Student Finance Eligibility

[ILR-1982]

Dear Sir/Madam,

My son living in UK since August 2015 and obtained his Indefinite Leave to Remain in April 2021. He is anticipating to study in university in September 2023. With Indefinite Leave to remain status, is he eligible to apply for university student finance? Does he need to be naturalized in order to be eligible? Please could you advise? Thank you.

[zimba]

Assuming he has been living here for the last 3 years (ordinarily resident) and has ILR, then he is eligible

If you have ILR, you can access university. However, you will be charged tuition fees at an ‘international/overseas’ rate unless/until you have been “ordinarily resident” in the UK for 3 years before (and on) the first day of the first year of the course. After this, you would be able to access university as a ‘home’ student.

Similarly, in order to be eligible for student finance you need to have been “ordinarily resident” in the UK for 3 years before the first day of the first year of the course. Unless you are applying in Scotland where you do not need to have been ‘ordinarily resident’ for 3 years, but you must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course.

https://www.reuk.org/hefaq-ilr