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How can I get student finance as an American with FLR?

Hello.

Recently I have gotten the email from UCAS about completing my student finance application. However, I do not come under any of the categories listed. I DO have limited leave to remain, but not with humanitarian protection.

After reading up on the topic, I found that since September 2011 anyone without Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) was not classed as an "eligible student". I have also read several articles and forum posts around the internet about people with Discretionary Leave to Remain (DLR) who were unable to apply for university finance and no one seemed to be able to offer any help on the matter. The problem is, I have an uncommon (it seems) status of Further Leave the Remain (FLR) that is inbetween DLR and ILR, and I have not found a single post relating to university finance and FLR.

I have lived in the UK since March 2004. I had discretionary leave in 2008 and only in 2013 applied for, and received, Further Leave. In only a years time I can apply for full Indefinite leave. I do not understand why I cannot apply for a student loan, on my Further Leave I am supposed to have more rights than someone with Discretionary Leave. Further more, I receive Bursary at my Sixth-Form, which is (of course) money from the government to help me with school. If I can receive bursary, why can I not receive student finance?

I have been in the country for a long time, and I want to be able to go to University. I have been planning my future since I was 10, and it is frustrating to have been here for so long and to have been in education for so long only to be denied the ability to actually pay for my course.

It is just ridiculous :angry:

. I have the right to live, study and work here (as shown by my residence permit and the fact I have a national insurance number). I would love to hear if anyone else is/was in the same situation and if there are any resolutions to this problem. I am going to try to talk to SFE and the home office/government and see if I can find out some more information on the matter.

Thanks for your time,
Steven_W

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

Klix88

It's only the case with SF England - you must have ILR to get SF. However if you lived in Scotland or Wales, you could get SF with any form of Leave to Remain

It's an established government policy and you sadly won't change it by talking to anyone. Once you have ILR, you can get SF in England and carry on with your uni plans. You haven't been denied uni funding, it has been delayed by a year or two. Whilst frustrating, you will be able to go to uni in the future.