2025/26 residency policy changes

Bereaved partners of Gurkhas and Hong Kong veterans and their children

From academic year 2025/26, bereaved partners of Gurkha and Hong Kong veterans and their children will qualify for the full package of student support available. This is subject to meeting other eligibility criteria and income assessment where needed.

Bereaved partners of Gurkha and Hong Kong veterans and their children will not be subject to the standard three-year ordinary residence rule. Instead, those eligible under this category will need to be ordinarily resident in England on the course start date. They will also need to have remained ordinarily resident in the UK and islands since their most recent grant of leave from the Home Office.

Becoming eligible as an event

Students granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or indefinite leave to enter (ILE) as the bereaved partner of a Gurkha or Hong Kong military veteran after the course start date will qualify for support. As will those who become the child of such a person after the course start date. This is as long as they apply within the relevant regulatory deadlines for applying for support when eligible as an event. ALL will be available for the entire course, provided the event occurs before the end of the course.