The Student Room Group

Is it possible for an international student to get a student loan or such?

I really want to go to study in the UK for an English Lit. degree. I have browsed through various uni. websites and fees are just too much!

10,000 pounds per year? You have got to be kidding me. That would make over 60,000 dirhams and this is just insane! Plus, the rents and other things.

I have researched a lot on this but everything seems to be so complicated. I have read that for an international student you need to be in the UK for at least three years before your first day at uni. Isn't that discriminative?

I have an absolute passion for English Lit. and it's my dream to study it in an elite UK university but the fees and other expenses are just crazy! :frown:

Do I have any other options?
Reply 1
I'm in a similar situation. I'm from France. I'm doing a PGDE in French next year, at the university of Aberdeen. The fees are not as awful as yours, it's about £1800 and if I'm lucky, the SAAS will pay for the fees. But I need money to actually survive during the year. I can't get a student loan, because I'm an international student. The only solution I found was to get a French student loan. I get owned in the process, because it'll be in euro and I need pounds, but at least I'll have money.

I think there should be a loan system for international students, or at least, in some situations. Look, I'm going to be a teacher and teach in Scotland, I'll be there to pay the loan back... it's kind of annoying, but that's how it is.

Can you get a student loan from your country? Is there any grant you can get? I can't get any French grant because I won't be doing research, but there are a few of them available. Maybe you should check, you never know. Also, are youn undergraduate or postgraduate? I found it's easier to get such things if you're postgraduate. In such a case, maybe it'd be better to do a degree in your country and then carry on with postgraduate studies in the UK. That's what I did.
Reply 2
Right now I am doing my AS Levels and an undergraduate. The problem is, I doubt if universities here in UAE are recognized enough.

Are top unis in the UK likely to accept me for a postgraduate in English Lit. after I do a undergraduate degree from here? The only good university here in the UAE that does an English course is the American University of Sharjah :/

Thanks for the help, anyway.
Go on their website, it does ask if you have stayed in the UK for more than 3 years for obvious reasons. You can either see if you can get a regular loan, which i don't recommend, or contact student finance dept directly and talk it out with them.
Original post by Mo_H92
Right now I am doing my AS Levels and an undergraduate. The problem is, I doubt if universities here in UAE are recognized enough.

Are top unis in the UK likely to accept me for a postgraduate in English Lit. after I do a undergraduate degree from here? The only good university here in the UAE that does an English course is the American University of Sharjah :/

Thanks for the help, anyway.


BUt wouldn't you be left with the same problem, the finance? if you're so keen on it, come to england, work for a while save up some money, get a loan after a while if you have to, you could even get a few more qualifications to help with your application to unis here.
Original post by Mo_H92
I really want to go to study in the UK for an English Lit. degree. I have browsed through various uni. websites and fees are just too much!

10,000 pounds per year? You have got to be kidding me. That would make over 60,000 dirhams and this is just insane! Plus, the rents and other things.

I have researched a lot on this but everything seems to be so complicated. I have read that for an international student you need to be in the UK for at least three years before your first day at uni. Isn't that discriminative?

I have an absolute passion for English Lit. and it's my dream to study it in an elite UK university but the fees and other expenses are just crazy! :frown:

Do I have any other options?


There is no public funding available for you at all.
Reply 6
That is just so de-motivating and discriminative! :frown:
No it isn't discriminating.
Why should the UK Tax payer subsidise a non EU citizen who has made no contribution to the Uk or EU or any of the funds they are going to be asking for?
How about trying your own government for support.
Good luck.
Alternatively go to uni in your own country.
Reply 8
Original post by hypocriticaljap
No it isn't discriminating.
Why should the UK Tax payer subsidise a non EU citizen who has made no contribution to the Uk or EU or any of the funds they are going to be asking for?
How about trying your own government for support.
Good luck.
Alternatively go to uni in your own country.


I agree. But, I do actually plan to live in the UK after completing my English degree. That's one of the main reasons as to why I want to study there.

Would that count? :/
No, not in the slightest.
You wouldn't be able to automatically stay here anyway.
Reply 10
Why wouldn't I be able to stay in the UK? :s-smilie:
All this is just so confusing!
Original post by Mo_H92
Why wouldn't I be able to stay in the UK? :s-smilie:
All this is just so confusing!


Our government can't afford to subsisdise places for all the British students that want to study in Britain. Why do you think you're more deserving of money than they are?

And you can't stay in the UK because you'd come on a student visa. I believe you won't be able to work during your degree (could someone clarify this for me - I'm not sure) and you'll have to leave once your degree ends.
Reply 12
I never said that I am more deserving than the UK natives are. I just have an absolute passion for English Literature and what better place would there be study it other the native country itself? I have immense interest in English authors like Shakespeare, Bronte and poets like Keats and Donne. I am sure that Britain would be the best place to study English.

But what about if I want to work in the UK after my degree? Do I have to fulfill any requirements? I plan to complete a PGCE in secondary English after my undergraduate degree. Will I be able to teach in the UK?
Reply 13
Original post by Mo_H92
I never said that I am more deserving than the UK natives are. I just have an absolute passion for English Literature and what better place would there be study it other the native country itself? I have immense interest in English authors like Shakespeare, Bronte and poets like Keats and Donne. I am sure that Britain would be the best place to study English.

But what about if I want to work in the UK after my degree? Do I have to fulfill any requirements? I plan to complete a PGCE in secondary English after my undergraduate degree. Will I be able to teach in the UK?


You said it was discriminating, which it isn't, its just rightly placing priority on those who were born/live here.
You'd need to apply for a VISA after your course at university finished, as your student visa would run out as soon as the course ended and without another visa you would have to go home.
I think you need to research this properly, as it doesn't seem like you have if you don't even know about the visas you need.
Reply 14
so is it possible for an international student to get a scholarship?? i believe it is....foreign trusts and princes donate to UK top unis for giving scholarships to bright students who study in UK unis like cambridge and other top unis as far as i have heard and read myself....also i have heard that undergarduate scholarships are available but they are vey limited and gaining a scholarship to get a postgraduate degree is much more easier than gaining one to get an undergraduate degree..this is for international students
Original post by Mo_H92
That is just so de-motivating and discriminative! :frown:


It costs the British government a lot of money to give British & EU students tuition fee loans, due to the low interest rate on them, therefore only those whose parents/who pay taxes towards this cost should benefit. And I'm sure the fee you have quoted compare favourably with many elite US insitutions. And your best bet if you want to be a teacher is to teach in a British or International school in Dubai.

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