previous studying in anothe country

Good evening everyone!

My best friend is EU citizen, living in UK for almost 3 years now, applying for university. He has studied for 1,5 year a while ago in our country, but had to resign because of personal reasons and move to UK. I know, that this fact will significantly reduce the students loan, which will possibly make him unable to study at all.

Is there any chance to get a full financial support in these circumstances?
If not, is there any way The Students Finance can find out about previous studies in one of EU countries if he will skip that part in application form?

I know the second options seems to be really bad, but there is not much else we can figure out. Or this, or no education.

I would appreciate your answers.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

Klix88

Original post by Kylieee94

If he was living in the EU before moving to the UK, he would have to live in the UK for five full years before he qualified for a Maintenance Loan. So at present, he will not get any Maintenance Loan.

He would get a Tuition Fee Loan, but that will be decreased by his previous uni study. The calculation is:

Number of years of the new UK degree (minus) Number of previous years of uni-level study anywhere in the world (plus) One year = Number of years of Student Finance entitlement

For the purpose of that calculation, partial previous years of study are counted as complete. If he starts a new three year degree in the UK, this gives him 3-2+1=2 years of Student Finance, which he would get in his second and third years.

So if I understand your friend's situation correctly, he would get no Maintenance Loan, and a Tuition Fee Loan only for his second and third years. He would have to pay his own living costs for the entire degree, and his own tuition fees in the first year.

If he waits to apply to uni until he has five years of UK residence then he will also get a Maintenance Loan for his second and third years. However because of his previous uni study, he will never get any funding in his first year.

Reply 2

KiwiMonkey96

Original post by Kylieee94

I'm assuming this 1.5 years was university studying and is therefore why you're mentioning it, it will count as previous study where ever it was from. If you started year it is counted as a full year so his entitlement would be counted as 2 years, student finance however gives a gift year which means that under ordinary circumstances he would has to self-fund his first year (with only a minimal maintenance loan) but would have full funding for the rest of the course as long as he meets all other criteria. There are however certain circumstances where someone can claim a year back if there is a compelling personal reason such as illness (only an example) and can provide evidence, but if there is no reasonable reason for why he left the course or can't provide evidence of it then he will have to self-fund the first year, assuming I've understood the whole situation. I'm not sure how they would check but it's not worth lying, if they find out not only would they stop all money it's fraud if he does lie about previous study.

Reply 3

Klix88

Original post by KiwiMonkey96

he would has to self-fund his first year (with only a minimal maintenance loan) but would have full funding for the rest of the course as long as he meets all other criteria.

Just to clarify, EU residents must now live in the UK for 5 full years before they qualify for any Maintenance Loan, so the OP's friend won't qualify for any Maintenance payments for another two years. The rule for people moving to the UK from the EU, changed last year.

Reply 4

Kylieee94

Thank you for your answers - of course by saying financial support I meant tuition fee loan, not maintenance which I know he is not eligible to. I also understand that skipping the previous studies in the application is risky, but I know two other people who didn't mention it - one of them had only 1 years of studies finished, another one had a full master degree, and they managed to finished they studies in UK without any problems. But of course, I know it's not the way to be scared for the rest of life of being prosecuted for that.

That leads to my next question - is there anything that can replace goverment students loan and won't rip him of money while repaying? I mean bank loans or those from private companies. I'm thinking of course about paying this way for those years of studies that his is not eligible to get a loan for. I've read about some bank offers, but they have really high interest rate.

I know how all of this sounds, but we are really just hardworking people who dream every day to be educated, but we were unlucky to start living in UK to late. We wish to be born here, and trying to do everything to deserve living here - it includes education.

Reply 5

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by KiwiMonkey96

I'm not sure how they would check but it's not worth lying, if they find out not only would they stop all money it's fraud if he does lie about previous study.

I know people who were in similar situation to the OP's friend; they did not declare their foreign university study and they received loans. It is fraud and it is wrong, but when there is no enforcement mechanism and no way to prove a student has studied abroad then it becomes more of a moral question than a legal one. Stick to the rules and suffer, or break the rules and get what you want. I don't know what I'd do if I were in that situation.

Reply 6

jelly1000

Original post by Kylieee94

banks won't loan to a student, there is one private loan company but im afraid they are a rip off.

Reply 7

RoliB

What did you decide in the end? One of my acquaintances is in the same situation hesitating whether to declare the previous studies or not.

Reply 8

mxnsmxntx

Original post by RoliB

What did you decide in the end? One of my acquaintances is in the same situation hesitating whether to declare the previous studies or not.

Hi! Did your acquaintance decide to declare that? I am also in this situation and I'm inclined towards it but I don't know if they'll be able to track it.