thailandbill

Hi,

My daughter is 14 and a British citizen. She was born and has lived all her life in Thailand where she is studying at an international school.

I am now beginning to look at her options for A levels and University education in the UK. As the fees the international students at UK universities would be beyond our means I am looking to move her to the UK to live with her Aunt in order for her to be eligible for home fee status and student loans.

A few questions...any advice or opinions would be very welcome:

1. If she moves to England after her IGCSE's in two years time to study A levels (aged 16/17), would the two year period of residency in the UK be enough to convince the universities that she should be granted home fee status? I understand that the actual requirement is three years but I wonder if anyone has any insight/experience in whether this is strictly enforced?
2. If she moves to England to study for GCSE's and A levels then she would obviously be resident for more than three years. Would this automatically grant her home fee status when applying for university later?
3. I am part owner, with my siblings, of a family property in England. Would my getting her registered as a part owner in this property NOW help her home fee assessment in the future?
4. Would getting her a UK bank account and having other official mailings sent to the UK address help in her future home fee assessment?

I am sure I have other questions but if anyone has any useful advice regarding these questions please do let me know.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Bill

ldollard

No to question one, she cannot come back for any period of time be it 10 yrs or 3 years to fulfill her residency requirement for education.

She has to be ordinarily resident in the UK and at 16/17 she cant be without you her parents also being domiciled, meaning living permanently in the UK.

Basically no to all your questions, except possibly 3) But as shes under the age of 18...... ok looked into this and it wont work either "A minor under the age of 18 cannot own land or property in the UK"

You cant come and live in the UK solely for the purpose of gaining residency for those 3 years for the sole purpose of gaining home tuition expenses.

UKCISA

BritInParis

The requirement is that the student be ordinarily resident in the UK for three years on the first day of the course and that the residence should not have been wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving education, i.e. attending boarding school. If the OP's daughter was to return to the UK with her parents and spend three years in the UK before starting her course then she would fulfil this requirement.

ldollard

I took it from the OPs question that she would be moving back by herself and not with them.

HKG3

Has the OP consider moving back to Scotland with her daughter? After three years of residence in Scotland, she will be qualify for free university / college education in Scotland.

SAAS Full Time Student Information

currentaffairs

Are their strings attached? In Wales, they are proposing free university education for those who stay and work in Wales.. Meaning, I guess, clearing your initial debts once you have set up in Wales..

ldollard

Be the same if they moved back to England.

petitefrancaise

Had you considered sending your daughter to a university in mainland Europe? Lots of courses available in English and they are open to UK citizens without the need for residency like the UK universities. My son will be studying Physics in English in either Sweden or Holland. Cost is either free or about €700 for the entire degree. Only living costs to pay.

ldollard

Really, do you have any websites that give this information, i'd be interested for my kids?

petitefrancaise

google is your friend.. "study in europe in english"

here is one link
Study in Europe | European Universities Information | EUNICAS

a better way is to search for the best places to study a particular course in English. My son was hoping for germany but physics at undergrad level is taught in German (apart from Leipzig).
Holland is mostly English, a lot in Germany and then there's Norway and Sweden.
Unlike the UK, the EU universities specify EU citizenship for entry and not residency. I know a lot of the french community here in Austin and they will send their kids back to France for university. Poor sods.
Dentistry is Romania is an especially good deal. Taught in English using some of the best teachers in Europe (a lot from the UK teach part time there), the facilities are fabulous, degree is v good and then you can practice in any part of Europe.

thailandbill

Many thanks for all the responses to my post.

I am on a long term contract to work in SE Asia so I would be unable to move back to the UK with my daughter. It is possible for my wife to accompany my daughter if she moves to the UK to study A levels.

A couple of questions:

1. My wife is Singaporean - would my daughter be considered as resident if only my wife goes with her to the UK?
2. My company could provide me with a letter that states that I need to remain in SE Asia for work and therefore I cannot return to the UK. Would that be acceptable or do both parents need to return?
3. After two years of A levels I guess my daughter could take a gap year and remain in the UK to work (and pay tax). Would that be enough for the three year residency requirement?

Many thanks again for any replies. Much appreciated.

Bill

petitefrancaise

I'm throwing this in to the mix - maybe someone will come along with more knowledge?

If your daughter was living with her aunt for 3 years or more and attending a normal, local school and if her aunt was her legal guardian then I'm guessing that she fulfills the residency requirements?
Also, if your work visa in SE Asia is a temporary non-immigrant one then you may qualify for being ordinary resident in the UK. I know of someone who lived in South Africa for most of his children's lives but was always on revolving 2 year contracts with the company he worked for and so qualified as ordinary resident.

thailandbill

Many thanks for your reply.

You raise a couple of interesting ideas.

Her Aunt could certainly become her legal Guardian while in the UK, if allowed?

Also, I have been working on non-immigrant visas the whole time in SE Asia so I am not actually sure how that impacts my residency status in the UK? I have however been out of the UK for 22 years although I did work there (and pay tax) for the first seven years of my working life.Any insight into this would be appreciated.

Thanks again.

spouse of scouse

This government document re ordinary residence may be of help.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...nary-residence

petitefrancaise

if you look through other posts on the same subject on the forum you will see that there has been some success with people getting "ordinary" resident status if employed overseas on a temporary contract. Success also seems to depend on the university being applied to as well, some seem stricter than others.

I'm in the USA and I know that a person on an L1 visa (temporary work visa) can be ordinary resident in the UK. I am a green card holder - legal permanent resident and there's no chance of it for me!

You would need to ask about your visa and how permanent or not it is, if you lost your job, would you have to leave the country? Is her mother British? Being married to a Thai might muddy the waters somewhat.

You really should phone a university admissions department and ask. Be a bit careful with your wording though - bringing your daughter back purely to gain cheaper university education is not going to work.

What does your daughter want to do?