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Do I Qualify?
Some of the sources of funding require you to meet certain residency requirements. If you have not lived outside the UK, apart from temporary or occasional absences, you are likely to meet the residency eligibility conditions. However, for certain learners their residency status is not clear and we would advise you to contact your local college (for further education courses) or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland ( SAAS) (for higher education courses) if you are in any doubt about your residence status. Higher education students should visit the SAAS website or e-mail them at saas.geu@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
Generally, the residence requirements are as follows:
(i) You must be ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
In further education, this will be the start date of your course.
In higher education, you must be ordinarily resident on the following dates:
- 1 August 2007 for courses that start between 1 August 2007 and 31 December 2007.
- 1 January 2008 for courses that start between 1 January 2008 and 31 March 2008.
- 1 April 2008 for courses that start between 1 April 2008 and 30 June 2008.
- 1 July 2008 for courses that start between 1 July 2008 and 31 July 2008.
(ii) UK nationals must also have been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man for the three-year period immediately before the start of the course.
There are different rules for asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers and EU nationals. A more detailed overview of residency issues can be reviewed or downloaded from our website at www.scotland.gov.uk/fundingforlearners.
The website www.diverseroutes.co.ukalso contains information on the help available for asylum seekers.
What does 'ordinarily resident' in Scotland mean?
The courts have defined 'ordinary residence' as 'habitual and normal residence in one place'. It basically means that you, your husband, wife or civil partner live in a country year after year by choice throughout a set period. This allows for temporary or occasional absences such as holidays or business trips and may cover you if you or your family were temporarily employed abroad.
In most cases you will not be treated as 'ordinarily resident' in Scotland if your main purpose in coming here is to study and you would normally be living somewhere else.
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