Urgent advice needed!!!!!

Any advice appreciated.
I applied for LLB Law at the University of Liverpool in 2024. I was accepted on the programme and started. Due to some circumstances, I applied for Student Finance in October 2024. My university classed me as a home student. I showed my application to multiple university staff and everyone advised it is ok to go ahead. I also verified with SF who also didn't pose any problems at that time.
Fast forward to January 2025, I was denied student finance. I am told I can apply for this academic year (2025) as a new student. I am being told to cough up nearly £5000 before September 2025 if I want to study there again for the period Sep 2024 to Jan 2025 that I studied there.
I do not know what I should do. I live 2 hours away. I am a carer and I live at home while studying. I also have a part time job. I do not have £5000.
I wanted to go to Liverpool instead of a uni near me because it is Russell group.
UCAS deadline has also passed. Student Finance deadline is at the end of the month. I have no university offers. I am now 21 years old. I now have had 2/3 gap years.
I do not have a buzzword for UCAS. What are my options? Go back to Liverpool, apply to a uni near me? What do I do?
Someone please advise me.
Thanks.

Any advice appreciated.

I applied for LLB Law at the University of Liverpool in 2024. I was accepted on the programme and started. Due to some circumstances, I applied for Student Finance in October 2024. My university classed me as a home student. I showed my application to multiple university staff and everyone advised it is ok to go ahead. I also verified with SF who also didn't pose any problems at that time.

Fast forward to January 2025, I was denied student finance. I am told I can apply for this academic year (2025) as a new student. I am being told to cough up nearly £5000 before September 2025 if I want to study there again for the period Sep 2024 to Jan 2025 that I studied there.

I do not know what I should do. I live 2 hours away. I am a carer and I live at home while studying. I also have a part time job. I do not have £5000.

I wanted to go to Liverpool instead of a uni near me because it is Russell group.

UCAS deadline has also passed. Student Finance deadline is at the end of the month. I have no university offers. I am now 21 years old. I now have had 2/3 gap years.

I do not have a buzzword for UCAS. What are my options? Go back to Liverpool, apply to a uni near me? What do I do?

Someone please advise me.

Thanks.

Hi there!

It sounds like you have had a lot going on!

When it comes to whether you are classed as a UK or international student, you can ask your university to send you a TFQ which basically will give you a final answer on whether you are classed as home or international for fees. Once you have this answer, it might make things easier for you.

I'm not sure whether you have ever heard of Clearing or UCAS extra but this explains it really well. Essentially, it is a way to get an offer for a degree after the main application deadline has passed. You can see if the university you are looking at has got any spaces still for the course that you are looking at and you can apply this way.

I would also contact student finance and get an explanation in writing for why you are classed as an international student / have been denied finance and then you know exactly where you stand!

I hope this helps,

-Rebecca, University of Central Lancashire Ambassador

What is your current immigration status? Did SFE explain why they classed you as not eligible for student support?
You need to speak to Liverpool about their fee payment options to come up with something that is affordable to you. When you enrolled onto the course in Sept 2024 you would have agreed to their fee payment policy which makes you liable if your sponsor (SFE) doesn't pay.
Is there a reason that you only applied to SFE after starting your course and not in April/May before as recommended?

Hi,

Thank you for your reply to my post.

I am currently awaiting my renewal for Limited Leave to Remain. I have been in the UK for 11 years now, however student finance rejected my application as they said I got my first limited leave to remain in December 2021 however, according to their criteria, I have to have 3 years of leave granted prior to my course starting.
Since my course started in September 2024, I would have been 2 months short. Sep 21 - Sep 24.
Hope it makes sense.

In terms of not applying earlier, honestly since Liverpool is 2 hours away from me and I am a carer as well, I was having doubts as to go or not go uni.

I had already had 2 gap years at that point and decided to go.

I had spoken to multiple staff in university, I advised of my immigration status and everyone told me it is ok to go ahead.

even before this, getting accepted into a russell group was an amazing news for me and I chose Liverpool even though it is far because of this. Especially because people say for Law, russell group is recommended.

After all this, I just do not know what to do.

If i go back to Liverpool: I have to pay £5000 before September 2025.
Even UCAS deadline is past and SF deadline is end of the month.

Sorry for the long message but I really just want some advise.

Have you spoken to UKCISA? Their student advice line has experts in the regulations around fee status and eligibility for student finance. They may be able to help you find if there's any possibility to appeal the SFE decision.
It's also worth speaking to the fees/income team at Liverpool to explain the situation and that you aren't unwilling to pay but that you expected SFE to cover the fees and are having trouble finding alternative funding. The student advice team at liverpool might be able to direct you towards hardship funding and other sources of funds (charitable grants and bursaries) that could help cover the costs.
Did you suspend your studies in January?
The UCAS equal consideration deadline has passed but applications are still open. Once the deadline passes it moves to first come first served it doesn't close. If you want to keep your options open then apply asap. UCAS applications don't impact your status on your current course.

Hi,
Thank you for your reply to my post.
I am currently awaiting my renewal for Limited Leave to Remain. I have been in the UK for 11 years now, however student finance rejected my application as they said I got my first limited leave to remain in December 2021 however, according to their criteria, I have to have 3 years of leave granted prior to my course starting.
Since my course started in September 2024, I would have been 2 months short. Sep 21 - Sep 24.
Hope it makes sense.
In terms of not applying earlier, honestly since Liverpool is 2 hours away from me and I am a carer as well, I was having doubts as to go or not go uni.
I had already had 2 gap years at that point and decided to go.
I had spoken to multiple staff in university, I advised of my immigration status and everyone told me it is ok to go ahead.
even before this, getting accepted into a russell group was an amazing news for me and I chose Liverpool even though it is far because of this. Especially because people say for Law, russell group is recommended.
After all this, I just do not know what to do.
If i go back to Liverpool: I have to pay £5000 before September 2025.
Even UCAS deadline is past and SF deadline is end of the month.
Sorry for the long message but I really just want some advise.