The US is internationally known for having the best university system of any country - when you learn more about it though... it really is at the expense of social mobility. I am lucky the British government changed its residency requirements afte my first year of study. I would never have known though as my uni finance office didn't inform me... luckily my sister was told and passed that info onto me. It took well over a year for me to gain United Kingdom residence status, battling with the local education authority, but they did grant it in the end. I know how difficult those fights can be, so I hope you can find a way to gain residency status! -_-