Ordinarily resident has been defined in the courts as 'habitual and normal residence in one place'. It basically means that you, your parents or your husband, wife or civil partner live in a country year after year by choice throughout a set period, apart from temporary or occasional absences such as holidays or business trips. Living in a place totally or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education does not count as being ordinarily resident.
Eligibility at the beginning of a course of education determines your eligibility for the duration of that course. This means that if you start your course while ineligible to receive support on residence grounds, you will continue to be ineligible for the rest of that course of education. If you:
- change course, and this is a different level to your previous course, or
- withdraw from your course and start again from year one, or
- have a break in study of one year or more,
we will reassess your eligibility to receive support on residence grounds.
New countries that join the EU
We will consider you, or your family member, for support part way through your/their course if your country joins the EU.
If you, or your family member, starts a course after your country joins the EU, you or your family member, can apply to us for a fees only award in every year of your/their course.
If you, or your family member, starts a course before your country joins the EU, you, or your family member, will not be able to apply for a fees only award until the academic year following your change in circumstances.
EU countries
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom.
EU overseas territories
Aruba, Faeroe Islands, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Greenland, Mayotte, Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire, Curcao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten), the Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies, St Pierre et Miquelon and Wallis and Futuna Islands.
EEA countries
The EEA countries are the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
The relevant date
The relevant date depends on when your course starts. The dates for session 2012-2013 are as follows.
- 1 August 2012 for courses that start between 1 August 2012 and 31 December 2012
- 1 January 2013 for courses that start between 1 January 2013 and 31 March 2013
- 1 April 2013 for courses that start between 1 April 2013 and 30 June 2013
- 1 July 2013 for courses that start between 1 July 2013 and 31 July 2013