§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the criteria determining residence by a UK student in the various component parts of the UK for the purpose of student436W support; and if the circumstances determining such deemed residence can change during the course of study. [115009]
§ Mr. Wicks[holding answer 16 March 2000]: The eligibility criteria are set out in the various regulations which cover the component parts of the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and are broadly comparable. To qualify for support, a student must normally satisfy three criteria on the first day of the first academic year of the course:
be settled in the UK for the purposes of our immigration laws; be ordinarily resident in the UK;have been ordinarily resident throughout the three year period preceding that date other than wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.Exceptions to the ordinary residence requirement are made where the applicant, their parent or spouse:
are or have been temporarily absent or employed abroad; have been recognised as refugees;are EEA migrant workers working in this country who have been ordinarily resident in the European Economic Area (EEA) for the three year period, andEU nationals (including British students) who have been resident in the EEA for three years, will be eligible for means tested fee support only.Students who are recognised as refugees after the start of their course and students who satisfied the ordinary residence requirement but failed to satisfy the immigration requirement and who are granted exceptional leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom after the start of their course are entitled to student support for the remainder of their course.