Possession of EEA2 permit entitle me to uni EU/Home fees

[osiris]

Hi

We are in the process of applying for EEA 1 and 2 for an unmarried partner visa. My partner is irish and I am canadian. I am currently enrolled for a PhD degree and in my first year.

Should we be successful in obatining a residency card under EEA treaty rights, am I entitled to EU/Home fees at university?

Thanks for your help

[John]

No. I think I can say absolutely categorically ... no!

Many universities and colleges have a page on their website dealing with this issue. Click here to read the one from Bristol University which deals with this technical issue quite clearly.

You will see that in certain circumstances even British Citizens need to pay Overseas Fees. For example, if a British Citizen has lived in say Australia for a number of years, and now they return to the UK, for the first three years after arriving back they would need to pay Overseas Fees.

In fact worse than that .... and you are caught by this ... it is your status at the start of the course that counts. So a change of status during the course is discounted ... meaning even if someone reaches the 3-year point during the course, that is ignored.

[JAJ]

No. I think I can say absolutely categorically ... no!

Many universities and colleges have a page on their website dealing with this issue. Click here to read the one from Bristol University which deals with this technical issue quite clearly.

It may be that the "3 year rule" does not apply to distance learning. At least, there's nothing to that effect on the Open University or University of London (External) websites.
http://www.open.ac.uk
http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk

Maybe an option to consider?

[SunBlue]

Hi,
you have to check university to university.
I have colleagues who are EU dependents and could go to Uni paying home fee straight away, even that they just arrived in the UK (but the husband is EU national living more than 3 years in the UK).

I have other colleagues who have EU passport but just arrived in the UK (without ever living in the EU) and pay home fee.

You have to check with the university itself. Don't take "NO" as an answer now, ok?

[osiris]

Cheers. Thanks for the advice guys.

My uni regulations state that I must be living in the EU for the last 3 years and have rights to remain in UK.

I have been living in Ireland for the last 12 years, but I'll get back to you guys when I get more info.

Would sure make a different in fees though
Overseas = £12,000+
EU @ £ 3,000
Doesn't hurt to ask huh?

[John]

Osiris, OK I might have been a little too hasty being so categorical, not knowing about the 12 years residence in Ireland.

But what is your UK immigration status at the moment? You have what, a student visa? Any reason why the UPV was not applied for prior to moving from Ireland to the UK?

Looking at that Bristol webpage, I just wonder whether you are able to squeeze within the terms of their no. 5? Or might it be the case that not getting the UPV in order to move to the UK could prove to be extremely expensive in terms of education fees?

Would sure make a different in fees though
Overseas = £12,000+
EU @ £ 3,000

Tell me about it! My wife is currently doing a Masters Degree and given that English is not her native tongue it was readily conceded that she would need to do an IELTS test and get a sufficient score, which she did. However the college then seemed to assume that IELTS test = overseas fees, and it took a lot of time to convince them that she was within the terms of no. 1 on the Bristol webpage.

[osiris]

John,

Thanks for post.

I applied for a student visa first, because I was not aware I could apply for an UPV when we first arrived into the UK.

I understand that it should not be a problem applying for UPV once we are living in the country, and as we have travel plans up to the new year, I shall apply in Janurary.

I did speak to the finance dept at my uni, and they are happy to "recognise" me for EU fees, if I can prove to them, that I have a "right" to live in the UK.

I can only apply, and if successful, will approach my finance dept again!

I can empathise with your wife. English is my first language, however, in order for me to apply for registration with the medical council in the UK, they required that IELTS had to be taken. Needless to say, I did very well in the exam but the funny thing is, doctors within in EU whose english is very poor, can register with the UK medical council without taking both english exams and competency exams practicing medicine in engligh.

Regards to your wife doing her masters degree!

[osiris]

sorry typo in above message.

I meant "english"

P.S. Thanks for the Bristol site pointer John. Maybe there'll be hope for us!

[JAJ]

I have been living in Ireland for the last 12 years,

How have you managed to live in Ireland for 12 years and not get Irish citizenship? That would make moving to the UK considerably easier.

[osiris]

In the process of application.
Applcations take 2 years!
Also, I was not eligible, as the first 6 years were as a student, which are not counted in ireland.

[JAJ]

In the process of application.
Applcations take 2 years!
Also, I was not eligible, as the first 6 years were as a student, which are not counted in ireland.

They used to count time as a student as far as I know. The cut off date for application under the old rules was 29 November 2002.