My wife is now in the UK on a settlement visa. I am enrolling her on an ESOL couse and the college are asking me if she will be classed as an International student.

I explained that she has a settlement visa and has an NI number but I had no idea of her student status. The visa only restricts her to receiving public funds but what is her status for further education?

I can't imagine that she is the first person like this that the college has encountered as it is in North West London.

To qualify for home fees for an FE course, your wife - on the first day of the first academic year - must:

Be settled in the UK; and

Been ordinarily resident for 3 years.

Have a read of http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/tuition_fees_e_fe.php and the rest of the website for further details.

I'm suprised the college is asking you about her status - it is their job to determine which fees to charge!

Edit to add:

I seem to remember some people here have reported their spouse has been granted home fees after one year of being in the UK (I could be misremembering). If so, I'm not sure why.

Edited April 9, 201313 yr by bangkockney

To qualify for home fees for an FE course, your wife - on the first day of the first academic year - must:

Be settled in the UK; and

Been ordinarily resident for 3 years.

Have a read of http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/info_sheets/tuition_fees_e_fe.php and the rest of the website for further details.

I'm suprised the college is asking you about her status - it is their job to determine which fees to charge!

Edit to add:

I seem to remember some people here have reported their spouse has been granted home fees after one year of being in the UK (I could be misremembering). If so, I'm not sure why.

I was surprised that the college was asking me as well. Especially as the college is in a high immigrant area.

We aren't talking a huge amount of money to pay the international rate anyway. She has enrolled now but I won't know what she has been cahrged until I get home.

This exercise today will have been her first outing on her own, well I dropped her off at the college, but she has to make her way home on 2 buses and one train.

I avoided the complication of telling her to change trains part way to get on a faster train. I will leave that until she is better aqainted with British trains.

I seem to remember some people here have reported their spouse has been granted home fees after one year of being in the UK (I could be misremembering). If so, I'm not sure why.

It used to be 1 year but was changed to three a few (2? 3?) years ago, I believe.

I seem to remember some people here have reported their spouse has been granted home fees after one year of being in the UK (I could be misremembering). If so, I'm not sure why.

It used to be 1 year but was changed to three a few (2? 3?) years ago, I believe.

Thanks 7.