Eligibility for University course

[Melbpom]

Hi I'm looking to return to the UK in a couple of years and take my son home after the completion of VCE in Australia. He was born but is eligible for British citizenship. I'd like him to do tertiary study in the Uk but I'm not sure if he will have to pay international fees. Has anyone had any experience with this?

[rosiew]

There have been many posts on here about this - timing is everything. Even as a citizen he will need to pay international fees until he has passed a time period to reestablish residency ( 2 or 3 years - someone will tell you). So if you want to leave now he could complete A levels in the UK whilst waiting out the time, or else take a break before studying.

 

Even domestic fees are quite steep in the UK these days, so you will have time to plan. There will be plenty of advice on how to manage this transition.

 

Best of luck.

[caramac]

Yes, he will need to pay international fees, sadly. He would need to be resident in the UK for three years prior to the start of his course to qualify for domestic fees. That's for uni anyway - colleges may be different, so worth looking into the rules for those.

Your post isn't clear about where he was born, or how long he's been in Australia - that sometimes makes a difference and rules can more flexible if he's not been there long, or on a temporary visa.

[Melbpom]

Hi thanks for replies. My son was born in oz and I've lived here for 25 years. Its only recently that I've considered moving back to the UK. Moving back before he turns 18 isn't an option because of ex husband.

[caramac]

He'd definitely be an international student then. How do you feel about waiting until he's finished tertiary study? It's much cheaper there!

[rachel byrne]

My son is 18 and just completed his yr 12.he was born in the uK and moved here when he was 4.Will he be charged as an International student and will his ATAr score enable him to go to University in the UK? Thanks for your advice fellow friends

[SWMBO63]

My son is 18 and just completed his yr 12.he was born in the uK and moved here when he was 4.Will he be charged as an International student and will his ATAr score enable him to go to University in the UK? Thanks for your advice fellow friends

 

 

Short answer he will be classed as an international student.

[Quoll]

My son is 18 and just completed his yr 12.he was born in the uK and moved here when he was 4.Will he be charged as an International student and will his ATAr score enable him to go to University in the UK? Thanks for your advice fellow friends

His yr 12 score may or may not give him access to a UK uni - all depending on which uni and what score he has got - he may be required to do a Foundation year. There are some returnees who say that their kids haven't been charged International fees but the rules seem quite clear about residence.

 

if there is any chance you could be back for him to do A Levels (and then a gap year) he'd be in a better position.

[caramac]

Yes, he will be an international student and yes, his atar should be enough for him to go to university here, depending on which course he wants to do at which university. They all have different entry requirements, so he'll need to look at their websites, and probably get in touch with them individually to find out what they need and how they convert his atar score.

[Eera]

The criteria we asked and judged by was "have you been in the UK for the three years prior to starting your course for reasons other than education?" So even if a student did their A levels in the UK, if they were not ordinarily resident (i.e. were at bording school and their home address was in Australia) they would still be classed as international. If they had moved in with grandaprents, and could sign a stat dec to say words to the effect that they were now UK residents, it may be different. I've posted elsewhere about how universities can make their own minds up about fees, so won't go into it again here.

[littlegreenman]

There is a simple way around this. When I went back to the UK to do my masters I did the online application and there was the tick box "Have you been a resident of the UK or Europe for the last three years." Fortunately I had done my research and knew why this question was asked. I ticked yes and thought if they had an issue I could just say it was a mistake. Nothing such ever happened. I got an offer with domestic fees which I duly paid and that was the end of the story. No stat dec etc needed. Saved me a couple of grand and I'd do it again.

[Diane]

There is a simple way around this. When I went back to the UK to do my masters I did the online application and there was the tick box "Have you been a resident of the UK or Europe for the last three years." Fortunately I had done my research and knew why this question was asked. I ticked yes and thought if they had an issue I could just say it was a mistake. Nothing such ever happened. I got an offer with domestic fees which I duly paid and that was the end of the story. No stat dec etc needed. Saved me a couple of grand and I'd do it again.

 

Gosh, you'd better hope they don't find out and make you pay back the difference. I think it's more than a couple of grand - when I checked, domestic fees for one course were STG9k a year, international fees about STG25k a year - so you'd have a lot to pay back!

[Sammy1]

That is very daft advice to give.

[Melbpom]

Thanks for replies. I've taken a look at some universities and I'm resigned to the fact that my son will be considered an international student. I've also been looking at A level grades for entry to undergraduate courses. For science/IT courses the grades seem to be rather high i.e. A's and B's. Has the bar been raised for uni entry?

[caramac]

Thanks for replies. I've taken a look at some universities and I'm resigned to the fact that my son will be considered an international student. I've also been looking at A level grades for entry to undergraduate courses. For science/IT courses the grades seem to be rather high i.e. A's and B's. Has the bar been raised for uni entry?

 

 

It it seems to be supply and demand unfortunately. The 'best' universities can ask for high grades for their most popular courses, but if you look at the ex polys they often have lower entry requirements. They very often have courses which can match the others, but because they're not so prestigious, they're not as popular. Or have a look at courses which are less popular. For example, my daughter wants to do psychology and her offers range from A*AA - AAB at her five choices, but if she chose applied psychology at one of them she would need ABB because it's a less popular course.

[littlegreenman]

That is very daft advice to give.

 

Read again what I wrote. I never gave any advice, it was just my story whether you like it or not.

[littlegreenman]

Gosh, you'd better hope they don't find out and make you pay back the difference. I think it's more than a couple of grand - when I checked, domestic fees for one course were STG9k a year, international fees about STG25k a year - so you'd have a lot to pay back!

 

Won't happen. They messed up sending my degree certificate overseas 3 times after graduation. I doubt they will smart enough or have the resources to launch an investigation five years later on whether I had lived in the EU 3 years prior to my studies. I could have lived in ... Finland or Romania. Good luck to them sifting through Finish resident records.

[Diane]

Won't happen. They messed up sending my degree certificate overseas 3 times after graduation. I doubt they will smart enough or have the resources to launch an investigation five years later on whether I had lived in the EU 3 years prior to my studies. I could have lived in ... Finland or Romania. Good luck to them sifting through Finish resident records.

 

Probably the same kind of self-justification anyone would tell themselves to excuse committing a fraud or crime. Just sayin'.....