# Uk spouse Visa does a bursary or a scholarship count as income?



## ya babino (Oct 12, 2012)

Any advise will be greatly appreciated as I am going to be facing the draining task of applying for a spouse visa next summer.

I am just finishing my undergraduate degree and will be entering a PGCE next year. 

My fiance is Moroccan and ideally we would like to get a settlement visa so he can work here, though if we are unable to meet the requirements we will settle on the visitors visa and will have to re apply the next year when I will have a guaranteed salary.

Now once I start my PGCE, I will be getting a bursary of £15,000 and am pretty sure I will get the scholarship for £2,000. I will also have savings of about £3,000 or more but that is it. 

I know that you need to have earnings of £18,600 so my question is will the combination of my savings and bursary count? I should have written confirmation on my place by december and will get a letter of confirmation on getting a 2:1 from my university which will guarantee me the bursary. 

Should I stop being hopeful and just plan on getting the visitors visa for 6 months?

My question is based upon the hope that the laws don't change.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ya babino said:


> Any advise will be greatly appreciated as I am going to be facing the draining task of applying for a spouse visa next summer.
> 
> I am just finishing my undergraduate degree and will be entering a PGCE next year.
> 
> ...


Bursary, grant and scholarship don't count towards meeting the financial requirement, sorry.
You must have earned income, certain non-employment income like rent, investments and bank interest and savings above £16k, or a combination of two or more.

Options for your fiancé include a student visa and sponsored work visa (very difficult unless highly skilled). Visitor visa is up to 6 months, and no more than 6 months in a year.


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## JonathanHaywood (Nov 1, 2012)

> Bursary, grant and scholarship don't count towards meeting the financial requirement, sorry.


I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. I'm now living in the UK with my Thai wife who is here on a spouse visa. She came over in March 2012 and my primary evidence of income was my £20,000 PGCE bursary which I started September 2012. I provided a letter from my PGCE provider evidencing the bursary I would receive and the income I would receive once qualified in 2013. I had a few thousand pounds in savings and also provided a valuation of my Mum's house as a kind of "secondary" sponsor guarantee. I provided numerous letters from friends and family in support of my wife's application. My wife's daughter was also granted a settlement visa as her dependent, so I would have thought that it'll be easier getting just one visa for your wife.

Hope that helps,

Jonty


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

JonathanHaywood said:


> I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. I'm now living in the UK with my Thai wife who is here on a spouse visa. She came over in March 2012 and my primary evidence of income was my £20,000 PGCE bursary which I started September 2012. I provided a letter from my PGCE provider evidencing the bursary I would receive and the income I would receive once qualified in 2013. I had a few thousand pounds in savings and also provided a valuation of my Mum's house as a kind of "secondary" sponsor guarantee. I provided numerous letters from friends and family in support of my wife's application. My wife's daughter was also granted a settlement visa as her dependent, so I would have thought that it'll be easier getting just one visa for your wife.


Immigration rules had a major change in July 2012 and since then, bursary, grant and scholarship is no longer eligible towards meeting the new £18,600 financial requirement (without dependants).
When you applied earlier in the year, you were under the old rules and such income was admissible. It's no longer so.
If you were sponsoring now to bring your spouse and dependant to UK, you would have to wait until you get your QTS and are in your first teaching job for 6 months or possibly do supply for 12 months earning the minimum.


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## JonathanHaywood (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the info, I guess we were extremely lucky then. A shame for the original poster though...


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