American and student finance

Spendless

Hi, wonder if someone can help. I'm asking on behalf of my son's friend.

My son is in his 2nd year at an FE college studying a BTEC extended diploma. His friend on the same course is American born to an English mother, nationality of father I'm not certain. He doesn't live with either parent, neither of them live in the UK and is living with his English Grandparents having come over to England from America last year. I'm unsure of month he arrived but it would be prior to mid Sept 2016. The time has come for them to apply for Uni, but American friend doesn't meet the length of residency to apply for a student loan. He thinks his only alternative is to return to the states to study. Having had a quick look, I've read that if he is resident in the U.K for 3 years he should be able to apply, but I'm unsure of all details he'd need. Can anyone either help or at least suggest somewhere he could go and ask about it further. Lad was 18 earlier this year, will be 19 as the FE course finishes and has been studying in England since Sept 2016, he also works p-time in a McD type job. Not sure if any of this is relevant but including it just in case it is.

TIA.

Voyager2002

Firstly, does the 'American' friend hold a British passport? If not, he will be subject to immigration control meaning that he is not allowed to work here and would require a student visa in order to study.

Secondly, yes, three years residence is needed to be eligible for a student loan. If he has British nationality then he could simply find some kind of gap-year job until the three years is up and then apply. Or he could finance his studies here in the same way that he would if he went to the USA (I very much doubt whether he would be eligible for a US student loan).

Spendless

Thanks for the reply. He's already working here part-time in a national chain of high street fast food type place and it isn't the first job he's had, so though I don't personally know about his passport, he is able to work in this country.

Is the 3 years of residency consecutive years and just prior to the degree starting? He has lived in England at various times during his life, though I don't have details of when and for how long each time.

'financing his studies in the same way as if he studied in the U.S'

Is that paying his fees upfront? I doubt he aged 18 with a part-time Mcburger sort of job or the retired grandparents he lives with, would have that sort of money. I think he's referred to having to go back to the states to study as the only option he'll have (not sure he's even thought through how he'd fund there) whereas I think it might be a possibility for him to remain, but need to delay applying for at least a year.

sheramber

Information here
https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies

Your nationality or residency status
You can apply if all of the following apply:

you’re a UK national or have ‘settled status’ (no restrictions on how long you can stay)
you normally live in England
you’ve been living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for 3 years before starting your course

Non-UK nationals must have settled status on the first day of the first academic year of the course - which could be 1 September, 1 January, 1 April or 1 July.

You may also be eligible if your residency status is one of the following:

refugee
humanitarian protection
EEA migrant worker
child of a Swiss national
child of a Turkish worker

You may also be eligible if you’re not a UK national and are either:

from an EU country
under 18 and have lived in the UK for at least 7 years
18 or over and have lived in the UK for at least 20 years (or at least half of your life)

Spendless

Cheers, I don't know enough detail about him to know whether he'd qualify under 'over 18, lived in UK, at least half his life' otherwise it sounds to me he'd have to be living here from 31st August 2016 to definitely qualify for funding from Sept 1st 2019. Where would he need to contact to go into this further detail with about if/when he qualifies for a student loan?

Starrystarrynight1

The regulation you mention here is only applicable to students with an EU nationality other than British so, from what you say, this wouldn't apply.

Spendless wrote: »

Cheers, I don't know enough detail about him to know whether he'd qualify under 'over 18, lived in UK, at least half his life' otherwise it sounds to me he'd have to be living here from 31st August 2016 to definitely qualify for funding from Sept 1st 2019. Where would he need to contact to go into this further detail with about if/when he qualifies for a student loan?

Spendless

Starrystarrynight1 wrote: »

The regulation you mention here is only applicable to students with an EU nationality other than British so, from what you say, this wouldn't apply.

Ahh right, missed that, thanks. So really his only option is to apply for September 2019 entry by which time he's been living here for 3 years.

Spendless

Just thought I'd update. Friend has decided to have a 'gap' year working. This means when he applies he'll meet the residency requirement for studying in the U.K. It also gives him chance to save some money prior to going to Uni as though he'll get a full maintenance loan due to household income of retired grandparents, they're not in any position to help him financially.

Thanks for all the help.

Starrystarrynight1

The household income assessment can't be based on grandparents' earnings. Thought I'd best let you know that.

It can only be based on parents, parent with whom student has most contact or lives with (+ parent's partner if applicable), student's spouse's income or as an independent student if meets the criteria, as appropriate.