UK Uni Study on a Spousal Visa?

Hey guys,

Wondering if you can advise me, I have just arrived in the UK this week after marrying my husband last month, and am just formulating my plans from a career/study perspective, with my ultimate aim being studying some form of Nursing at a UK University... I have a couple of questions that you guys may be able to help me with...

1) I assume that study is possible on a Spousal as opposed to a Student Visa?

2) I understand that I would initially have to pay full international student fee's, that are a lot more expensive, yes?

3) on the assumption I am correct with question 2, is it after three years or only after I have become a British Citizen after 5 years that I would be entitled to the cheaper fees/any relevant bursaries etc.?

4) If I was to study at a college in the meantime to boost my entry chances, would the college courses be significant more for me also?

Any help or guidance massively appreciated!
Thanks guys!

Yes you can study but it will be at international fees for 3 years (not after settlement).  Not sure about college fees.

Yes you can study but it will be at international fees for 3 years (not after settlement).  Not sure about college fees.

Thank you so much! So I wouldn't have to wait to be a British Citizen (which would result in me having to wait five years)? If so, that is fantastic!

Yup, but things can change at anytime.  Lots of things have changed and tightened since I arrived!

See here for information on bursaries: https://www.gov.uk/nhs-bursaries/eligibility

At present the usual qualification period for you would be 3 years but, as KFDancer said, things can change. There is also a link where you can find out if you could qualify in less than 3 years.

I'm pretty sure colleges also have international student fee rates. They also can offer degree courses, validated by a UK university and may be cheaper in price (at least the home fee rates for UK degrees at colleges are). International fees for degrees at Leeds City College, for example are £9,250. Not sure which universit(ies) might validate their degrees, though. 

http://international.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/index.php/fees/

If you just entered the UK on a spousal visa, you won't have ILR until you've been here for 5 years.

In order to be eligible for home student fees, you need to be settled in the UK (which in this case means free from immigration restriction on the length of your stay - therefore you need ILR) and you need to have resided in the UK for 3 years prior to the start date of your course. That means the first day of the first year of  your course. If you gain ILR during the middle of the course,  you cannot switch from an overseas paying student to home fees paying student.

So in order to get home student fees to study in the UK, you'll need to wait to start studying until after you have ILR.

Here's the relevant information: http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Fees--finance/Home-or-Overseas-fees/England-Higher-Education/

1: Those who are 'settled' in the UK and meet the main residence requirements

In order to qualify for 'home' fees under this category, you must meet all of the following criteria:

(a) you must be settled in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and

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

(c) you must also 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 - eg, if your course begins in October 2013, you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands from 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2013; and

(d) the main purpose for your residence in the UK and Islands must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of that three-year period.

Note: It is not necessary to have had settled immigration status in the UK for the full three years. You only need to show that you have it on, at the latest, the first day of the first academic year of the course.

...

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 refer to immigration law for the definition of 'settled'.

...

Right of permanent residence in the UK

If you have the right of permanent residence in the UK you can be considered as settled; but there are exclusions and you should check each category carefully.

So in order to get home student fees to study in the UK, you'll need to wait to start studying until after you have ILR.

Not so. If OP's husband is a British or other EU national, she will get home student fees for Higher Education (university) under the category "EU Nationals and Family" after 3 years.  It's the third category in the UKCISA link you posted.  However, eligibility in this category only means you are eligible for fees-only Student Support, no help with living costs.

OP is already a home fee payer for a Further Education (college) course if her EU citizen spouse has himself been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area for the three years immediately before her course.  See http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Fees--finance/Home-or-Overseas-fees/England-Further-Education-19-or-older/#3:-Family-of-EEA/EU-nationals,-who-have-not-been-ordinarily-resident-in-the-EEA

Wow! Thank you all for the help! Since I am American and my husband is Welsh, it is my understanding that I will have to wait until I've been living in the UK for 3 years to receive any bursaries, nhs funding (I want to study to be a nurse), or home fees for my education, yes? In the meantime, would it be wise to take an "Access to Higher Education - Health Care" course? I am 26 and would be considered a mature student. I have no British qualifications, so I thought this would help me get in to Uni. Any thoughts?

I have been a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) in America for 5 years and would love to continue this type of work in the UK. I'm currently awaiting the arrival of my national insurance number. When it arrives and I'm able to apply for jobs, will my American certification transfer to the UK? I'm not sure if any certification is even necessary here. I read on a website that I may have to register with the HPC (Health & Care Professions Council). Have any of you ever heard of this? When I looked into it further, it sounded to me like that would be for a more "professional" position such as a doctor, dentist, or nurse. I would greatly appreciate any further advice.

You've all been incredibly helpful! Thanks again!

I think your current skills most closely match the healthcare assistant role. Start here for guidance:
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/healthcareassistant.aspx

As a nurse, you'd need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
http://www.nmc.org.uk/

To find an approved nursing programme:
http://www.nmc.org.uk/education/approved-programmes/

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is for allied health professional and social workers.

Word of note, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland (NI) unis are much cheaper than ones in England, so if you are coming to the UK, you might want to consider living in Wales, Scotland or NI to take advantage of the cheaper fees for residents for each constituent country i.e. the cheap fees will only apply to the part of the UK you are resident in.

The Nursing Times, the main nursing magazine in the UK
http://www.nursingtimes.net/

More about different nursing jobs in the UK:

Adult Nurse:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/adult_nurse_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/adultnurse.aspx

District Nurse:
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/districtnurse.aspx

Paediatric / Children's Nurse:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/paediatric_nurse_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/children%27snurse.aspx

Mental Health Nurse:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/mental_health_nurse_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/mentalhealthnurse.aspx

Learning Disability Nurse:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/learning_disability_nurse_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/learningdisabilitynurse.aspx

Midwife:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/midwife_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/midwife.aspx

Practice Nurse:
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/practicenurse.aspx

Occupational Health nurse:
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/occupationalhealthnurse.aspx

Where are you in the UK? 

Thank you for all of that information. I'll have a look at all of the links as soon as I have a lump of time to dedicate to research I am living in Wales and looking into Welsh universities.

Where in Wales are you? Do you know what kind of nursing you would like to train for?

ETA: You will need to choose a pre-registration course to qualify as a nurse, specialising in adult, mental health learning disability or paediatric / children or midwifery.  

I'm in South Wales, about halfway between Cardiff and Swansea. I have already looked into taking the Access to Higher Education - Health Care course at a nearby college. That should look good when applying to a university in about 3 years. I am torn about which specific area of nursing I should go into. I have been a nursing assistant for 5 years, primarily in adult care. But, I've always been interested in midwifery. Is it too ambitious to study for a degree in adult nursing, midwifery, and management? I am very good at what I do and passionate about quality care for patients and their families. I saw that after I finish my degree, there is something called "The NHS Wales Graduate Management Scheme". I think the point is to get nursing graduates into a 2yr program to become management staff.

Thank you for all your help!

You can do a degree in midwifery or adult nursing to qualify as a nurse in that area, not both. As far as I can see, the NHS Wales Graduate Management Scheme can only be done after you have qualified and likely practiced for at least a couple of years.

I'd look at the university courses you might be interested in and look at the entry requirements and work your way backwards to figure out how to get on the course. Volunteering may be an excellent boost to any application and good for the CV and to meet people. Also, I'd make sure the Access To Higher Education course will be accepted by the university courses you are interested in.

Have fun researching your options and what is near you.

Here are the 2015 nursing and midwifery university rankings:
http://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2014/jun/03/university-guide-2015-league-table-for-nursing-and-midwifery