Website of the UK government

Extra help with your living costs: do you qualify?

You can generally qualify for extra help with your living costs - in addition to help with your tuition fees - if:

• you have lived in ‘the UK or Islands’ (the UK plus the Channel Islands and Isle of Man ) for more than three years; or
• you qualify for financial help in the UK through EEA or Swiss migrant worker status, or as the child of someone who has Turkish worker status

See the relevant section below to find out more - however, bear in mind that there are some exceptions to these rules. If you are unsure about whether you qualify, contact your local authority to discuss it.

• Contact your local authority (student finance applications) Opens new window

This page gives general details for students studying in England, Northern Ireland or Wales. Follow the below link if you are studying in Scotland.

• Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS): information for non-UK EU nationals Opens new window

Lived in the UK for more than three years?

You can generally apply for help with living costs, as well as finance for tuition fees, if all the following apply:

• you are an EU national yourself (having a parent who’s an EU national isn’t enough to qualify)
• you have lived in the UK and Islands for the three years prior to the start of your course
• you are living in England, Northern Ireland or Wales at the time when your course starts (this is 1 September for a course that starts in the autumn)

If you have been studying in the UK

If you intend to study in England, Northern Ireland or Wales, you may qualify for help with living costs even if your main reason for being in the UK for the previous three years was to receive full-time education.

However, to qualify you must also have been 'ordinarily resident' within the EEA and Switzerland immediately before the three-year qualifying period in the UK and Islands before the start of your course (you’re 'ordinarily resident' somewhere if it’s where you usually live).

EEA or Swiss migrant workers and children of Turkish workers

You may also be eligible for financial help with living costs as well and tuition fees if you:

• have EEA or Swiss migrant worker status - or you’re a family member of someone who does
• are the child of someone who has Turkish worker status

Return to ‘Do you qualify for finance as an EU student?’ via the link at the bottom of the page to get a better idea of whether this applies to you.

What next?

If you qualify for help with your living costs

If you fit one set of the above criteria and qualify for help with your living costs as well as fees, you will be entitled to the same level of support as students who normally live in England, Northern Ireland or Wales.

For more information on the financial help packages, see 'Student finance: what you could get' (for studying in England), or the websites below if you're studying in Northern Ireland or Wales.

• Student finance: what you could get
• Student Finance Northern Ireland Opens new window
• Student Finance Wales Opens new window

If you do not qualify for help with your living costs

If you don't qualify under the residency criteria set out above, you may still be able to get financial help with your tuition fees. Return to the 'Do you qualify for finance as an EU student?' page to find out more.

• Do you qualify for finance as an EU student?