[EveIsBored]

Student Finance has just approved my application, so I logged in only to find this listed in a section "Your Next Steps":

We have all the required information - you don't need to do anything else.

You must give us your bank details before we can pay any student finance to you. You can do this through My account and Update Bank details.

You must give us your National Insurance (NI) Number. We cannot pay you until you give us a valid NI Number.

I'm a student from the EU (Lithuania, to be precise) and I'm planning to attend Warwick, where I'll arrive on September 25 for International Orientation. My course starts the week after that, on October 1st. Now here's what's been bothering me:

So, as far as I understand, I can open up my student bank account after I arrive, during the International Orientation, right? Or will it already be too late to do that? The deadline for tuition payment is listed as 25th October on my university's website, but I'd like to be sure.

Also, when and how am I supposed to get the National Insurance Number? I haven't worked in the UK, so I definitely don't have it. Here's what I found on Directgov:

If you've applied for and have been awarded a student loan and you don't have a National Insurance number, the Student Loans Company will ensure that Jobcentre Plus arrange for you to get one. They may require you to attend an 'Evidence of identity' interview - see the later section 'What happens when you apply for a National Insurance number'. You do not need to contact Jobcentre Plus yourself.

So should I do nothing about this issue now and just wait for the Student Loans Company or Jobcentre Plus to contact me? If so, does anyone know when how likely it is that the interview will be needed? Flying to England just to prove my identity seems a bit ridiculous.


Anyway, I know this is a lengthy post, but to be fair the whole student loans business is rather confusing. Help would be really, really appreciated!

[smart slug]

I had the same problem (I'm German) so I called them up to ask about it.
They said it was because the website is layed out for UK students who need to give the information for mointenance loans etc which we as EU students don't receive.

Basically, I was told just to ignore it, because it doesn't apply to us lot

[EveIsBored]

(Original post by smart slug)
I had the same problem (I'm German) so I called them up to ask about it.
They said it was because the website is layed out for UK students who need to give the information for mointenance loans etc which we as EU students don't receive.

Basically, I was told just to ignore it, because it doesn't apply to us lot

Oh, that's a relief! Thanks a lot!

[LauraaB]

hey guys! so basically once we've been approved we just have to leave it right? :P

[EveIsBored]

(Original post by LauraaB)
hey guys! so basically once we've been approved we just have to leave it right? :P

It seems that way. Though I wish someone who'd gone through this process successfully in the past would let us know whether that's true.