Hi

I am new to this Forum.

I am not sure where to start.

Briefly I am an Australian. My son has been studying in Switzerland for 2 years and we went back to Australia. Due to my husband's job we moved to Barcelona and he did the IGCSE in 1 year got 9A* with UMS of 97, Did his AS and got 5As UMS of 94.
Did UKCAT average of 845 and Band 1
Not sure how to apply for UK university for medicine. Asked Cambridge and they said we have to apply through UCAS as EU student.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Reply 1

BerlinFilmFan

Original post by deep05

Hi there! I have a daughter applying to university this year as an international (EU) student, and have done A LOT of research! We were very confused at first, but now I feel I understand the system very well. If you'd like to PM me (send me a private message), I'm happy to share my hard-won wisdom.

But the very short answer is: your son has a deadline of October 15th, so if you want to go for it, you'll be under some pressure in the next ten days!!! Do get in touch!

Reply 2

deep05

Thanks for replying back. Not sure how to send you a private message.

The School is helping him to fill the UCAS.He will be sending that in next 2-3 days.

Kind Regards
Deep05

Reply 3

BerlinFilmFan

Original post by deep05

Thanks for replying back. Not sure how to send you a private message.

The School is helping him to fill the UCAS.He will be sending that in next 2-3 days.

Kind Regards
Deep05

Hover over my Username above this post and choose "Send a private message"

Look forward to hearing from you!

Reply 4

parentlurker

Hi. I dropped my teenager at Cambridge on Saturday, they are studying medicine. Applying is a tough process for teen and parent. Start by looking at the UCAS website http://www.ucas.com/ and the student room medicine wiki http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine

You do have to move fast as the deadline is approaching. He can only apply to 4 uk medical schools and a fifth choice. Popular 5th choices are those where transfer to medicine may be possible after a year - so Newcastle, Sheffield biomedical science and possibly St Georges. Cardiff quarantee you a graduate medicine interview if you do their biomed course.

With those sort of results he may have a free choice of medical school when applying, provided he has done both Chemistry and Biology at A2, plus a thied academic subject and an academic AS at A grade and has maths and english GSCE. Despite his great grades if he doesn't also have work experience he may struggle to get a place at uk medical schools. Only 60% of applicants get offers and that includes some with excellent grades.

He needs to choose medical schools he likes but also those that fit his strengths. Cambridge is a good choice. If you can afford London prices another BMAT university would be sensible and he could look at Barts (stuffy IMHO), Imperial, and UCL. If he thinks of Kings take a look at the student satisfaction rating first. With that UKCAT he would be guaranteed an interview at Newcastle/Durham but he would need to really know the place backwards to get an offer.

You need to be careful to keep EU residence as he would have little chance of success as an international student, there are very few places available for internationals.

You need to know that interviews are often arranged at short notice and pay little attention to how the student gets there. Cambridge has fixed dates for interview and he will be able to get free accommodation overnight (and meals) if he applies promptly. There will be older students around to help them find their way about and mine may be one of them this year.

Reply 5

deep05

Thanks for all the information.

My son did Che,Phy,Bio,Maths,English,English Lit, French, Spanish,IT for his IGCSE
AS -Che,Phy,Bio, Maths, Further Maths
He did 3 Weeks of Work Experience at Cerebral Palsy Centre in Barcelona and Hillington Hospital Radiology and at Emergency for a week. Not sure whether these experiences are enough for his application.
My main concern is whether they will consider us as EU student or International.

Hope all will be ok.

Reply 6

parentlurker

Original post by deep05

Take a look at http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/do-you-qualify-for-finance-as-an-eu-student and the helpful Imperial guidance here http://www.imperial.ac.uk/publications/pgapp/overseasfee.pdf

If you have been in the EU for his GSCE year and 2 A2 years then you are OK provided you stay here for the rest of this academic year. If you weren't here for all his GSCE year then he could perhaps take a gap year during which you all stay here. Although he was resident when you weren't that was mainly for educational purposes, so won't count.

Most uk students have a lot of volunteering and work experience so your son's is at the light end of the scale but if he makes the most of it and prepares for common interview questions it should be enough.

Reply 7

BerlinFilmFan

Original post by deep05

My main concern is whether they will consider us as EU student or International.

Here's a great step-by-step explanation of the regulations governing whether or not your son would be considered an EU candidate or not, from the Manchester University website (http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/studentfinance/2014/status/)

Hope this is helpful to you!

[h="1"]Home/EU or international status[/h]Tuition fees are set at different levels for home/EU and international students. The following questions may help you understand if you're eligible for home fee status:

Are you a British or EU national – are you eligible to hold a British or EU passport?

AND

Will you have been resident in the UK, European Economic Area (EEA)* or Switzerland for the three-year period before the start of your studies at the University?

* The EEA includes all EU member countries plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

AND

Can you confirm that the purpose of your residence in the UK/EEA during the three-year period prior to the start of your studies was not fully or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education?

OR

Have you been granted indefinite leave to enter/remain in the UK?

AND

Have you lived in the UK for the three-year period before the start of your studies?

AND

Was the main purpose of you residency not for full-time education?

If you answer yes to all of the questions in either (1) or (2), you will be eligible for home fee status.

Reply 8

BerlinFilmFan

Original post by deep05

My main concern is whether they will consider us as EU student or International.

Another extract, this time from the LSE website (http://www.lse.ac.uk/study/informationForInternationalStudents/feeStatusClassification.aspx)

[h="2"]Home EU fee eligibility[/h]

In order to qualify as a home EU student, you must meet all of the following criteria:

•

On the first day of an academic year of your course you must be a national of an EU country, or the 'relevant family member' of a non-UK EU national, and that non-UK EU national is in the UK as a self sufficient person or as a student; ORthe 'relevant family member' of a UK national;

AND

•

you must have been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) and/or Switzerland and/or the overseas territories for the three years before the 'first day of the first academic year of the course'.

AND

•

the main purpose of your residence in the EEA/Switzerland (or the overseas territories if applicable) must not have been to receive full-time education during any part of the three-year period.

The following may also qualify for the 'home' EU fee:

•

EU nationals or the their children provided that they have been resident in the EEA or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of the course.

•

EEA and Swiss workers, their spouses, civil partners and children in the UK who have been resident in the EEA or Switzerland for three years.

•

Turkish worker (Child of)

•

Immigrants who are formally recognised as having Refugee status in the UK prior to 1 September before the start of the course.

The above is only a very brief summary and there are a number of exceptions to the above conditions.

Reply 9

BerlinFilmFan

Original post by deep05

My main concern is whether they will consider us as EU student or International.

And one more link (without an extract): http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Fees--finance/Home-or-Overseas-fees/

When you get to this page, you will see that it is quite tedious and unhelpful BUT on the left-hand-side on the webpage are a number of links: England Higher Education, England Further Education, Scotland Higher Education, etc etc. Each link opens a page that IS helpful, with a list of those who qualify for Home Fees status. A degree in medicine at university is Higher Education, btw.

Good luck to you!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 10

parentlurker

Although if you stay in the EU until the end of his A levels it looks like you have been "ordinarily resident" for 3 years it's resident in the EU not Britain and you aren't EU nationals.So it isn't clear that you will be covered. What nationality is the boy's father and has your son considered becoming an EU national?

Reply 11

deep05

All of us are Australian nationals. We have been living in Spain due to my husbands Job. We are EU resident not a national of EU. Looks like we will be eliminated on that basis.
By end of A2 he will be covered 3 years continues study in EU. He has an extra 2 years in Switzerland as well.

Reply 12

Trini99

Original post by deep05

We're in a slightly different situation: Non-EU passport, living in Switzerland for 5 years by graduation. We think we will be eliminated on this basis too. :frown:

I realise this thread is quite old. Can the OP provide an update? What was your son's final fee status?

Reply 13

Doones

Original post by Trini99

We're in a slightly different situation: Non-EU passport, living in Switzerland for 5 years by graduation. We think we will be eliminated on this basis too. :frown:

I realise this thread is quite old. Can the OP provide an update? What was your son's final fee status?