If you are an independent student, your parents’ income will not be taken into account in assessing the amount of student financial support you receive, but that of your spouse or partner of either sex, as well as any of your personal income which is not disregarded.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you are an independent student if you meet one of the following conditions:
- Are 25 or over before the start of the academic year for which you are applying, except for NHS funded years as the NHSBSA does not use age as a definer of independence.
- Have been married or entered into a civil partnership before the start of the academic year for which you are applying.
- Have supported yourself from earnings or benefits for at least three years before the start of the first academic year of your course.
- Your parents are no longer alive.
- Have the care of a person under the age of 18 on the first day of the academic year for which you are applying.
- Your parents cannot be traced.
- Your parents live abroad and an assessment would put them in danger.
- You are permanently estranged from your parents.
- You are in the care of a local authority, or you are under a custodianship order on your 18th birthday or immediately before your course if you are not 18 when it begins (Wales, NHS England and Wales).
- Subject to certain exceptions, at any point from the age of 16 to the start of your course, you have not been under the legal care of your parents; and for three months or more, you have been in the custody or legal care of, or have been given accommodation by, a local authority (England and Northern Ireland).
Further information for England via UCAS
Further information for Wales via Student Finance Wales
Further information for Northern Ireland via Student Finance NI
In Scotland you are an independent student if you meet one of the following conditions:
- Are 25 or over before the start of the academic year for which you are applying.
- You were married, entered a civil partnership or are living with a partner before the start of the academic year for which you are applying.
- Have supported yourself from earnings or benefits for at least three years before the start of the first academic year of your course.
- Your parents are no longer alive.
- Your parents cannot be traced.
- Your parents live abroad and an assessment would put them in danger.
- You are in the care of a local authority, or you are under a custodianship order, on your 18th birthday or immediately before your course if you are not 18 when it begins.
- You are estranged from your parents (please contact SAAS for advice on this)
- You have a child dependant on you at the start of the academic year.
Further information for Scotland via SAAS
There are other situations where your parents may not be expected to contribute even though you are not an independent student. Check with your student award making organisation if you think this might apply to you.