UCAS Application (jobs sections) and Students Finance Team

1 14 minutes ago Report post
Hey everybody,

I'm an Italian girl who has got three offers from all the three universities I chose for my Modern Foreign Languages PGCE application. Everybody was so impressed about my teaching experiences abroad, especially those of South America where I've spent some months during the past three years working and volunteering in public and private schools with students coming from several and different social and cultural backgrounds. Those amazing opportunities have enabled me to grow and develop an excellent knowledge of Spanish language that is, in fact, tha main target language required in the course I applied for (MFL PGCE Spanish with French).

I've lived for the main part of the last three years in Italy and I've never moved my permanent Italian address. I was so shocked to discover that the same working experiences that helped me to successfully pass all my three interviews, are representing a threat to my bursary or loans. A real life paradox! In total, I have spent like 6 months outside EU in 3 years! And most of the time I worked for an Italian school. Funding application for September 2018 haven't opened yet, so I couldn't get any useful advice so far....Could anyone of you help me to understand? Is Eu Students Dinance Team that strict? Or will they be reasonable and human people willing to examine better my situation? I cannot afford all those expenses and I am feeling so demotivated and depressed.... Should I lie about the amount of months I've been working outside Europe? Will Students Finance Teams check my UCAS application in which I put every single details? I'm not liar but I really don't know which way to turn....

Even though I was working there? On my passport I have a "RESIDENTE" Visa valid from August 16, but it's a kind of Visa you MUST have if you want to work in Perù, for example. In my contract, it's specified that I was employed till December. I could have renewed my contract for the new shcool year but I decided to come back to Europe and apply for PGCE. I also sent my application through UCAS website, in November while I was still there. So, my intention to come back to Europe and to study and live in the Uk was pretty clear. Thank you for your advice

That sounds like it should be straightforward

Can I still hope to get a bursary, then? Without having to lie about the period of time spent abroad? Do they check all the information provided in UCAS application? Thankssss

SFE don't have access to the information on your UCAS form - but if your time abroad was not permanent and you always intended to return home then your ordinary residence is not affected. Don't risk supplying SFE with fraudulent information when you apply for finance - fill in the form in full and explain and temporary time spent living abroad.