Student Finance for EU AND UK - Need Help!

OP

caraa91

You can just apply through student finance england and say you don't want the tuition fee loan.

And it wouldn't matter that:

a) I spent the last 10 years outside of UK (but within the EU)
b) My dad has no UK income

?

thx for the tip though.

Reply 3

I'm pretty sure you can't do that; you would either have to apply to SAAS as an EU student (and I wouldn't be sure you could even do this if you already qualify as a UK student) or apply to SFE as a UK student, not do both.

I'd say first off you should email the SFE EU team and ask their advice about having dual EU/UK nationality. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/DG_6000071 (they take a week or so to get back to you if you email, but they do get back to you-just make sure you include all information fully if you email including the country you lived in before moving out of the UK, or obviously you can call) and find a contact for EU students with the SAAS and take it from there.

I would hazard a guess (only a guess though) that they will both say you cannot pick and choose which nationality to use to avoid tuition fees and you'll probably be considered a UK home student as you can't choose when and when not to be a UK national.

I can't find any clear information which is why you're better off asking SFE or SAAS; however, on a few uni's websites about dual nationality they have indicated you should always put your UK nationality before your EU nationality in other matters, which I think would suggest it's likely this is how student finance will see it-that your UK nationality should always be put before the nationality you hold in any other country. Also SAAS's website only refers to 'EU nationals (non-UK)'-you are a UK national, regardless of the fact that you also have another EU nationality, so it would suggest this probably does not apply to you.

Reply 4

oxymoronic

19

If you've been living outside of the UK for the last 10 years you're classed as wherever you've been living, so in this case, France. The residency is based on where you are a resident and not your citizenship, so they take into account where you've been living for the last 3 years. If your dad doesn't have a job it seems you're in France indefinitley (ie: you're not only there because one of your parents has a fixed contract of 2 years in Paris or something, in which case you'd be treated different) and therefore your residence is French so you need to apply to SAAS. You can't apply to both.

For reference: I have a friend at Edinburgh who is British American. He was born in the UK to British parents and lived here for the early years of his life, they then moved to the USA as a perminant move when he was about 10. He pays international student fees at Edinburgh despite being a British national and being here without a student visa due to his British passport. This is basically the same situation as you except for the extra nationality.

Reply 5

I don't think you'll get a maintenance loan as a non resident.

Reply 6

oxymoronic

If you've been living outside of the UK for the last 10 years you're classed as wherever you've been living, so in this case, France. The residency is based on where you are a resident and not your citizenship, so they take into account where you've been living for the last 3 years. If your dad doesn't have a job it seems you're in France indefinitley (ie: you're not only there because one of your parents has a fixed contract of 2 years in Paris or something, in which case you'd be treated different) and therefore your residence is French so you need to apply to SAAS. You can't apply to both.

It's different in the case of UK nationals living in the EU (or EEA or Switzerland). In this case, it is both your nationality and your place of residence that contribute towards your eligibility.

While an EU national resident in the EU is an EU student (so only gets tuition fees, or in the case of Scotland gets free tuition fees) and therefore in this case would apply to SAAS, a UK national living in the EU is treated as a home student (and therefore can get tuition and maintenance loans), and would apply to SFE (assuming they lived in England before they moved abroad-as you apply to the last place you lived in the UK).

As with your friend, totally different situation because they lived outside the EU: there are as such different rules.

The issue here is which of the OP's nationalities takes priority for the other, or whether they can choose which nationality to use (which no one can answer on here for definite but it would be reasonable to assume whatever the case, they cannot apply to both funding bodies).

hypocriticaljap

I don't think you'll get a maintenance loan as a non resident.

Stop feeding people false information; other people have repeated this a million times and it's not fair to confuse people who are already confused about where they stand: if you are a UK national who has exercised a right of residence in the EEA or Switzerland, you are a home student. You get everything every home student gets, including maintenance loans. It has been such since 2008.

Reply 7

OP

oxymoronic

If you've been living outside of the UK for the last 10 years you're classed as wherever you've been living, so in this case, France. The residency is based on where you are a resident and not your citizenship, so they take into account where you've been living for the last 3 years. If your dad doesn't have a job it seems you're in France indefinitley (ie: you're not only there because one of your parents has a fixed contract of 2 years in Paris or something, in which case you'd be treated different) and therefore your residence is French so you need to apply to SAAS. You can't apply to both.

For reference: I have a friend at Edinburgh who is British American. He was born in the UK to British parents and lived here for the early years of his life, they then moved to the USA as a perminant move when he was about 10. He pays international student fees at Edinburgh despite being a British national and being here without a student visa due to his British passport. This is basically the same situation as you except for the extra nationality.

I don't live in France nor am I French :biggrin:

Hungary is the country you are looking for :wink:

SAAS and the other finance company don't NEED to know whether or not I have dual nationality. They don't need to know whether or not I am applying for a student loan elsewhere either.

I'll apply for the loan as an EU national if needed.

However, it seems to me that if I get the free tuition fees with SAAS, I cannot get a loan for accommodation+cost of living from them so I have to get it elsewhere...

Wouldn't it be possible to get the tuition fees paid by SAAS (I fill out all the criteria and conditions) and get a "cost of living loan" from SFE?

I've been living in Hungary for 10-11 years now, my father and mother work here.

EVEN IF my nationality was UK-only, I would still apply for SAAS free tuition fees because my mother is a German Citizen and only has that nationality.

Reply 8

OP

Let me add that I could always state that I've been living in London with my aunt for the past 3 years, right?

EDIT:

heidigirl

It's different in the case of UK nationals living in the EU (or EEA or Switzerland). In this case, it is both your nationality and your place of residence that contribute towards your eligibility.

While an EU national resident in the EU is an EU student (so only gets tuition fees, or in the case of Scotland gets free tuition fees) and therefore in this case would apply to SAAS, a UK national living in the EU is treated as a home student (and therefore can get tuition and maintenance loans), and would apply to SFE (assuming they lived in England before they moved abroad-as you apply to the last place you lived in the UK).

As with your friend, totally different situation because they lived outside the EU: there are as such different rules.

The issue here is which of the OP's nationalities takes priority for the other, or whether they can choose which nationality to use (which no one can answer on here for definite but it would be reasonable to assume whatever the case, they cannot apply to both funding bodies).

Stop feeding people false information; other people have repeated this a million times and it's not fair to confuse people who are already confused about where they stand: if you are a UK national who has exercised a right of residence in the EEA or Switzerland, you are a home student. You get everything every home student gets, including maintenance loans. It has been such since 2008.

According to what you last said, I COULD apply for a maintenance loan.

I lived 7 years in England before moving to Hungary, for SFE I count as a "UK student returning for studies at university".

So technically I could do as I planned, it's nt like I need to tell SAAS that I've applied to SFE...

Reply 9

Wouldn't it be possible to get the tuition fees paid by SAAS (I fill out all the criteria and conditions) and get a "cost of living loan" from SFE?

why not try to freeload as much as possible!
No you couldn't!

Reply 10

ferdi.g

Let me add that I could always state that I've been living in London with my aunt for the past 3 years, right?

Except that would be lying, and would be fraud?

Reply 11

ferdi.g

I lived 7 years in England before moving to Hungary, for SFE I count as a "UK student returning for studies at university".

So technically I could do as I planned, it's not like I need to tell SAAS that I've applied to SFE...

I would be pretty certain you can't 'cheat the system' like that. I would also be pretty certain that SAAS may not accept your EU nationality when you have UK nationality.

I can't remember where I found it, but I did stumble across a guy who had kids with dual UK/EU nationality who had asked SAAS about the free tuition fee thing, and was told their UK nationality took precedence. So it seems likely SAAS would not recognise you as an EU student.

I would also guess that even if this wasn't the case, and you could just not tell them, that since you have to put your uni details in to get loans etc and enrole with your uni in order for you to be paid, they would certainly pick up that you had done this.

Reply 12

OP

But it doesn't say that it's forbidden.

Because now I need to choose between Free tuition and self-paid maintenance or a loan for everything.

In the long run, the first option is best. In the short run I'm not sure that I could finance maintenance myself without a loan.

What on earth could I do?

I emailed SFE and asked them whether I'm eligible for maintenance. if so, I'll ask them if I can apply for the SAAS free tuition loan at the same time.

I really don't know what to do :s-smilie:

Reply 13

I recommend you try everything you suggest. I have every confidence you will get everything you deserve.

Reply 14

OP

Here I'll quote SAAS:

SAAS

To be eligible to apply for payment of EU tuition fees only, you must meet the following conditions.

You are an EU national (other than a person who is a United Kingdom national who has not utilised a right of residence), an EU overseas territories national or the family member of either.
You have been ordinarily resident in the EU, the EU overseas territories, elsewhere in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of your course (the relevant date). For the majority of students who start a course in the Autumn term, the 'relevant date' is 1 August.
You are taking a course of full time study in Scotland and plan to graduate in Scotland.

I think I'm Eligible for the SAAS thing. My mum is just German my dad is UK/Hngarian and I am too. I guess that I AM eligible...

Reply 15

jojospacemunky

If it was me personally i would telephone the SFE team and speak to them about making your application and what is best course of action or speak to SAAS as you live outside the UK you would be classed i believe as a EU Student therefore might be different to someone living in the UK.
But you would only apply to either SAAS or SFE for your application and not both.

You cannot state on your application that you have lived with your Aunt as that is deemed fraudelent information and could land you in a whole lot of trouble with the law not to scare you but it would.

Reply 16

OP

hypocriticaljap

I recommend you try everything you suggest. I have every confidence you will get everything you deserve.

No need to be so hateful. I'm not just some scrooge trying to go to uni for free.

I'M just considering all the possibilities so that I make the right choice.

I have to chose between:

A) Loan for everything (Good int he short run, pricey in the long run)
B) Free Tuition fees (Good in the long run, I don't start my life in debt BUT I'll have a hard time financing maintenance).

I'M really not sure as to what I should do.

EDIT: I'll admit that the aunt idea was stupid, it was just something that sprang to mind...

Reply 17

ferdi.g

Here I'll quote SAAS:

To be eligible to apply for payment of EU tuition fees only, you must meet the following conditions.

You are an EU national (other than a person who is a United Kingdom national who has not utilised a right of residence), an EU overseas territories national or the family member of either.
You have been ordinarily resident in the EU, the EU overseas territories, elsewhere in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years immediately before the first day of the first academic year of your course (the relevant date). For the majority of students who start a course in the Autumn term, the 'relevant date' is 1 August.
You are taking a course of full time study in Scotland and plan to graduate in Scotland.

I think I'm Eligible for the SAAS thing. My mum is just German my dad is UK/Hngarian and I am too. I guess that I AM eligible...

The bit in bold is the bit you appear to be blind to. Regardless of your EU nationality, you ARE a UK national, so that sentence right there would seem to exclude you. You can't choose when and when not to be a UK national; it doesn't work like that.

But you really do need to fully clarify the situation with SFE and SAAS. They're the only ones that can give you accurate information, provided you give them the correct information.

Issues come up all the time with people with UK nationality living in the EU; I think we need a sticky. :p:

Reply 18

I'm not just some scrooge trying to go to uni for free.

Yes you are.
Trying to get one lot of funding in Scotland and another lot in England at the same time is one of the most despicable things I've heard of on this forum.

Reply 19

OP