The Student Room Group

Studying in the UK with a BRP

I moved to the UK last year. I thought I’d go to university because I’ve already finished my senior high school in my country but I was wrong. I had to go to college to acquire the necessary entry requirements for universities since my qualification from my country wasn’t accredited. I moved to the UK to join my family, my dad who is a british citizen. When i enrolled at college, I didn’t know anything about the education system here, I was so confused but the teacher gave me the courses needed to pursue a career in medicine or healthcare. They made me take 2 gcses and 2 btecs. Through out the year I realized that in order to go to medicine I need A levels from biology, chemistry, and physics plus minimum of 5 gcses. I was so stressed because I don’t even know if I’m doing the right thing and I was limited with my choice as I wasn’t able to take the right A levels due to the fact that I didn’t have gcses. Now, I’m in my last year in college and have decided to take the longer route of taking biomedical science as my pre med degree but I’ve also did some research about the student finance and by the time I’ll go to uni, I’ll only be here for 2 years and don’t have indefinite leave to remain. I only have a biometric residence permit, dependant visa. So I don’t know if I’d be eligible. This stress me a lot because I don’t know what to do. Will it be worth it? Will taking bsc biomedical science worth it to go the grad entry medical science? Also my college won’t let me to take a 3rd year because of my age so I won’t be able to take the right A levels for medicine. Should I transfer college and take the right A levels? Should I continue my btecs and take a gap year for biomed bsc and so I’d get student finance? I don’t know what to do, please help me.
Original post by Angeli14
I moved to the UK last year. I thought I’d go to university because I’ve already finished my senior high school in my country but I was wrong. I had to go to college to acquire the necessary entry requirements for universities since my qualification from my country wasn’t accredited. I moved to the UK to join my family, my dad who is a british citizen. When i enrolled at college, I didn’t know anything about the education system here, I was so confused but the teacher gave me the courses needed to pursue a career in medicine or healthcare. They made me take 2 gcses and 2 btecs. Through out the year I realized that in order to go to medicine I need A levels from biology, chemistry, and physics plus minimum of 5 gcses. I was so stressed because I don’t even know if I’m doing the right thing and I was limited with my choice as I wasn’t able to take the right A levels due to the fact that I didn’t have gcses. Now, I’m in my last year in college and have decided to take the longer route of taking biomedical science as my pre med degree but I’ve also did some research about the student finance and by the time I’ll go to uni, I’ll only be here for 2 years and don’t have indefinite leave to remain. I only have a biometric residence permit, dependant visa. So I don’t know if I’d be eligible. This stress me a lot because I don’t know what to do. Will it be worth it? Will taking bsc biomedical science worth it to go the grad entry medical science? Also my college won’t let me to take a 3rd year because of my age so I won’t be able to take the right A levels for medicine. Should I transfer college and take the right A levels? Should I continue my btecs and take a gap year for biomed bsc and so I’d get student finance? I don’t know what to do, please help me.

How old are you and are you an EU citizen or international?
If you are international then you are only eligible for free secondary education up till and including 18.

There are a few exceptions.
https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies
https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/England-fee-status#layer-6082

In your case you dont have indefinite leave to remain and you arent a UK citizen. I think it is unlikely you will be eligible for funding even if you had been here for 3 years. If you dont have the 3 years residence in the UK or the EU then you wont get fees.
You would need your residence to be longer and in the UK if you expected maintenance.

In terms of qualifications, then for Medical school you should really have AAA at A level including Bio and Chem plus one other plus 2x GCSE pref at a 6 , but most people will have many more. You have to research the entrance requirements for each uni. BTECs wont do it for you for straight medicine in nearly all cases. Might work for biomed.

If you do Biomed then you have 2 chances. 1 get a transfer from doing really well in year 1 or 2 grad med, which is very competitive.

Note your funding for secondary education runs out once you hit 19. Normally students get a loan, but you wont be eligible as its on the same basis as HE finance i.e 3 years ilr. If you have only one year left then you have a choice.

1. Finish your current BTEC if doing well.
2. Start again with A level. You will still need AAA or better for Medicine.


At the end of it I dont think you will qualify for funding until you get at least ilr. SFE may not even accept your reasons for being ion the UK are anything other than for education which doesnt count towards the 3 years.


So tried to answer questions you raised, but looks like you may not be eligible for finance , which makes the discussion about which qualification a bit pointless as funding wont be available.
Reply 2
I’m an international but I moved here for settlement. I found someone who’s an international as well and was granted a tuition fee loan but not the maintenance. So I think I’ll try to contact the student finance, apply and see what happens. With regards to my course yes I don’t have the right A levels so I was thinking of doing biomedical science first. Hopefully one day I’ll achieve my goals.
I would note that graduate entry medicine programmes are extremely competitive, even more so than undergraduate courses. Transfers into medicine are also extremely uncommon, so there’s no guarantees with either of those routes. International fees for GEM can also be eye wateringly high, so look into those once you know what funding you are eligible for.
Reply 4
But it’s not impossible is it? It’s so hard cause now that I found out that I may not be eligible for student loan, I don’t know if continuing to study my btec would be beneficial or not. College starts this week as well and they won’t let me to take the right A levels because I don’t have the gcses. My plan was to do biomed then GEM but now thinking of the loan as well, I don’t know which is practical to do. To stop, get the right A levels and do the undergrad med. at the same time gain my residency but that would take up to 4 years to become a british citizen. For now, I’d take the risk first to apply for biomed and the student loan, if it doesn’t work I’ll work full time so I could support my studies. Thank you very much for your advice
I would personally recommend taking A levels and working for a few years to get your residency sorted and then applying for undergrad medicine. GEM isn’t ideal and starting a course before your ILR comes through is not a great idea. You might as well use the time while you sort out ILR to get the right A levels and some work experience in healthcare.

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