You can apply for a course if one of the following applies If you:

• Are a UK national or other person with a right of abode. You must also have been a resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of your course
• Are a UK national and has resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland for at least the previous three years before the first day of your course.
• Are an Irish citizen and resident in the UK, Ireland, the EEA or Switzerland for at least the previous three years before the first day of your course.
• Are a Non-UK national and resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the first day of your course.  Also you have permission granted by the UK government to live in the UK.  Or you have obtained pre-settled or settled status under EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).
• Are a family member of an eligible person of Northern Ireland and been living in the UK by 31 December 2020 and have obtained pre-settled or settled status under EUSS and been resident in the UK for at least the previous 3 years before the first day of your course.
• A person who, on their first day of learning, has lived in the UK half their life or a period of 20 years or more.
• Have one of the following types of immigration status (and is therefore exempt from the 3 year residency requirement):
• Refugee status
• Humanitarian protection status
• Discretionary leave to enter or remain
• Indefinite leave to remain or enter
• Extant leave to remain as a stateless person
• Leave outside the immigration rules
• Granted leave under one of the Ukraine schemes, eg Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Home for Ukraine)
• Granted leave under one of the Afghan schemes, eg Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
• British citizens or direct descendants of a person who was born in the British Indian Ocean Territory

• Are the child of a Turkish worker, where the Turkish worker is currently a resident in the UK on or before 31 December 2020. They must have Turkish European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) rights. They could have extended ECAA leave. The child has been resident in the UK, EEA and/or Turkey for at least the previous 3 years before the start of your course. The child is resident in the UK on or before 31 December 2020.

Asylum seekers

Your status as an asylum seeker will decide whether you can access one of our courses. You may be able to if you:

• have lived in the UK for 6 months or longer whilst your claim is being considered by the Home Office.  Also that no decision on your claim has been made.
• are receiving local authority support under Section 23 C or Section 23 CA of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014.
• have been refused asylum and you have appealed against a decision made by the UK government against granting refugee status. No decision has been made within 6 months of lodging the appeal
• have been refused asylum and have been granted support for yourself under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, or
  have been refused asylum and are receiving support for yourself under Section 23C or Section 23 CA of the Children Act 1989.

No recourse to public finds

Your immigration permission in the UK may have a "no recourse to public funds" condition.  This doesn't include education or education funding and does not affect your eligibility, which will be decided under the normal eligibility conditions.