Will previous Student Visa cause me probems?

I am getting ready to apply for my fiancee visa, I am American he is British.  We have been together for over 2 years.  In 2003 I applied for a student visa and planned to get my Master's in history.  I applied for and received a Stafford loan.  I went over to the UK (this was prior to the law where a student has to get entry clearance- I just showed up at Heathrow, showed my acceptance letter, and was given a 14 month visa), got an apartment, and ended up having the Brit move in with me.  My university at that time was having trouble processing Stafford loans but kept guaranteeing me that by the time my course started they should be able to do it (I had no other funds to pay for the course).  I spent two months continually calling to see if their Stafford approval went through.  Finally the course started and I was told I could start, but would only have a 4 week period between having to pay for the course privately or having to quit IF the Stafford approval process didn't go through.  I decided to wait to see if I could start in February- giving some more time for the Stafford to go through.  February came and it was obvious they had made some sort of error.  I knew I couldn't stay on the student visa when I wasn't going to school so I packed up my apartment and left in early March.  It is now a year later, we have been doing the long distance thing and are planning to marry.  I am starting to worry and panic that when I put my fiancee visa paperwork in they will ask me about my student visa and I will have to admit I never technically went to school due to the loan problems.  (yes, it was dumb to head over before the Stafford loan processing was in place by the uni, but I had been verbally assurred repeatedly that there should be no problems).  Will this cause problems with my visa?  Will they even ask me about it?  I am 34 years old, work a full time job, and own a home here in the US. 

I can't imagine it will be a problem.  That's how student "visas" were handled them - and probably a part of the reason why they're handled differently now.  You could have even come to the UK as a "prospective student"! 

You came over with every intention and PROOF of starting uni - and you left when it became obvious that wasn't going to happen.  So long as you're above board on everything, again, I can't imagine it will be a problem.

I wouldn't fret... you came within the regulations at the time. You left when you saw things weren't working out.

I am curious though, do you know WHY the Stafford didn't work out? I've not heard of a UK Uni who hasn't, at some point, managed to sort things out. And I've never heard of one that refused to let you attend classes when they were the ones who couldn't sort out the Stafford.

It was/is not uncommon at all to arrive in the UK with a Stafford loan pending. I don't think I know anyone who had check in hand before getting here...

Good luck!

Thanks for your kind replies.  I was going to Leeds Metropolitan and was told that their Stafford processing application was pending, but that they had tried to get it through for a couple of years prior to my applying and were "nearly there".  I have saved emails from the man at Leeds who I was directly dealing with.  I was offered to start the course, but was told I had a certain time frame where if my Stafford wasn't through by then I'd have to pay privately or quit the course.  It was very upsetting as it had been a long term goal to study history in England (I'm sure many people have that dream).  I still plan to do it.  By the way, their Stafford process did go through this past April or May (the man kept in touch with me and emailed me when it had been approved).  I probably could have started the course and had the payments retroactively paid, but I was worried about owing that money and knowing I couldn't pay it if the loan processing continued to be a problem.