Student Finance England or Wales?

Hi all,
I'm in desperate need of some help. So I'm English, but I moved to Wales in September 2017 to study BA (Hons) English Literature at Cardiff University. I graduated this summer, and have been weighing up my options for my next step.

Due to so many of the training schemes for my industry being cancelled for the next year to two, I've decided to study a specialised MA at USW - another University in Cardiff, starting in January 2021.

The thing that's confused me is applying for Student Finance. So I logged on to my Student Finance England account now, and it asked me this about where I live:

'Your permanent home is where your family home or somewhere you own or rent is. It's either your normal country of residence or somewhere you have moved permanently to live and work.'

Thing is, I moved to Cardiff originally to study here. But since graduating and starting this new course in January 2021, I'm working here, paying Council Tax, and renting my own flat in Cardiff for six months before studying again.

The phrasing of Student Finance England's request has confused me...my permanent home can't be somewhere that I've moved to study. I moved here in 2017, finished my course in July 2020, and the course starts in 2021 - my 'family home' is in Cornwall, but I rent and my 'permanent residence' is the flat that I rent myself in Cardiff - I barely go home, am not registered to vote there, and barely get any post there at all. I've lived alone for three years - 3.5 by the time the course starts, and rent my own home - this is my permanent residence.

So, my question is: who do I apply with - Student Finance England or Student Finance Wales? When filling out my application on SFE, I said my permanent residence will be in Wales on the 1st January 2021 - and it sent me over to Student Finance Wales to finish my application - but I thought I'd ask for proper advice now before I did anything in case it's wrong?

Genuinely so confused, and any help will be very much appreciated!!

Hi, if you moved to Wales to study you would be still eligible for SFE funding, if you apply to SFE then we will fully determine your eligibility.
Thanks, Isaac

Hiya!

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'm still a bit confused at the moment. How long would I have to be living in Wales to qualify for SFW funding? Someone mentioned something about a 'long vacation' period to me, and that if it's over that it would count as SFW - the time between my course is six months (would have been 7 had COVID not pushed my course on for longer).

One thing that has confused me is that I rang up Student Finance England before you replied, and was told on the phone that I would be eligible for Student Finance Wales funding because I have consistently been renting in Wales and permanently live here and work here now and will be doing that six month period and during the course. After the phonecall, I applied for Student Finance Wales and have since been rejected. But when I try to answer the Student Finance first question of where I am permanently living I feel in limbo: I permanently live in Wales and that takes me to SFW, I do not live in England so I'm really not sure what to do from here.