Question regarding student loan.

Hello. I am a USC married to a UKC since 2004. I moved over here in 2004 and got my ILR in 2006. Sept. 2007 when our daughter was 6 months we moved to the US and lived there just under 2 years (moved back in 2009). My daughter and I moved back before I had been out of the country for 2 years and my husband followed us in Dec. I have now been accepted to Uni and have been considered a home student (just had to send a picture of my visa and not passport pages). I now fear that things might start getting complicated when I apply for a student loan as I haven't been in the country for 3 year come Sept., but 2 years. I have been so excited since being offered a place at Uni and finally going to go back and get a degree. I was gutted when I saw some questions and then saw I would have to send my passport off.

Does anyone know if the student loan company is strict with the 3 year policy? We bought a house in March so we are here for good. I have managed to find the Uni fees from my mom back home if no other option.

Any help or advice would be welcomed and thank you.

I have now been accepted to Uni and have been considered a home student (just had to send a picture of my visa and not passport pages). I now fear that things might start getting complicated when I apply for a student loan as I haven't been in the country for 3 year come Sept., but 2 years. I have been so excited since being offered a place at Uni and finally going to go back and get a degree. I was gutted when I saw some questions and then saw I would have to send my passport off.

Does anyone know if the student loan company is strict with the 3 year policy? We bought a house in March so we are here for good. I have managed to find the Uni fees from my mom back home if no other option.

If you haven't been in the UK for the last 3 years, then you don't actually qualify for home fees or a student loan - so technically, they shouldn't have considered you to be a home student at all... I'm guessing they okayed it because you only had to show your ILR, and because it was issued in 2006, they probably assumed that you have been living in the UK for all of that time.

The problem will come if they discover that you have only been in the UK since 2009 and don't actually meet the residency requirements... because then you will probably have to pay the full international fees.

In terms of the student loan, I'm not sure whether you'll get one or not - the rules for student loans are the same as for home fees, because you can only get a loan if you qualify for home fees. The SLC are supposed to ask for proof that you have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the past 3 years and if you hold a non-UK passport you have to send it in with your application... so from that they may see that you haven't been in the UK for 3 years and could decide that you aren't eligible.

So, I guess the questions will be (which I'm trying to find an answer to, but haven't managed it yet): if they determine that you are not eligible for a student loan, will that information be passed on to the university, causing you to have to pay international fees instead of home fees? Also, if you do pay home fees and get a student loan, what happens if they find out later on that you weren't eligible for them?

Maybe it's best to be honest about it and either pay full international fees now or defer, wait another year until you reach 3 years and start university then.

If you haven't been in the UK for the last 3 years, then you don't actually qualify for home fees or a student loan - so technically, they shouldn't have considered you to be a home student at all... I'm guessing they okayed it because you only had to show your ILR, and because it was issued in 2006, they probably assumed that you have been living in the UK for all of that time.

There is lots of stuff on this subject on the British expat forums and the rules are as ksand24 says; you must be resident for the 3 years before university, to qualify for home fees. 2 years is not enough to get home fees.

A university admin guy was on the expat forums stating all they ways they can find out when you arrive on campus. If you get on campus and they find a student has given incomplete information, the fees are subject to change.

It also seems that you can't switch to home fees in the second year of your course either, even if you meet the 3 year rule then.

Thank you ksand24 and Peter36 for all of your information. Peter36 where can I find that all the information from the university admin guy?

Peter36 where can I find that all the information from the university admin guy?

It was on the Britishexpat site and the thread I was thinking of would have been last spring/summer before the September 2010 intake.

I just had a look on that site and there is yet another thread about home fees and the expat guy who works at a university, is posting on that thread. His username is dunroving.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=704537

He seems to post a lot, so any thread on the 'Moving back to the UK' board with something about home fees for university, will catch his eye.

Peter36 thank you so much for taking the time to look for me. It is looking like I will have to defer and wait a year.

I am on the same situation, next year ill be in UK for 3 years, my mom have been in the UK since 2006, can i get a loan on her name? and Monkey Magic, did u defer it? and if you did, that means u r getting your loan? thanks mate