Scottish domicile?

greyskymorning

Hello everyone

I'll try make this short and sweet: my partner is from Northern Ireland, but he is coming to study in Scotland. By 1 August 2008 his permanent home will be in Scotland (it already is, technically, as he's living with me and my parents right now, but by that point he will own his own home in Scotland!). SAAS wrote to him the other day saying they could not offer him support as his permanent home was in Northern Ireland. Somewhat miffed I called the undergrad caseworkers at SAAS and explained that his permanent home was in Scotland and that was detailed on his application. The man told me, after a big long thing about it, that you have to have been living in Scotland for a year before you are considered a Scottish domicile. I told him I had not ever heard of such a condition, even though I read all their guidance on the website and the original Scottish legislation, and asked him where I could see that information, but he didn't answer me and instead said my partner had to apply to his local library board in NI for funding (which would be a loan, not free tuition as it is in Scotland).

Can anyone tell me if this guy is talking a load of rubbish? Someone at my work office (I work at a uni) said that she thinks that used to be the case but that condition was removed some time ago, and as I said I can't find any legislation anywhere on the net that says you have to have been here a year. Please help me! We don't want even more student debt than we're going to have! _pale_

The_One_Who

Hmm, I always thought you had to be ordinarily resident (not just here for school) in Scotland for three years prior to application. Having your own home won't class you as being Scottish, he would have to have had it for three years. I highly doubt he will get anything from SAAS and should do what was suggested.

greyskymorning

The_One_Who wrote: »

Hmm, I always thought you had to be ordinarily resident (not just here for school) in Scotland for three years prior to application. Having your own home won't class you as being Scottish, he would have to have had it for three years. I highly doubt he will get anything from SAAS and should do what was suggested.

The only thing the SAAS website and the legilsation I read stipulates is that you must be ordinarily a resident in Scotland from 1 August 2008, and ordinarily a resident in the UK for three years prior to the start of your course. Nothing about Scottish residency for any length of time prior to the start of your course.

"This means that you will have to have been ordinarily resident in the British Isles for the three years immediately proceeding the academic year in which the course begins. If you are not a UK or EU national you must be settled in the UK as indicated by the Immigration Act of 1971. You must also be ordinarily resident in Scotland at the time of application."

greyskymorning

Did another google search, searching for "three years" rather than one. The only thing I found was on the Heriot-Watt Uni website. Nothing official:

To be classed as a Scottish student, you need to have lived in Scotland for at least three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of your course. Alternatively, you could be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of your course. This means that you have moved to Scotland for a reason other than to study here, for example moving with parents who have re-located for work.

greyskymorning

Sorry for triple post, finally got through to someone on SAAS with half a brain who didn't just make up fake legislation because he didn't know the answer. :mad:

My partner is considered a Scottish domicile, and meets the eligibility terms, but because he has been doing a course in NI and received a maintenance grant from his library board, he qualifies as a continuing Northern Irish student and so still has to apply to his library board.

Not a great outcome, all in all, but I'm at least glad to be told something that makes sense instead of the tripe the other three guys I spoke to came out with. Hurrah for people who know how to do their jobs! :T