UKCISA - international student advice and guidance

Basics

Last modified: 17 August 2016

Government Student Support provision exists in each of the four UK countries, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The rules about eligibility for Student Support are broadly similar in each case. However, there are some significant differences between each country, and the type/level of financial support available varies.

You apply for support from the government of the UK country in which you normally reside; this may be different from the country you choose to study in.

After eligibility has been established, the relevant authority will assess your, and/or your family's, income to calculate the level of support to which you are entitled. We cannot describe the calculations used to assess levels of support; information on this is contained in guidance issued by the relevant government department or agency.

Certain courses attract additional help or alternative support. If you are in financial hardship, and you are eligible for Student Support, you might be able to apply for further help through your institution. They can access additional Government support such as Access to Learning Funds (England), Discretionary Funds (Scotland), Financial Contingency Funds (Wales), and Support Funds (Northern Ireland).

The Student Support package also includes extra grants for students with particular needs, for example disabled students and those with dependants.

Eligible courses

Last modified: 13 September 2018

Undergraduate Student Support is only available if you are studying on a designated course, namely:

an undergraduate degree
a Higher National Diploma (HND) / Certificate (HNC)
a Diploma of Higher Education
a teacher training course

In Scotland, undergraduate Student Support is also available for a Certificate in Higher Education or a Diploma / Advanced Diploma.

All of the above are higher education (HE) undergraduate courses. If you are studying on a HE postgraduate course, see our info on Funding postgraduate study.

If you are studying on a further education (FE) course, check with your institution whether any funding is available.

You may not be eligible if you have previously received Student Support (or a mandatory award) to study a HE course. The same applies if you have already studied a course at the same or lower level, including qualifications you have obtained in other countries.

Funding for healthcare courses

Last modified: 18 August 2017

Admission on healthcare courses, such as Nursing or Midwifery, can depend very much on whether you will be granted funding. In England, the former NHS Bursary scheme has now closed to new applicants (ie those starting in August 2017 onwards). However, students on eligible healthcare courses can apply for the general Student Support available to other students.

If you wish to follow a healthcare course as a full fee-paying student, check with the institution in advance if they accept fee-paying students onto the course.

NHS bursary reform

Applying for NHS bursaries, or new 2017-onwards funding

Incorrectly refused, and those not eligible

Last modified: 28 March 2018

If your application for Student Support is refused, you should ask for the reasons for the refusal in writing. If you feel you have been refused incorrectly, you can normally challenge the decision. This will usually involve telephoning, or writing to, the official who informed you of the refusal. You should explain why you think the decision is wrong.

If you are still not satisfied, you can formally appeal against the decision but first you should speak to an adviser at your institution, your Students' Union, or on our Student Advice Line.

Read our information on EEA/Swiss migrant workers if you have been refused following an application to be considered as an EEA/Swiss worker, or as the family member of such a worker.

If you are not eligible for Government Student Support, you may wish to read our information about scholarships and funding your studies, as well as how to manage the cost of living in the UK.

If you did not originally think you would need financial support, but you have now experienced a change in your financial circumstances, you should read our information about unexpected financial hardship.

Applying in England

Last modified: 20 December 2020

This information only applies to Student Support for the 2020/21 academic year. It does not reflect the Student Support provisions for students commencing study in autumn 2021 or later. We are expecting the Student Support regulations to be amended for autumn 2021 onwards and we understand this will affect many (although not all) of the categories below, especially the EU-related ones. For what is known for students commencing study in autumn 2021, see Brexit - fees and Student Support.

Student Support is, broadly speaking, composed of: a loan for tuition fees; a loan for living costs; certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students; and a non-repayable maintenance grant. If you are eligible for a full maintenance grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

If you meet all the requirements of one or more of the following categories, you will be entitled to some level, and amount, of Student Support. This is only a brief summary of persons who are entitled.

You should apply to Student Finance England. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts but you must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

The UK government produces the England Student Support regulations, and accompanying guidance, for students and assessors. You can read its policy guidance for practitioners, which can be useful if you are refused Student Support and you do not agree with that decision.

If you do not meet all of the requirements of a category at the start of your course, you may still become entitled to support later on if you experience a relevant change of circumstances. If you are unsure about whether you are entitled to Student Support or if you need further information speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union or on our students' advice line.

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1. England: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. England: EU nationals (or British Citizens), and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, and no other categories, you are eligible only for a loan to pay your tuition fees ('tuition fee loan') and you should apply direct to the Student Loans Company EU Customer Services Team. (Check the information at that link for “EU students”. In this specific context “EU students” is shorthand and means anyone who is eligible for a tuition fee loan in this category, including a British Citizen, an EU national, or someone of any nationality who is eligible as the relevant family member of an EU national or British Citizen.)

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021, then to be eligible:

(a) you must be:

an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or
a British Citizen on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or
the relevant family member of someone who was an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, and that EU national is in the UK as a self-sufficient person, student, or worker; or
the relevant family member of someone who was a British Citizen on the first day of the first academic year of the course;

and

(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or UK and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar for three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(c) the main purpose for your residence in the EEA/UK/Switzerland/Gibraltar residence area must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three year period.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021, the criteria you will need to meet in order to qualify for Student Support under this category will be quite different, because of Brexit. We do not yet know what they will be. We will update this information when an announcement is made about what the criteria will be. All that we know so far is what is said in this statement from 23 June 2020 by England's Universities Minister:

"Following our decision to leave the EU, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status, undergraduate, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support from Student Finance England for courses starting in academic year 2021/22...It will not affect students starting courses in academic year 2020/21, nor those EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefiting from Citizens' Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement respectively. It will also not apply to Irish nationals living in the UK and Ireland whose right to study and to access benefits and services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals under the Common Travel Area arrangement."

3. England: EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

Depending on which conditions you satisfy under this category, you may be eligible for either full Student Support or only the loan for tuition fees.

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021, then to be eligible:

(a) you must be an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course. For this category, being a British Citizen doesn't count; and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

for the grant/loan for tuition fees, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course; or
for full Student Support, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the five-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course (unless you made your application for Student Support, or have previously been assessed as eligible for support, before 25 March 2016, in which case you only need to have been ordinarily resident for a three-year period);

and

(d) if during any part of the period in (c) [above], the main purpose for your residence was to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in UK/EEA/Switzerland/Gibraltar immediately prior to that period of ordinary residence in the UK and Islands. It does not matter if you were in UK/EEA/Switzerland/Gibraltar mainly in order to receive full-time education during this earlier period.

Note: If you do not meet the requirement in (c) to have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three/five years because you have, instead, been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar, see category 2 (above) for an alternative possible provision.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021, the criteria you will need to meet in order to qualify for Student Support under this category will change, because of Brexit. The UK Government has not yet announced what they will be. We will update this information when an announcement is made about what the criteria will be.

4. England: People with the right of permanent residence in the UK

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible, you must meet all the following conditions (a, b and c):

(a) a requirement about the 'right of permanent residence':

If you are starting your course before 1 January 2021, then the requirement is that you have the right of permanent residence in the UK under EU law (EU Directive 2004/38).

If you are starting your course on or after 1 January 2021 but before 1 August 2021, then the requirement is that:

1. You had the right of permanent residence in the UK under EU law (EU Directive 2004/38) at 10.59pm on 31 December 2020; and

2. One of the following is true:

You have 'settled status' under the EU Settlement Scheme; or
Your course starts before 1 July 2020; or
Your course starts on or after 1 July 2020 and you have made an application under the EU Settlement Scheme which has not yet been decided, or if it has been refused then you are still appealing against that refusal.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021, then the requirement about the 'right of permanent residence' might change a little, because of Brexit. The UK Government has not yet announced how it will change. We will update this information when an announcement is made.

and

(b) you are ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(c) you were ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(d) if your three-year residence in the UK and Islands was at any time mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and/or EEA and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar immediately prior to the three-year period of ordinary residence in the UK and Islands. It does not matter if you were in the UK/EEA/Switzerland/Gibraltar mainly in order to receive full-time education during this earlier period.

5a. England: EEA and Swiss workers, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. You should apply direct to the 'EEA Migrant Worker Applications' department of the EU Customer Services Team at the Student Loans Company.

If you are starting your course before 1 January 2020:

If you are starting your course before 1 January 2020, then to be eligible:

(a) you must be:

a non-UK EEA national, or a Swiss national, and resident in the UK as a worker; or
the relevant family member of such a worker;

and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of the course (unless you are an EEA/Swiss frontier worker or relevant family member of a frontier worker); and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and/or EEA and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar for the three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course.

Note: If you or a relevant family member become an EEA or Swiss migrant worker part-way through your course, you might become entitled to Student Support. You should seek advice on this from your institution, from your Students' Union, or by telephoning our Students' Advice Line.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 January 2021 but before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 January 2021 but before 1 August 2021, then it seems likely the criteria you will need to meet in order to qualify for Student Support under this category will remain the same, although the regulations are not clear on this yet. We will update this information when the regulations are clear.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

5b. England: Child of a former EEA migrant worker

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021, then to be eligible:

(a) these two requirements must be met:

you must be the child of an EEA national (but it does not matter if you are now over 21 and are no longer dependent on the EEA national); and
your EEA national parent must be someone who has been employed (not self-employed) in the UK, and at some point in time you must have lived in the UK as the child of that person whilst she/he was employed here. You should usually have started studying in the UK (not necessarily this course) while under the age of 21 or while still dependent on that person, and at a level lower than higher education. It does not matter if your EEA national parent is not employed now, or is no longer in the UK;

and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and/or EEA and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar for the three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

6. England: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA/Switzerland

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support.

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021, then to be eligible:

(a) you must be settled in the UK; and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in the UK on the day on which the first term of the first academic year of your course actually begins; and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in England and settled in the UK, immediately before leaving the UK and exercising a right of residence before 11pm on 31 December 2020;

Note: The meaning of having "exercised a right of residence" is very limited. It only covers two groups.
First, British Citizens and their family members who go to the EEA and/or Switzerland exercising European rights of free movement as workers or self-employed people, or as students or self-sufficient people.
Second, people with the European right of permanent residence in the UK, who either go elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland exercising European rights of free movement as workers or self-employed people, or as students or self-sufficient people or go to the state in the EEA/Switzerland of which they or their family member is a national.

and

(d) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or UK and/or Switzerland and/or Gibraltar for the three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(e) if, during that three-year period, you were ordinarily resident in the EEA/UK/Switzerland/Gibraltar mainly in order to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA/UK/Switzerland/Gibraltar immediately before that three-year period. It does not matter if your main reason for being there before that three-year period was in order to receive full-time education.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

7. England: Child of a Swiss national

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support.

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021, then to be eligible:

(a) you must be the child of a Swiss national, and your Swiss parent must be doing something in the UK that would have counted as "exercising a right of residence in the UK under European law" if Brexit had not happened (for example they are a self-sufficient person, a worker, or a student, in the UK);

and

(b) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in Switzerland and/or the UK and/or the EEA and/or Gibraltar for the three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(d) if the main purpose for your residence in Switzerland/UK/EEA/Gibraltar was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in Switzerland/UK/EEA/Gibraltar immediately before that three-year period. It does not matter if your main reason for being there before that three-year period was in order to receive full-time education.

Becoming eligible

Seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support if you become the child of a Swiss national after the start of your course, for example if: you have a non-Swiss parent who marries or enters into a civil partnership with a Swiss national; or your parent is granted Swiss nationality.

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021, the criteria you will need to meet in order to qualify for Student Support under this category will be different, because of Brexit. We do not yet know what they will be. We will update this information when an announcement is made about what the criteria will be. All that we know so far is what is said in this statement from 23 June 2020 by England's Universities Minister:

8. England: Child of Turkish worker

9. England: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a refugee and have been in that relationship on the date on which he/she made his/her application for asylum; or
be the child of such a refugee, or the child of such a refugee's spouse / civil partner, and be able to show that on the date that refugee made his/her application for asylum, you were:
- under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

If your permission to be in the UK has run out, you are still eligible for Student Support if you can show that you applied to extend or change your immigration status before your permission to be here expired, and you are still waiting for a decision on that application, or that you are in the process of appealing against a Home Office decision to refuse you further immigration permission.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or your own spouse / civil partner is, granted refugee status after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

The Immigration Rules revoke someone's Refugee Status once s/he subsequently obtains a new nationality, eg when a refugee gains British citizenship. If you have, or a relevant family member has, Refugee Status and you are, or the person with that status is, considering applying for British (or any other) citizenship, you should be aware that such an application could have an effect on your fees status or your eligibility for Student Support.

10. England: People granted humanitarian protection, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in England on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

a "person granted humanitarian protection", which means a person:
- who has been granted leave to remain in the UK under the Immigration Rules, on the grounds of 'humanitarian protection'; and
- whose leave to remain is 'extant', or in respect of whose leave to remain an appeal is pending; and
- who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since being granted their humanitarian protection;

the spouse or civil partner of a "person granted humanitarian protection" (as above), and you must have been the spouse or civil partner of that person on the date on which they applied for asylum;

the child of a "person granted humanitarian protection" (as above), or a child of that person's spouse or civil partner, and, at the time the person granted humanitarian protection applied for asylum, you must have been under 18 years old and the child of that person or of someone who was the spouse or civil partner of that person on that date.

New guidance about this category in March 2020

The Student Support regulations currently require that you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the full three-year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course. However, the Department for Education (DfE) is now advising Student Finance England assessors to no longer apply this requirement to any student who would otherwise be eligible under this category. See our news item Humanitarian Protection: good news on fees and finance (27 March 2020).

Immigration status has expired

If the immigration permission of the "person granted humanitarian protection" has run out, he/she (or an appropriate family member of that person, as in (b)2. and (b)3. above) will still eligible for Student Support if that person: applied to extend/change his/her immigration status before his/her permission to be here expired and a decision is still awaited on that application; or is in the process of appealing against a Home Office decision to refuse further immigration permission.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or your own spouse / civil partner is, granted humanitarian protection after the start of the course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

11. England: Those granted stateless leave, and family

12. England: Long Residence

13. England: Those with section 67 leave

14. England: Person granted indefinite leave as a victim of domestic violence or abuse

15. England: Persons granted Calais leave to remain

Applying in Scotland

Last modified: 12 January 2021

Student Support is composed of: the payment of your tuition fees, if you study in Scotland; a loan for tuition fees if you study outside Scotland; a loan for living costs; certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students; and a non-repayable Young Students' Bursary (if you study in Scotland and start the course before you turn 25), a non-repayable Students' Outside Scotland Bursary, or the Additional Loan for students from households with a low income.

You should apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts.

The Scottish Government produces the Student Support regulations for Scotland. You can read further information in the funding section of the Scottish Government website.

If you do not meet all of the requirements of a category at the start of your course, you may still become entitled to support later on if you experience a relevant change of circumstances. If you are unsure about whether you have become entitled to Student Support or if you need further information speak to an adviser at your institution or Students' Union or on our students' advice line.

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1. Scotland: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Scotland: EU nationals and family

3. Scotland: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands and family

4. Scotland: Those with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Scotland: Non-UK EEA/Swiss workers and family

6. Scotland: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA/Switzerland

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be entitled to full Student Support. To be eligible:

a) you must be settled in the UK; and

b) you must have left the UK and exercised a right of residence in another EEA member state or Switzerland or, if you have the right of permanent residence, have gone to the country in the EEA or Switzerland of which you or your family member is a national.

Note: You have exercised a right of residence if you have been a worker, a self-employed person, a student or a self-sufficient person somewhere in the EEA or Switzerland, other than the UK;

and

c) if you are a UK national, you were ordinarily resident in Scotland immediately before exercising your right of residence elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland.

Note: If you satisfy this, there is an additional requirement that you were not in Scotland on this date mainly in order to receive full-time education and that your residence there on that date must not be attributable to, or connected with, any period of residence in Scotland mainly for full-time education within the immediately preceding three years;

and

d) you have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three-year period before the relevant date. (If, during that three-year period, you were ordinarily resident in the EEA or Switzerland mainly in order to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately before that three-year period.

Note: This is the category that entitles you to full Student Support if you are a British citizen or the family member of a British citizen if you have been living outside the UK but elsewhere in the EEA and/or Switzerland. Family members of UK nationals do not have to have settled status in the UK, and family members who were born outside the UK are eligible for Student Support under this category. This means that you can qualify for Student Support under this category if:

you are the family member of a UK national who has exercised a right of residence after having been settled in the UK; and
you have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for the three-year period before the relevant date; and
if, during that three-year period, you were ordinarily resident in the EEA or Switzerland mainly in order to receive full-time education, you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland immediately before that three-year period (this does include time spent there in full-time education).

7. Scotland: Children of Swiss nationals

8. Scotland: Children of Turkish workers

9. Scotland: People with refugee status and family

10. Scotland: People who are refused refugee status but allowed to remain in the UK and family

11. Scotland: Temporary protection

12. Scotland: Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and children of asylum seekers

13. Scotland: Iraqi nationals granted indefinite leave to enter the UK under the Locally Engaged Staff Assistance Scheme (Direct Entry), and family

14. Scotland: Syrian (Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme) nationals, and family

15. Scotland: Long residence

16. Scotland: Afghan (Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme) nationals, and family

17. Scotland: Those granted stateless leave, and family

18. Scotland: Those granted discretionary leave as a ‘victim of modern slavery’

19. Scotland: Victims of domestic abuse/violence

20. Scotland: Persons granted Calais Leave

Applying in Wales

Last modified: 07 July 2020

Student Support is composed of: a loan, and in some cases a grant, for tuition fees; a loan for living costs; certain supplementary grants for specific categories, for example disabled students; and a non-repayable Assembly Learning Grant. If you are eligible for a full Assembly Learning Grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

You should apply to Student Finance Wales. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts. You must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

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1. Wales: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Wales: EU nationals and family

If you satisfy the conditions under this category, and no other categories, you are entitled only for a loan to pay your tuition fees ('tuition fee loan') and you should apply direct to the EU Customer Services Team of the Student Loans Company. To be eligible:

(a) on the first day of the first academic year of the course, you must be:

a non-UK EU national; or
a UK national who has exercised a right of residence elsewhere in the EEA/Switzerland as a self-sufficient person, student, worker, or as a family member accompanying one of these types of people; or
the relevant family member of a non-UK EU national, and that non-UK EU national is in the UK as a self-sufficient person, student, or worker; or
the relevant family member of a UK national, and that UK national has exercised a right of residence elsewhere in the EEA/Switzerland as a self-sufficient person, student, worker, or as a family member accompanying one of these types of people;

and

(b) you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA and/or Switzerland for three years before the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(c) the main purpose for your residence in the EEA and/or Switzerland must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three year period.

Notes

If you become an EU national because your country joins the EU, you are treated as if you were an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, even if you started the course before your country joined the EU. The same applies if you are the family member of someone whose country of nationality joins the EU. For the purposes of the residence conditions, any country that joins the EU is considered always to have been part of the EEA.
You do not have to be the family member of an EU national on the first day of the first academic year of the course, although the EU national in your family must be an EU national on that date (unless the EU national's country joins the EU). If you become, or a relevant family member becomes, an EU national after the course has started, seek advice.

3. Wales: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

4. Wales: People with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Wales: Non-UK EEA and Swiss workers, and family

6. Wales: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA and Switzerland

7. Wales: Child of a Swiss national

8. Wales: Child of Turkish worker

9. Wales: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a refugee and have been in that relationship on the date on which he/she made his/her application for asylum; or
be the child of such a refugee, or the child of such a refugee's spouse / civil partner, and be able to show that on the date that refugee made his/her application for asylum, you were:
- under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or if your own spouse / civil partner is, granted refugee status after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

10. Wales: ‘Persons with leave to enter or remain’ (humanitarian protection or discretionary leave or family life or Appendix FM or private life or Article 8), and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

1. a "person with leave to enter or remain", which means a person:

who has -
- applied for refugee status but has, as a result of that application, been informed by the Home Office that, although he/she is considered not to qualify for recognition as a refugee, it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK on the grounds of humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, and who has been granted leave to enter or remain accordingly, or
- not applied for refugee status but has been informed by the Home Office that it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK on the grounds of discretionary leave, and who has been granted leave to enter or remain accordingly, or
- been granted leave to remain (not leave to enter) on the grounds of family life under the immigration rules - importantly this includes anyone with leave to remain granted under Appendix FM of the immigration rules (note that this whole group is a new group, so people in this group will only qualify for Student Support for academic years that actually start on or after 1 August 2019), or
- been granted leave to remain on the grounds of private life under the immigration rules, or
- been informed by the Home Office that although he/she is not considered to qualify for leave to remain on the grounds of private or family life under the immigration rules, he/she has been granted leave to remain outside the immigration rules on the grounds of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; and
whose period of leave to enter or remain has not expired, or has been renewed and the period for which it was renewed has not expired, or in respect of whose leave to enter or remain an appeal is pending; and
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since he/she was granted leave to enter or remain;

2. the spouse or civil partner of a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). You must have been their spouse or civil partner at the time they made the application that resulted in them being given their leave;

3. the child of either:

a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). You must have been their child at the time they made the application that resulted in them being given their leave, and under 18 on that date; or
the spouse or civil partner of a “person with leave to enter or remain” (look above for the definition). At the time when the “person with leave to enter or remain” made the application that resulted in them being given their leave:
- they must have been the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been the child of the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been under 18;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

Notes

The leave to enter or leave to remain might have an expiry date. If the person makes an application to extend or change their leave before it expires, and that application is not decided before the expiry date, then immigration law dictates that they carry on being treated as a “person with leave to enter or remain” while they wait for a decision to be made (and if their application is refused, then also while they wait for an appeal or administrative review of the decision). They count as a “person with leave to enter or remain” for Student Support purposes during all of that time.
You, your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner), or your own spouse / civil partner might be granted humanitarian protection, discretionary leave, Appendix FM leave, private or family life leave or Article 8 leave after the start of the course. If that happens, seek advice about whether you have become eligible for Student Support.

Changes to this category summary

An explanation of the situation for people with family life leave was added to this category summary on 25 September 2019, and for people with Appendix FM leave on 20 December 2019.

11. Wales: Persons with stateless leave, and family

This category was added to the regulations with effect from 30 July 2018.

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

1. a “person granted stateless leave”, which means a person:

who has extant leave to remain as a stateless person under the immigration rules; and
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since being given leave to remain as a stateless person;

2. the spouse or civil partner of a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). You must have been their spouse or civil partner at the time they made an application for stateless leave;

3. the child of either:

a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). You must have been their child at the time they made an application for stateless leave, and under 18 on that date; or
the spouse or civil partner of a “person granted stateless leave” (look above for the definition). At the time when the “person granted stateless leave” made an application for stateless leave:
- they must have been the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been the child of the spouse or civil partner; and
- you must have been under 18;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for the three year period before the first day of the first academic year of the course.

Notes

The stateless leave might have an expiry date. If the person makes an application to extend or change their stateless leave before it expires, and that application is not decided before the expiry date, then immigration law dictates that they carry on being treated as a “person granted stateless leave” while they wait for a decision to be made (and if their application is refused, then also while they wait for an administrative review of the decision). They count as a “person granted stateless leave” for Student Support purposes during all of that time.

12. Wales: Those with section 67 leave, and children

Applying in Northern Ireland

Last modified: 24 February 2020

Student Support is composed of: money for tuition fees; money for living costs; certain supplementary grants for specific groups, for example for disabled students; a non-repayable maintenance grant, for full-time students from households with a low income. If you are eligible for a full maintenance grant, you might also be eligible for an additional bursary from your university.

You should apply to Student Finance Northern Ireland. You will find guidance documents, and details of how to apply, on its website. The deadline for your application depends on when your course starts. You must apply within nine months (six months for part-time courses) of the start of the academic year.

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1. Northern Ireland: Settled status and living in the UK and Islands

2. Northern Ireland: EU nationals and family

3. Northern Ireland: Non-UK EU nationals living in the UK and Islands

4. Northern Ireland: People with the right of permanent residence in the UK

5. Northern Ireland: Non-UK EEA/Swiss workers, and family

6. Northern Ireland: Settled status and exercised a right of residence in the EEA and Switzerland

7. Northern Ireland: Child of a Swiss national

8. Northern Ireland: Child of Turkish worker

9. Northern Ireland: Refugees, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of your course; and

(b) you must:

have been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government and have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands since then; or
be the spouse / civil partner of such a person and have been the spouse / civil partner of the refugee on the date on which he/she made an application for asylum; or
be the child of such a person, or of such a person's spouse / civil partner and, on the date on which that person applied for asylum:
- you were under 18 years of age; and
- the refugee was your parent, or your parent's spouse / civil partner.

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

10. Northern Ireland: People who apply for refugee status and are refused but who are allowed to remain in the UK, and family

If you satisfy all the conditions under this category, you will be eligible for full Student Support. To be eligible:

(a) you must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

(b) you must be:

(1) a "person with leave to enter or remain", which means a person:

who has been informed by the Home Office that, although he/she is considered not to qualify for recognition as a refugee, it is thought right to allow him/her to enter or remain in the UK; and
who has been granted leave to enter or to remain accordingly [This can be in the form of any type of immigration leave (immigration permission), for example humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, but these are only examples]; and
whose period of leave to enter or remain has not expired, or has been renewed and the period for which it was renewed has not expired, or in respect of whose leave to enter or remain an appeal is pending;
who has been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands throughout the period since he/she was granted leave to enter or remain;

(2) the spouse or civil partner of a "person with leave to enter or remain" (as above), and you must have been the spouse or civil partner of that person on the date on which they applied for asylum;

(3) the child of a "person with leave to enter or remain" (as above), or a child of that person's spouse / civil partner and, on the date on which the "person with leave to enter or remain" applied for asylum:

you were under 18 years old; and
the "person with leave to enter or remain" was your parent or your parent's spouse / civil partner;

and

(c) you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands for three years before the first day of the first academic year of your course.

Becoming eligible

If you are, or if your parent (or your parent's spouse / civil partner) is, or if your own spouse / civil partner is, granted leave after the start of your course, seek advice about whether you will become eligible for Student Support.

11. Northern Ireland: Person with section 67 leave, and dependent children

Funding postgraduate study

Last modified: 05 November 2018

This section gives you information about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as a postgraduate student.

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Government Student Support for postgraduate study

Definitions: for Student Support assessment

Last modified: 20 December 2020

This section has explanations about words and terms which occur in our information on Government Student Support. These explanations should not be read in isolation but, instead, combined with the appropriate Student Support category.

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Dependency

European Economic Area (EEA)

European Union (EU)

First day of the academic year

Ordinary residence

Overseas Territories

Relevant date

Settled

'Settled' means being both ordinarily resident in the UK and without any immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. The regulations take this definition of 'settled' from immigration law (section 33(2A) of the Immigration Act 1971).

You have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK if you fall into one of the following groups.

Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain (ILE/ILR)

If you have Indefinite Leave to Enter (ILE) or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

If you have been given ‘settled status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme, then you have ILE or ILR. That means you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. It is important to note that if you have only been given ‘pre-settled status’ under the EU Settlement Scheme, then you do not have ILE or ILR.

If you have ILE or ILR in Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man, then this is considered to be ILE or ILR in the UK whenever you are in the UK.

British citizen

If your passport describes you as a ‘British citizen’, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

Right of Abode

If you have a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the UK in your passport, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK.

Republic of Ireland citizen

If you are a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, you have no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK. You are also an EU national.

Right of permanent residence in the UK

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, people who had the right of permanent residence in the UK under European law were always excluded from using the category for people with 'settled status in the UK' (in both the regulations for fees and the regulations for Student Support).

Scotland's fees and Student Support regulations include people with the right of permanent residence under their definition of ‘settled’.

Non-UK national serving in the British armed forces

If you are a non-UK national serving in the British armed forces, you are treated as having no immigration restriction on the length of your stay in the UK, while you serve in the British armed forces. This is because of section 8(5) of the Immigration Act 1971.

Where status is not ‘settled’

You do not have settled status if you:

have a time limit on the length of your stay in the UK, as shown by your current immigration permission (you have 'limited leave'); or
are exempt from immigration control, for example you are living in the UK as a diplomat or a member of their household/family (there is an exception to this if you are a non-UK national serving in the British armed forces [see above]); or
have a type of British passport that does not give you British citizenship, for example British National (Overseas), and you do not have Indefinite Leave.

UK and Islands

Worker

Relevant family members - applying in England

Note: The definitions of family members in the Student Support regulations are different from those used in immigration law. The Student Support regulations only count the specific people listed below as “relevant family members”. Other family members may have had the right to come to the UK under EU law, but they are not “relevant family members” for Student Support purposes.

EU nationals or British Citizens (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant (eg child/grandchild) of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner, who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- 21 or over and dependent on the EU national or on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
direct descendant (eg child/grandchild) of the British Citizen, or of the British Citizen's spouse / civil partner, who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- 21 or over and dependent on the British Citizen or on the British Citizen's spouse / civil partner
additionally (but if the EU national is in the UK as a student, they must be self sufficient), the dependent direct ascendant (eg a dependant parent/grandparent) of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner
ascendants of British Citizens do not count as relevant family members

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Family of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant (eg child/grandchild) of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner, who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- 21 or over and dependent on the EEA worker or on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
dependent direct ascendant (eg a parent/grandparent) of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner

Family of a Swiss worker:

spouse / civil partner
child

Settled family members of a UK national who exercises a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse / civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent) who must be dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse civil partner. This does not apply to UK nationals who have exercised a right of residence as a student.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the England Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" means a parent, guardian, or any other person having parental responsibility for a child, and "child" shall be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility

Relevant family members - applying in Scotland

Relevant family members - applying in Wales

Note: The definitions of family members in the fees regulations are different from, and more restrictive than, those used in immigration law. For example, the fees regulations only count the specific people listed below as a “relevant family member” of an EU national. Other family members may have the right to come to the UK under EU law, but they are not a “relevant family member” for fees purposes.

EU nationals (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild) who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EU national, or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
if the EU national is self-sufficient and not a UK national, the direct ascendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EU national or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner.

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Family members of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild), who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EEA worker, or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
direct ascendant of the EEA worker, or of the spouse / civil partner or the EEA worker (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EEA worker or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner.

Family members of a Swiss worker:

spouse / civil partner
child

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse or civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg, child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse or civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse or civil partner, (eg, parent/grandparent), who must be dependent.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the Wales Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" includes a guardian, any other person having parental responsibility for a child and any person having care of a child, and "child" [...] is to be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility

Relevant family members - applying in Northern Ireland

EU nationals (Category 2)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild) who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EU national, or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner
if the EU national is self-sufficient and not a UK national, the direct ascendant of the EU national, or of the EU national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EU national or dependent on the EU national's spouse / civil partner.

EEA workers (Category 5)

Family members of an EEA worker:

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the EEA worker, or of the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild), who is:
- under 21 years old; or
- (if 21 or over) dependent on the EEA worker, or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner
direct ascendant of the EEA worker, or of the spouse / civil partner or the EEA worker (eg parent/grandparent), who is also dependent on the EEA worker or dependent on the EEA worker's spouse / civil partner.

Family members of a Swiss worker:

spouse/ civil partner
child

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

spouse / civil partner
direct descendant of the UK national, and of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg child/grandchild); a direct descendant must also be under 21 years old or (if 21 or over) dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse or civil partner. If the UK national exercised a right of residence as a student, only dependent children count as family members
direct ascendant of the UK national or of the UK national's spouse / civil partner (eg parent/grandparent), who must be dependent on the UK national or dependent on the UK national's spouse / civil partner. This does not apply to UK nationals who have exercised a right of residence as a student.

Meaning of 'child'

For the purposes of the Northern Ireland Student Support regulations, the word 'child' is not defined in terms of age (except where stated) or dependency. The regulations state that:

"parent" means a parent, guardian, or any other person having parental responsibility for a child, and "child" is to be construed accordingly.

Government explanation of parental responsibility.

The information on this page only applies to fee status decisions being made for the 2020/21 academic year. It does not reflect the fees regulations for students commencing study in autumn 2021 or later.

We are expecting the fees regulations to be amended for autumn 2021 onwards and we understand this will affect many (although not all) of the categories below, especially the EU-related ones. For what is known for students commencing study in autumn 2021, see Brexit - fees and Student Support.

Government Student Support

Basics

Eligible courses

Funding for healthcare courses

Incorrectly refused, and those not eligible

Applying in England

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 January 2020:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 January 2021 but before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course before 1 August 2021:

If you are starting your course on or after 1 August 2021:

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

New guidance about this category in March 2020

Becoming eligible

Applying in Scotland

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Applying in Wales

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Notes

Changes to this category summary

Notes

Changes to this category summary

Applying in Northern Ireland

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

Changes to this category summary

Becoming eligible

Refugee Status: where someone gains British citizenship

Becoming eligible

Funding postgraduate study

Research councils

Social work and social care councils

Definitions: for Student Support assessment

Special note about the UK, for students starting their course before 11pm on 31 December 2020:

British overseas territories

European overseas territories

Indefinite Leave to Enter/Remain (ILE/ILR)

British citizen

Right of Abode

Republic of Ireland citizen

Right of permanent residence in the UK

Non-UK national serving in the British armed forces

Where status is not ‘settled’

What kind of work?

EU nationals or British Citizens (Category 2)

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Settled family members of a UK national who exercises a right of residence (Category 6)

Meaning of 'child'

For all categories with eligibility for a family member

Meaning of 'child'

EU nationals (Category 2)

EEA/Swiss workers (Category 5)

Settled people who exercise a right of residence (Category 6)

Meaning of 'child'

EU nationals (Category 2)