay home student fees and qualify for loans, although I agree that it's worth sorting out.

lavandergirl_2

http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/tuition_fees_e_he.php

d123

If he is living in Poland he could always try a Scottish University.

European Union undergraduate students

If you are an EU domiciled, full-time first degree student you should be eligible to have your tuition fees to be paid by the Scottish Government through the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

http://www.scotland.org/study-in-scotland/fees-and-funding

pollypenny

The staff at the college will be the ones to give him the best advice.

It's an international college, so they will be used to advising foreign-born students.

Dunroamin

d123 wrote: »

If he is living in Poland he could always try a Scottish University.


http://www.scotland.org/study-in-scotland/fees-and-funding

I read it that he's resident in Russia as he's being brought up by his Russian grandparents.

Mojisola

margaretk wrote: »

My grandson is being brought up by his Russian grandparents and is now 16 years old.

He is at present doing a 2-year course at the Atlantic College in Wales

Dunroamin wrote: »

I read it that he's resident in Russia as he's being brought up by his Russian grandparents.

It's confusing.

mumps

If he isn't able to get British Citizenship could he be entitled to Czech citizenship? If he is then an EU citizen would that make a difference? I know 3 years residece is important (well it was for a friend of my daughter's who had been living in Hong Kong but came back to UK at 14 so she would meet this before uni.)