Eligibiliry/residence rule

Re the residency rule - I'm in a similar situation as someone else who posted he a few days ago in that I arrived in the beginning of October 3 years ago and the rule for student loans is that you must have been here 3 years on September 1st. I'm a bit perplexed by this and think it's a little unfair and actually quite discriminatory as I'm unable to start the next academic year because my overseas qualifications will no longer be valid, which means I'll have to take an access course the following year and reapply to UCAS...... how likely is it that my appeal will suceed? Would I be able to pay for my 1st year and ask for the loan for my 2nd and 3rd years? Or does,the fact that I wasn't eligible for the 1st year mean I can't apply for 2nd and 3rd year loan?

Hi there,
The way residency works is from the beginning of your course. So, if you weren't in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the course you won't be able to apply in Years 2 or 3 of this course.
Can you please tell us when you first arrived in the UK? Where did you live before?
Thanks, Graeme

Also...i saw that students can apply up to 9 months into their study course.....but am presuming that the sept 1st eligibility rule applies in that circumstance too.....is there likely to be a relaxing of this rule? As in my case 3 weeks is the difference between me being able to gain a degree or not gain a degree in my lifetime - is it possible an appeal would work?