Student Loan - Don't qualify for government loan.

Nburgan77

Hi all,
I moved back to the UK from South Africa 7 months ago and will be bringing my daughter over here to study at university shortly. 
My daughter is a British citizen, but hasn't lived herein the past 3 years, which according to the rules I read, doesn't qualify her for a government student loan. Are there other viable options for loans? 
Looking forward to your feedback. 

Jami74

Will she also count as an international student for the purpose of fees? 

MalMonroe

Does your daughter already have a place on a course? Whether or not, the best thing to do would be to contact the Student Loans Company to find out if she would be eligible for any kind of funding, as she is a British citizen. There are two types of loans - one for tuition and one for maintenance - even though she has not lived here for the required three years, there may be some kind of funding she can get. Student Loans can advise where to look. It's very confusing out there!

The link to Student Loans from the Government site is here : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-on-contacting-the-student-loans-company

MalMonroe

Jami74 said:

Will she also count as an international student for the purpose of fees? 

No, because she's British and will be treated like any other British citizen who has been living overseas.

[Deleted User]

MalMonroe said:

Jami74 said:

Will she also count as an international student for the purpose of fees? 

No, because she's British and will be treated like any other British citizen who has been living overseas.

Not necessarily. Some universities follow student finance rules for fees and why wouldn't they more money for them 

being British doesn't get you student finance if you've not been living in the U.K. 3 years. 

Voyager2002

Nburgan77 said:

Hi all,
I moved back to the UK from South Africa 7 months ago and will be bringing my daughter over here to study at university shortly. 
My daughter is a British citizen, but hasn't lived herein the past 3 years, which according to the rules I read, doesn't qualify her for a government student loan. Are there other viable options for loans? 
Looking forward to your feedback. 

The other answers to this question are offering false hope. She does not qualify for support from the Student Loans Company and is liable to pay international (ie high) tuition fees at most universities. The most obvious solution is for her to find a job or some other constructive way to spend the next three years, and then go to university once she is eligible.

MallyGirl

If it is that long term a plan then she could move to Scotland for those 3 years and probably not need a loan for fees

Nburgan77

Thank you for all the comments, really appreciate it.
What would the deal be with her going to college?

[Deleted User]

Nburgan77 said:

Thank you for all the comments, really appreciate it.
What would the deal be with her going to college?

 That might make her ineligible for funding later. You can't get student loan funds if you were solely in the Uk for the 3 years to study. 

peteuk

Voyager2002 said:

Nburgan77 said:

Hi all,
I moved back to the UK from South Africa 7 months ago and will be bringing my daughter over here to study at university shortly. 
My daughter is a British citizen, but hasn't lived herein the past 3 years, which according to the rules I read, doesn't qualify her for a government student loan. Are there other viable options for loans? 
Looking forward to your feedback. 

The other answers to this question are offering false hope. She does not qualify for support from the Student Loans Company and is liable to pay international (ie high) tuition fees at most universities. The most obvious solution is for her to find a job or some other constructive way to spend the next three years, and then go to university once she is eligible.

Voyager, not strictly true.  It does depend on the reason why the OP was in South Africa.   I was out of the UK for three years, my daughter gained a place at Uni from overseas and although on application she was treated as an overseas student, we applied and on the basis of my employment she is now treated as a UK based student, her fees are the UK fees (not overseas rates) and get this and a loan paid by student loans. 

Nburgan77 - if you hold a UK passport and where working in SA, then I would say look into this further.  If you chose to leave the UK or don't have a UK passport then I am afraid it is likely that she will be treated as an overseas student.  Are you now planning to remain in the UK or is it just for the duration of her Uni course?