Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that British children living abroad have the same financial help to attend British universities as children who live in the UK.
In order to qualify for support, British nationals should generally have lived in the United Kingdom and Islands, elsewhere in the European Economic area, or in Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. Satisfying this requirement demonstrates they have a substantial and recent connection with the United Kingdom, and has been upheld by the Courts as a reasonable test.
An exception to this rule is made for those who have been temporarily absent or employed overseas. This provides flexibility for students who do not meet the residence requirements but have not made a long-term decision to live outside the country.