Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Part I General

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 and shall come into operation on 24th July 2002.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations, except where the context otherwise requires –

“the 1986 Order” means the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986(1);

“the 1998 Regulations” means the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998(2);

“the 1999 Regulations” means the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999(3);

“the 2000 Regulations” means the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000(4);

“the 2001 Regulations” means the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001(5);

“academic authority” means, in relation to an institution, the governing body, or other body having the functions of a governing body and includes a person acting with the authority of that body;

“academic year” has the meaning given it in paragraph (6);

“accelerated course” means a course which persons undertaking it are normally required by the institution providing it to attend (whether at premises of the institution or elsewhere) for a period of at least 40 weeks in the final year, being a course of two academic years' duration;

“award” means an award made under the Students Awards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001(6) or previous awards regulations;

“borrower” means a person to whom a loan has been made;

“contribution” means an eligible student’s contribution calculated in accordance with regulation 24 and Schedule 3;

“Department” means the Department for Employment and Learning;

“designated course” means a course designated by regulation 5 or by the Department under regulation 5;

“designated part-time course” means a course designated by regulation 30 or by the Department under regulation 30;

“disability related benefit” means long term incapacity benefit or short term incapacity benefit at the higher rate, severe disablement allowance, disability living allowance, industrial injuries benefit and disabled person’s tax credit, all payable under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992(7), or the amount of any disability premium and severe disability premium included in the applicable amount in calculating the income support payable under the Income Support (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1987(8);

“EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992(9) as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993(10);

“EEA migrant worker” has the meaning assigned to it in paragraph (5);

“eligible student” means a person whom the Department has determined is eligible for support in connection with his attendance at a course in accordance with regulation 6, 7 or 36;

“eligible part-time student” means a person whom the Department has determined is eligible for support in connection with his undertaking a part-time course in accordance with regulation 33, 35 or 36;

“end-on course” means –

(a)

a course mentioned in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2, which a student begins to attend immediately after ceasing to attend a course mentioned in paragraph 2 or 3 of Schedule 2 (disregarding any intervening vacation) for which the student received or was entitled to receive a transitional award, a loan under the 1998 Regulations, or support under the 1999, 2000 or 2001 Regulations; or

(b)

a course for the initial training of teachers mentioned in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 the duration of which does not exceed two years (a part-time course being treated as its full-time equivalent), which a student begins to attend immediately after ceasing to attend a course mentioned in paragraph 1 or 4 (but only where the course leads to a first degree) of Schedule 2 (disregarding any intervening vacation) for which the student received or was entitled to receive a transitional award, a loan under the 1998 Regulations, or support under the 1999, 2000 or 2001 Regulations;

“European Community” means the territory comprised by the member States of the European Community as constituted from time to time;

“European Economic Area” means the European Community and subject to the conditions laid down in the EEA Agreement the area comprised by the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway and the Principality of Liechtenstein;

“high cost country” means Japan and Switzerland;

“higher education course” means a course referred to in Schedule 2 or a postgraduate or other course the standard of which is higher than the standard of a first degree course;

“Islands” means the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man;

“loan” means the loan towards a student’s maintenance pursuant to any regulations made under the Order, including the interest accrued on the loan and any penalties or charges made in connection with it;

“lone parent” means an eligible student who does not ordinarily live with a spouse or with another person as a spouse, and who has a dependant child or dependant children within the meaning of regulation 16(12);

“Metropolitan Police District” means the areas referred to in section 76 of the London Government Act 1963(11) as it had effect prior to the substitution by section 323 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999(12) of subsection (1);

“old award” means an award made under Article 50(1) of the 1986 Order which is an old award within the meaning of the Students Awards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998(13);

“periods of work experience” has the meaning given to it in regulation 5(4);

“quarter” in relation to an academic year, means one of the periods in that year from 1st January to 31st March, 1st April to 30th June, 1st July to 31st August, or 1st September to 31st December;

“refugee” means a person who is recognised by Her Majesty’s government as a refugee within the meaning of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees done at Geneva on 28 July 1951(14) as extended by the Protocol thereto which entered into force on 4 October 1967(15) and any reference to the child of a refugee includes a reference to a step-child;

“relevant institution of higher education in the Republic of Ireland” means an institution listed in Schedule 4;

“sandwich course” has the meaning given to it in regulation 5(2);

“statutory award” means any award made or grant paid by virtue of the 1986 Order (except a maintenance allowance payable under arrangements approved by the Department in accordance with Article 50(3)), or any comparable award, grant or other support in respect of undertaking a course which is paid out of public funds;

“student loan account number” means the account number assigned by the lender to a loan made under the Order, the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990(16), the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998(17), the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990(18) or the Education (Scotland) Act 1980(19);

“support” means financial support by way of grant or loan made by the Department pursuant to regulations made under the Order;

“the Order” means the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998;

“transitional award” means an award made under the 1986 Order which is a transitional award within the meaning of the Students Awards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998.

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations a person who is ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland or the Islands as a result of having moved from another of those areas for the purpose of undertaking –

(a) his current course, or

(b) a previous designated course which, disregarding any intervening vacation, the student was undertaking immediately before undertaking his current course

shall be considered to be ordinarily resident in the place from which he moved.

(3) For the purposes of these Regulations, including for the purpose of determining whether a person is settled in the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971(20), a person shall be treated as ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Islands or in the European Economic Area if he would have been so resident but for the fact that he, his spouse or his parent, guardian or any other person having parental responsibility for him, or any person having care of him when he is a child, is or was temporarily employed outside Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and the Islands, or as the case may be, outside the European Economic Area and paragraph 8(c) of Schedule 1 shall not apply in the case of such a person. Without prejudice to the foregoing, members of the regular naval, military or air forces of the Crown shall be treated as being temporarily employed within the meaning of this paragraph for any period during which they serve outside the United Kingdom as members of such forces.

(4) For the purposes of these Regulations an area which –

(a) was previously not part of the European Community or the European Economic Area, but

(b) at any time before or after these Regulations come into operation has become part of one or other or both of those areas

shall be considered to have always been part of the European Economic Area.

(5) In these Regulations a reference to an EEA migrant worker is a reference to a person who is a national of a member State of the European Economic Area who has taken up an activity as an employed person in the United Kingdom –

(a) under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68 on freedom of movement of workers within the Community(21), as extended by the EEA Agreement; or

(b) in circumstances where as a national of the United Kingdom he has an enforceable Community right to be treated no less favourably than a national of another member State in relation to matters which are the subject of the above mentioned Council Regulation.

(6) In these Regulations “academic year” means the period of twelve months beginning on 1st January, 1st April, 1st July or 1st September, according as the academic year of the course in question begins in the winter, the spring, the summer or the autumn respectively, but if students are required to begin the course during August or September and to continue it through the autumn the academic year of the course shall be considered to begin in the autumn rather than the summer.

Revocations and transitional provisions

3.—(1) The 2001 Regulations and the Education (Student Support) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002(22) shall be revoked on 1st September 2002.

(2) The 2001 Regulations shall apply to the provision of support to students in relation to an academic year which begins before 1st September 2002, and these Regulations shall apply in relation to the provision of support in connection with undertaking a course during an academic year which begins on or after 1st September 2002, whether anything done under either Regulations is done before or after 1st September 2002.

(3) Accordingly the revocation of the 2001 Regulations shall not affect their continued operation after 1st September 2002 for the purpose of providing support as aforesaid.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Regulations, where –

(a) a person attends a course in respect of which a transitional award was made to him; or

(b) no award was made but a transitional award would have been made to him if he had applied for an award and his resources had not exceeded his requirements,

he shall be eligible for support by way of grant under Parts III and IV in connection with his attendance at the course, or in connection with his attendance at any subsequent course to which the award (either made or which would have been made) would have been transferred if transitional awards provided for payments after the first year of a course, but unless paragraph (5) applies he shall only be eligible for support by way of loan under Part V if he satisfies the conditions for eligibility in these Regulations.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of these Regulations where any person received or was eligible to receive a loan in relation to an academic year of a course under the 1998 Regulations he shall be eligible for support by way of loan under Part V in connection with his attendance at the course, or any subsequent designated course which (disregarding any intervening vacation) he starts attending immediately after ceasing to attend that course, but unless paragraph (4) applies he shall only be eligible for support by way of grant under Parts III and IV if he satisfies the conditions for eligibility in these Regulations.

(6) Where under the 1998 Regulations a person received or was eligible to receive a loan in relation to an academic year of a part-time course of initial training for teachers he shall be eligible for support by way of loan under Part V calculated in accordance with these Regulations, except that where regulation 12(2)(c) applies regulation 21(15) shall not apply, and for the amounts referred to in regulation 21(1) and (2) there shall be substituted for the amounts in column (1) the corresponding amounts in column (2):

Column (1)	Column (2)
£3,090	£2,565
4,815	3,465
4,770	3,435
5,670	4,085
3,905	3,015
2,700	2,170
4,175	2,825
4,150	2,810
4,935	3,340
3,390	2,495

(7) Part IX of the 2001 Regulations shall apply to loans until 1st September 2002, and Part IX of these Regulations shall apply to loans on and after 1st September 2002.

Part II Eligibility

Eligible students

4.—(1) Subject to and in accordance with these Regulations a person shall be eligible for support in connection with his attendance at a designated course if he is a person mentioned in Schedule 1.

(2) A person shall not be eligible under this regulation if –

(a) an award made to him in respect of his attendance on the course is an old award or where no award was made an award would have been an old award if it had been made;

(b) he is eligible for a loan in relation to an academic year of the course under the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 or the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990;

(c) there has been made to him or paid to him in relation to his attendance on the course –

(i) a bursary or award of similar description under Article 44 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972(23) or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968(24) the amount of which is not calculated by reference to his income; or

(ii) any allowance under the Nursing and Midwifery Student Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1992(25);

(d) he is in breach of any obligation to repay any loan;

(e) he has not ratified any agreement for a loan made with him when he was under the age of 18; or

(f) he has, in the opinion of the Department, shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(d) and (e) “loan” means a loan made under the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, the Education (Student Support)(Northern Ireland) Order 1998, and regulations made thereunder, the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, and regulations made thereunder and the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and regulations made thereunder.

(4) Paragraph (2)(e) shall only apply in a case where the agreement for a loan is subject to the law of Scotland if it was made –

(a) before 25th September 1991; and

(b) with the concurrence of the borrower’s curator, or at a time when he had no curator.

(5) A person in respect of whom the first day of the first academic year of the course is on or after 1st September 2000 shall not, at any one time, be eligible for support for –

(a) more than one designated course, or

(b) a designated course and a designated part-time course.

Designated courses

5.—(1) A course shall be designated for the purposes of Article 3(1) of the Order and regulation 4(1) if it is –

(a) mentioned in Schedule 2;

(b) a full-time course, sandwich course, or part-time course for the initial training of teachers;

(c) of at least one academic year’s duration; and

(d) wholly provided by an educational institution or institutions in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland which are maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds or is provided by such an institution or institutions in conjunction with an institution or institutions outside the United Kingdom.

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations a sandwich course is a course other than a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2, consisting of alternate periods of full-time study in an institution and periods of work experience so organised that, taking the course as a whole, the student attends the periods of full-time study for an average of not less than 18 weeks in each year; and for the purposes of calculating his attendance the course shall be treated as beginning with the first period of full-time study and ending with the last such period.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2) where periods of full-time study and work experience alternate within any week of the course the days of full-time study shall be aggregated with any weeks of full-time study in determining the number of weeks of full-time study in each year.

(4) For the purposes of these Regulations “periods of work experience” means –

(a) periods of industrial, professional or commercial experience associated with full- time study at an institution but at a place outside the institution, and

(b) in the case of a course which includes the study of one or more modern languages for not less than one half of the time spent studying on the course and which includes periods of residence in a country whose language is a language of the course, such periods of residence during which the student is employed.

(5) For the purposes of these Regulations a course is provided by an institution if it provides the teaching and supervision which comprise the course, whether or not it has entered an agreement with the student to provide the course.

(6) For the purposes of paragraph (1) a university and any constituent college or institution in the nature of a college of a university shall be regarded as maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds if either the university or the constituent college or institution is so maintained or assisted.

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (1) an institution shall not be regarded as maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds by reason only that it receives public funds from the governing body of a higher education institution in accordance with section 65(3A) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992(26).

(8) For the purposes of these Regulations a course the standard of which is not higher than a first degree course which leads to a qualification as a medical doctor, a dentist, a veterinary doctor, an architect, a landscape architect, a landscape designer, a landscape manager, a town planner or a town and country planner shall be considered to be a single course for a first degree or for an equivalent qualification notwithstanding that the course may lead to another degree or qualification being conferred before the degree or equivalent qualification, and notwithstanding that part of the course may be optional.

(9) For the purposes of Article 3 of the Order and regulation 4(1) the Department may designate courses of higher education which are not designated under paragraph (1).

Applications for financial support

6.—(1) Subject to regulation 33, a person shall apply for support in connection with his attendance on a course by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require, but which shall include a declaration signed by the student that:

(a) the particulars given in the form are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief;

(b) he will notify the Department (or the relevant Education and Library Board if it is exercising functions in relation to his application by virtue of a determination under Article 4(1)(a) of the 1998 Order) of any change in them which might affect his eligibility for support; and

(c) he will if required to do so repay to the Department any amount paid to him which for whatever reason, exceeds the amount of support to which he is entitled under these Regulations.

(2) The application form must reach the Department not later than four months after the first day of the academic year of the course in which it is submitted, but where –

(a) the course becomes a designated course after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Department not later than four months after the date on which the course was designated;

(b) the student, or his spouse or parent, is recognised as a refugee or has been granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Department not later than four months after the date of recognition or the date leave was granted respectively;

(c) the student is not a student mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 on the first day of that academic year but as a result of the accession of the State of which he is a national to the European Community he becomes such a student, the application must reach the Department not later than four months after the date of the accession;

(d) the Department considers that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should be relaxed, the application must reach the Department not later than such date as it specifies.

(3) An applicant shall demonstrate his eligibility for support by providing such evidence as the Department may require.

(4) The Department may take such steps and make such inquiries as it considers necessary to determine whether the applicant is eligible for support.

(5) If the Department considers that an applicant is eligible for support it shall notify him of that fact, and thenceforth the student shall be an “eligible student” for the purposes of these Regulations.

(6) An eligible student shall demonstrate his eligibility for a particular grant or loan under these Regulations, and the amount of such grant or loan to which he is entitled, by providing such evidence as the Department may require; and the Department may take such steps and make such inquiries as it considers necessary to determine whether the eligible student is eligible for a particular grant or loan and the amount to which he is entitled.

(7) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (6), for the purpose of demonstrating his eligibility for a particular grant or loan, other than a grant under regulation 14, an eligible student shall complete and submit to the Department an application in such form as it may require not later than nine months after the first day of the academic year; and where the Department considers that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should be relaxed, the application must reach the Department not later than such date as it specifies.

(8) If the Department considers that an eligible student is eligible for a particular grant or loan it shall notify him of that fact and the amount to which the Department considers he is entitled.

Transfers of eligibility

7.—(1) An eligible student may request that the Department transfer his eligibility in any case where –

(a) on the recommendation of the academic authority an eligible student starts to attend another course at the institution;

(b) with the consent of the academic authority of the institution concerned, the eligible student starts to attend a course at another institution;

(c) after commencing a course for the Certificate in Education, an eligible student is, on or before the completion of that course, admitted to a course for the degree of Bachelor of Education;

(d) after commencing a course for the degree (other than an honours degree) of Bachelor of Education an eligible student is, on or before the completion of that course, admitted to a course for the honours degree of Bachelor of Education; or

(e) after commencing a course for a first degree (other than an honours degree) an eligible student is, before the completion of that course, admitted to a course for an honours degree in the same subject or subjects at the institution.

(2) The Department, on being satisfied of the matters referred to in paragraph (1) and that the second course is a designated course, shall transfer an eligible student’s eligibility, and thenceforth the eligible student shall for all purposes be an eligible student in connection with his attendance at the second course, whether or not he may have been eligible for support if he had applied under regulation 6.

(3) For the purposes of the duty of the Department to transfer eligibility where paragraph (1)(c) or (d) apply it shall be immaterial whether or not the two courses are provided by the same institution.

(4) An eligible student’s eligibility for support may not be transferred after it has expired or been terminated under regulation 8.

Termination of eligibility

8.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph and paragraph (2), an eligible student shall cease to be eligible for support on the expiry of the period ordinarily required for the completion of the course, and accordingly he shall then cease to be an eligible student, but in respect of –

(a) grants for living costs for which the student is eligible under Part IV and loans for living costs for which he is eligible under regulation 20; and

(b) grants for fees where the student repeats part of his course and remains eligible under regulation 10(8),

he shall cease to be an eligible student at the end of the academic year in which he completes the course.

(2) The Department may before or after an eligible student ceases to be an eligible student under paragraph (1) determine that he shall continue to be eligible for support for such further period after the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph as it specifies, and accordingly, he shall be or be considered to have been an eligible student throughout that period until its expiry.

(3) Where an eligible student has withdrawn from a course in circumstances where the Department has not transferred or will not transfer his eligibility to another course under regulation 7, or has abandoned or been expelled from his course, the Department shall determine that he is no longer eligible for support, and on such determination he shall then cease to be an eligible student.

(4) Where an eligible student has shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support the Department may determine that he is no longer eligible for support, and on such determination he shall then cease to be an eligible student.

Information

9.—(1) Every applicant, every eligible student and every eligible part-time student shall as soon as reasonably practicable after he is requested to do so provide the Department with such information as the Department considers necessary for the exercise of its functions under these Regulations.

(2) Every applicant, every eligible student and every eligible part-time student shall forthwith inform the Department if any of the following occurs, and provide it with particulars where –

(a) he withdraws from, abandons or is expelled from his course;

(b) he transfers to another course, at the same or a different institution, whether the new course is a designated course, a designated part-time course or neither;

(c) he ceases to undertake his course and does not intend to or is not permitted to continue it for the remainder of the academic year;

(d) he is absent from his course for more than 60 days due to illness, or is absent from his course for any period for any other reason;

(e) the month for the start or completion of the course changes; or

(f) his home or term time address or telephone number changes.

(3) If the Department is satisfied that an eligible student or eligible part-time student has wilfully failed to comply with any requirement to provide information or has provided information which the student knows to be false in a material particular or has recklessly provided information which is false in a material particular it may determine that the student shall –

(a) no longer be eligible for any support, or

(b) not be eligible for any particular support or particular amount of support as it considers appropriate in the circumstances.

Part III Grants for Fees

Eligibility for grants for fees

10.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs and regulation 11 an eligible student shall in respect of each academic year be eligible for a grant for fees equal to the aggregate of any fees payable by him in respect of, or otherwise in connection with, his attendance on the course (“the present course”), including admission, registration, tuition and graduation fees, but excluding –

(a) fees payable to an institution for awarding or accrediting any qualification where the institution does not provide the whole or part of the course and is not a publicly funded institution;

(b) fees payable for board and lodging;

(c) fees payable for field trips (including any tuition element of such fees);

(d) fees payable for attending any graduation or other ceremony; and

(e) fees which are prescribed under paragraph (e) of the definition of fees in Article 2(2) of the Order.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) an eligible student shall not be eligible for a grant under this regulation if he has previously attended any full-time higher education course (“the previous course”) provided by –

(a) an institution in the United Kingdom which was at or before the time the course was provided maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds; or

(b) an institution in the United Kingdom or a university or relevant institution of higher education or a private institution in the Republic of Ireland in respect of his attendance at which a scholarship, exhibition, bursary, grant, allowance or award of any description which was available to defray fees mentioned in paragraph (1) was paid out of public funds or funds attributable to public funds, by any person or body, public or private.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation a course is not a previous course if it is –

(a) the present course; or

(b) any course in connection with his attendance at which he was determined to be eligible for support and that eligibility was transferred as a result of one or more transfers under regulation 7 to the present course.

(4) Paragraph (2) shall not apply where:

(a) the present course is a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 the duration of which does not exceed two years (a part-time course being treated as its full-time equivalent), and the eligible student has not previously attended a course referred to in paragraph (2) the successful completion of which results in the person completing it being a qualified teacher within the meaning of section 218(2)(a) of the Education Reform Act 1988(27), or eligible to be employed as a teacher under Article 70(1) of the 1986 Order, except where the previous course was a course–

(i) leading to a first degree within paragraph 4 of Schedule 2, or

(ii) for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 the duration of which does not exceed two years (a part-time course being treated as its full-time equivalent)

and the eligible student did not successfully complete it; or

(b) the eligible student has previously attended –

(i) only one course referred to in paragraph (2); and

(ii) the period of attendance for that course did not exceed one academic year; or

(c) the aggregate duration of the previous course (not being an accelerated course leading to a first degree unless the first academic year of the present course began before 1st September 2000) or courses did not exceed two academic years; or

(d) the Department has determined, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case, that the student did not complete the previous course for compelling personal reasons.

(5) Where paragraph (4)(c) applies the Department may determine that the eligible student shall not be eligible for grant for fees in respect of any academic year of the present course other than –

(a) a year which is the only year of the course;

(b) the final year of a course of two or three year’s duration; or

(c) the number of final years of a course which is two years less than its duration.

(6) In this regulation any reference to the duration of a course is a reference to the period ordinarily required for its completion by a student who is not excused part of the course on account of his having attended a previous course, in the case of a sandwich course ignoring periods of work experience; but for the purposes of paragraph (4)(c) if a student with the consent of the academic authority or authorities concerned –

(a) ceases to attend one course without completing it; and

(b) starts to attend another course at the same or another institution

the duration of the course shall be treated as the aggregate of the period spent following the first course and the period which the student in question would ordinarily require for the completion of the second course, in the case of either course being a sandwich course ignoring any periods of work experience.

(7) An eligible student shall not be eligible for a grant for fees in respect of an academic year if –

(a) in relation to that year he is eligible to receive any payment under a bursary or award of similar description made to him under Article 44 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income; or

(b) he is attending a course leading to a qualification in a healthcare profession, other than as a medical doctor or dentist and in relation to that year he is eligible to receive an allowance paid to him under sections 73(f) and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980(28) the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income; or

(c) he is participating in the action scheme of the European Community for the mobility of university students known as ERASMUS(29) and –

(i) his course is a course referred to in regulation 5(1)(d); and

(ii) all the periods of study during the academic year are at an institution outside the United Kingdom; or

(d) he is undertaking a flexible postgraduate course for the initial training of teachers, and for the purposes of this sub-paragraph “flexible postgraduate course for the initial training of teachers” means a course of initial teacher training, which has been approved by the Teacher Training Agency(30) the length and pattern of which is determined by the eligible student’s experience and training requirements.

(8) Where an eligible student repeats –

(a) the first year or part of the first year of his course more than once; or

(b) any part of his course other than the first year or part of the first year of his course,

the Department may determine that he shall not be eligible for grant for fees in respect of the academic year during which the student repeats.

(9) Where the eligibility of an eligible student is transferred under regulation 7(1)(a) or (b) and –

(a) the necessary recommendation or consent to the transfer is given after the first day on which students were ordinarily required to start attending the second academic year of the first course in respect of which he was determined to be an eligible student (“the first course”);

(b) the Department is satisfied after consulting the academic authority concerned that the recommendation or consent was given after the expiry of the period mentioned not only because the student was required to apply through a clearing admission system; and

(c) the Department is satisfied after consulting the academic authority concerned that the period from the beginning of the first academic year of the first course to the end of the final academic year of the course which he now attends (“the current course”) exceeds the duration of the first course or the current course, or the duration of any intervening course in respect of which he was an eligible student, whichever is the longest,

the student shall not be eligible for grant for fees in respect of the number of academic years which is the difference between the above mentioned period and the above mentioned duration.

(10) For the purposes of paragraph (9) –

(a) the final academic year of the current course shall be the academic year during which the student is expected to complete the course;

(b) in determining the period referred to in that paragraph there shall be included vacations, but not periods of work experience which form part of a sandwich course;

(c) the duration of a course shall be the period ordinarily required for its completion by a student who is not excused part of the course on account of his having attended a previous course, in the case of a sandwich course ignoring periods of work experience; and

(d) a difference which is less than a whole academic year shall be treated as a whole academic year.

(11) The academic years in respect of which the eligible student shall not be eligible for grant for fees in accordance with paragraph (9) shall be the first academic year or years of the current course which the student attends.

(12) An eligible student shall be eligible for a grant for fees in respect of –

(a) any academic year before the expiry of three months from the beginning of which –

(i) his course becomes a designated course;

(ii) he or his spouse or parent is recognised as a refugee or is granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1; or

(iii) he becomes a student mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 as a result of the accession of the State of which he is a national to the European Community; and

(b) any academic year which begins after the events referred to in paragraph (a),

but shall not be eligible for a grant for fees in respect of any other academic year.

Maximum amounts of grants

11.—(1) The amount of grant for fees in respect of an academic year of a course at an institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds shall not exceed:

(a) in the case of a course undertaken at the Pontifical College, Maynooth, or at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland which the student began to attend after 31st August 1998 and before 1st September 1999, or in the case of a course not covered by any other sub-paragraph of this paragraph, £1,100;

(b) where the final year of the course is ordinarily required to be completed after less than 15 weeks' attendance, £540;

(c) where during the academic year of a sandwich course any periods of full-time study are in aggregate less than 10 weeks, £540;

(d) where during the academic year of a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 any periods of full-time study are in aggregate less than 10 weeks, £540;

(e) where during the academic year of a course provided in conjunction with an overseas institution the periods of full-time study at the institution in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland are in aggregate less than 10 weeks, £540;

(f) in the case of a sandwich course or a course provided in conjunction with an overseas institution where the periods of full-time study at the institution in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland are 10 weeks or more, but in respect of the academic year and any previous such academic years the aggregate of any one or two periods of attendance which are not periods of full-time study at the institution (disregarding intervening vacations) exceeds 30 weeks, £540;

(g) in the case of a course provided by the British Institute in Paris which began before 1st September 2001, £540;

(h) subject to sub-paragraph (i), in the case of a course at a university or relevant institution of higher education in the Republic of Ireland, an amount specified by the Department in writing;

(i) in the case of a course undertaken at the Pontifical College, Maynooth, or at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland which the student began to attend after 31st August 1998 and before 1st September 1999 –

(i) £755 in the case of a course which is not covered by any other sub-paragraph;

(ii) £1,670 in the case of a course with a substantial laboratory or workshop component, or the pre-clinical elements of courses in medicine;

(iii) £3,885 in the case of the clinical training elements of courses in medicine.

(j) in the case of courses for the degrees of Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) or the Diploma in Theology of the Queen’s University of Belfast, undertaken at the Union Theological College, the Edgehill College, the Irish Baptist College, Belfast or the Belfast Bible College, £1,025.

(2) The amount of grant for fees in respect of an academic year of a course at an institution which is neither maintained nor assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds shall not exceed:

(a) in the case of a course not covered by sub-paragraph (b) –

(i) where it is provided on behalf of an institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds and it begins on or after 1 September 2001, the amount which would be available under paragraph (1) if the course were provided at the institution on whose behalf it is provided;

(ii) otherwise, £1,025;

(b) in the case of a course at the University of Buckingham, £2,580, in the case of a course at the Guildhall School of Music, £3,960, and in the case of a course at Heythrop College, £1,950.

(3) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) an institution which provides courses designated by regulation 4 of the Education (Student Support) (Dance and Drama) Regulations 1999(31) shall not be regarded as maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds by reason only that it receives public funds from the governing body of a higher education institution in accordance with section 65(3A) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.

Part IV Grants for Living Costs

Eligibility for grants for living costs

12.—(1) An eligible student shall not be eligible for –

(a) grant for living costs under this Part if he is a person mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 and not in any other paragraph of that Schedule;

(b) bursary under regulation 13 in respect of any academic year of a part-time course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2.

(2) An eligible student shall not be eligible for grant for living costs under this Part in respect of any academic year –

(a) during which he is eligible to receive any payment under a bursary or award of similar description made to him under Article 44 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income; or

(b) of a course leading to a qualification in a healthcare profession, other than as a medical doctor or dentist, during which he is eligible to receive an allowance paid to him under sections 73(f) and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income; or

(c) of a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 during which the periods of full-time attendance, including attendance for the purpose of teaching practice, are in aggregate less than 6 weeks, but this sub-paragraph does not apply to an eligible student to whom regulation 14 applies.

(3) With the exception of grant under regulation 15 an eligible student shall not be eligible for grant for living costs under this Part in respect of any academic year of a sandwich course during which the periods of full-time study are in aggregate less than 10 weeks and the periods of work experience are not –

(a) unpaid service in a hospital or in a public health service laboratory in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland or with a primary care trust in the United Kingdom;

(b) unpaid service with a local authority in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland acting in the exercise of their functions relating to health, welfare or the care of children and young persons or with a voluntary organisation providing facilities or carrying out activities of a like nature in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland;

(c) unpaid service in the prison or probation and aftercare service in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland;

(d) unpaid research in an institution in the United Kingdom or in the Republic of Ireland or, in the case of a student attending an overseas institution as a part of his course, in an overseas institution; or

(e) unpaid service with –

(i) a Health and Social Services Board established under Article 16 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972(32);

(ii) a Health Authority established pursuant to section 8 of the National Health Service Act 1977(33) or a Special Health Authority established pursuant to section 11 of that Act(34);

(iii) a Health Board or a Special Health Board constituted under section 2 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978(35); or

(iv) a Health and Social Services Trust established under Article 10 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1991(36).

(4) An eligible student shall be eligible for a grant for living costs in respect of –

(a) an academic year during which –

(i) his course becomes a designated course,

(ii) he or his spouse or parent is recognised as a refugee or is granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1, or

(b) any academic year which begins after the events referred to in paragraph (a),

but shall not be eligible for a grant for living costs in respect of any other academic year.

Bursaries for low-income students

13.—(1) An eligible student who is eligible for a grant for fees under regulation 10 and who satisfies the requirements set out in regulation 20(1) shall be eligible for a bursary for living costs where in respect of any academic year the residual income of the student and his parents or spouse, where appropriate, does not exceed £15,000.

(2) For the purposes of this regulation the residual income of the student and his parents or spouse (as appropriate) shall be ascertained in accordance with regulation 24 and Schedule 3.

(3) The amount of bursary payable in respect of any academic year shall be determined by reference to the residual income ascertained under paragraph (2) above in accordance with the following table –

Residual Income (£)	Bursary (£)
Up to 10,000	1,500
10,001 to 10,500	1,400
10,501 to 11,000	1,300
11,001 to 11,500	1,200
11,501 to 12,000	1,100
12,001 to 12,500	1,000
12,501 to 13,000	835
13,001 to 13,500	665
13,501 to 14,000	500
14,001 to 14,500	335
14,501 to 15,000	165
15,001 and over	0

Grants for disabled students' living costs

14.—(1) An eligible student shall be eligible for grant for living costs equal to additional expenditure which the Department is satisfied he is obliged to incur in respect of his attendance at the course by reason of a disability to which he is subject; but the amount of grant shall not exceed the amounts referred to in paragraph (2).

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the amounts referred to in this paragraph are such amounts as the Department considers appropriate:

(a) not exceeding £11,015 in respect of each academic year for expenditure on a non-medical personal helper;

(b) not exceeding £4,355 in respect of all the academic years during which the eligible student is eligible for support for expenditure on major items of specialist equipment, but where such payments have been made under the 1986 Order in respect of a transitional award holder the amounts of such payments shall be deducted from this maximum;

(c) for expenditure incurred –

(i) within the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland for the purposes of attending the institution;

(ii) within or outside the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland for the purpose of attending, as a part of his course, any period of study at an overseas institution or for the purpose of attending the British Institute in Paris;

(d) not exceeding £1,455 in respect of each academic year for any other expenditure including expenditure incurred for the purposes referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) which exceeds the specified maxima.

(3) In the case of an eligible student attending a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 during which in any academic year the periods of full-time attendance, including attendance for the purpose of teaching practice, are in aggregate less than 6 weeks, paragraph (2) has effect as if the amounts referred to in sub-paragraphs (a) and (d) thereof were £8,265 and £1,090 respectively.

Grants for students who have left care

15.—(1) An eligible student –

(a) who is under the age of 21 on the first day of the course;

(b) in respect of whom a parental contribution is not applicable in accordance with Part II of Schedule 3 because he has pursuant to an order of a competent court been in the custody or care of or has been provided with accommodation as described in paragraph 3(1)(g) of that Schedule; and

(c) in the opinion of the Department is subject to greater financial hardship by reason of having been in custody, care or having been provided with accommodation as mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) than he would have been if he had not been in custody, care or having been provided with accommodation

shall be eligible for such amount of grant not exceeding the amount referred to in paragraph (2) as the Department in all the circumstances considers appropriate.

(2) The maximum amount of grant for which an eligible student shall be eligible under this regulation is £100 for each week or part of a week in an academic year which –

(a) falls within the longest vacation taken; and

(b) during no part of which week the student attends his course.

Grants for dependants

16.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs an eligible student shall in respect of each academic year be eligible for grant for living costs for his dependants as follows:

(a) a grant of £2,225 for only one of the following:

(i) a spouse, or

(ii) an adult dependant whose net income does not exceed £3,200, or

(iii) an only or eldest dependent child whose net income does not exceed £3,200;

(b) for each of his dependent children in respect of whom a grant is not payable under sub-paragraph (a) and whose net income does not exceed the amount of grant applicable to his age by more than £975 –

(i) under the age of 11 immediately before the beginning of the academic year, a grant of £465;

(ii) then aged 11 or over, but under 16, a grant of £930;

(iii) then aged 16 or over, but under 18, a grant of £1,240;

(iv) then aged 18 or over, a grant of £1,780;

(c) where an eligible student has not elected to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17 in accordance with paragraph (6), a grant of £255 in respect of either:

(i) an only or eldest dependent child whose net income does not exceed £3,455, where the grant is determined under paragraph (a), or

(ii) a dependent child whose net income does not exceed the amount of grant applicable to his age by more than £1,230, where the grant is determined under paragraph (b).

(2) The aggregate amount of grant under paragraph (1) shall be reduced by the difference between –

(a) the aggregate of the net income of each of the eligible student’s dependants whose net income does not exceed a maximum amount applicable under paragraph (1), if any, and

(b) £975 multiplied by the number of such dependants.

(3) If an eligible student’s spouse is also an eligible student or holds a statutory award and if in calculating the amount of support for which the spouse is eligible or payment to which he is entitled under the award, account is taken of his dependants, the aggregate amount of grant calculated under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be reduced by one half.

(4) Where an eligible student maintains a dependant who is ordinarily resident outside the United Kingdom the grant under this regulation shall be such amount, if any, not exceeding the aggregate amount of grant calculated under paragraphs (1) to (3) as the Department considers reasonable in all the circumstances.

(5) Where an eligible student with dependants maintains a home for himself and a dependant at a place other than that at which he resides while attending the course he shall be eligible for a grant of £520, unless he has elected to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17 in accordance with paragraph (6), in which case he shall be eligible for a grant of £775.

(6) Where an eligible student is a lone parent and he has elected to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17, he shall in addition to any grant referred to in the preceding paragraphs be eligible for a grant of £1,100, if –

(a) his course began before 1st September 2001;

(b) his course is an end-on course in relation to a course which began before 1st September 2001; or

(c) his course is an end-on course in relation to such an end-on course as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (b).

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (6) an eligible student may make one election to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17 at any time before or during the academic year and he may revoke such election at any time during the academic year and for the purposes of this regulation and regulation 17, where an eligible student has revoked such election, he shall be treated as a person who has not elected to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17.

(8) Where the eligible student is eligible for a grant in respect of a dependent child under paragraph (1) or under regulation 17 and he has not elected to be ineligible for grant under regulation 17 in accordance with paragraph (6) he shall be eligible for a grant of £510 in respect of expenditure on travel, books and equipment for the purpose of attending his course.

(9) Where the number of an eligible student’s dependants changes during an academic year the Department shall determine who the student’s dependants are for each of the three quarters of the academic year in respect of which support is payable under regulation 27(2) by reference to the student’s circumstances during the relevant quarter.

(10) Where the Department has determined who the student’s dependants are for a quarter under paragraph (9) the grant for dependants for the quarter shall be one third of the amount of grant for those dependants for an academic year and the amount of grant for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the three amounts so determined.

(11) Where an eligible student is eligible for a grant for living costs in respect of an academic year under regulation 12(4)(a) he shall only be eligible for a grant under this regulation in respect of such of the three quarters of the year in respect of which support is payable under regulation 27(2) as begin after the events referred to in regulation 12(4)(a), and, subject to paragraphs (9) and (10), the grant for each such quarter shall be one third of the amount for an academic year and the amount for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the amounts payable in respect of each such quarter.

(12) In this regulation and in regulation 17 –

• “adult dependant” means, in relation to an eligible student, an adult person dependent on the student not being his child, his spouse (whether ordinarily living with him or not) or a person living with him as his spouse or his former spouse;

• “child” in relation to an eligible student includes –

  (a)

  a step child and any child for whom he has parental responsibility and who is dependent on him; and

  (b)

  where paragraph 3(1)(a) of Part II of Schedule 3 applies any child of his partner who is dependent on him where he is on a course which began on or after 1st September 2000 unless

  (i)

  his course is an end-on course in relation to a course which began before 1st September 2000, or

  (ii)

  his course is an end-on course in relation to such an end-on course as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (b)(i).

• “dependant” means, in relation to an eligible student, his spouse, his dependent child or an adult dependant, who in each case is not an eligible student and does not hold a statutory award;

• “dependent” means wholly or mainly financially dependent;

• “partner” means a woman ordinarily living with a man student as his wife or a man ordinarily living with a woman student as her husband;

• “spouse” in relation to an eligible student to whom paragraph 3(1)(a) of Part II of Schedule 3 applies –

  (a)

  includes a partner of the student where he is on a course which began on or after 1st September 2000 unless –

  (i)

  his course is an end-on course in relation to a course which began before 1st September 2000, or

  (ii)

  his course is an end-on course in relation to such an end-on course as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a)(i); and

  (b)

  excludes a spouse of the student where they have ceased ordinarily to live together, in the case of a married student whether or not an order for their separation has been made by any court, or where the spouse is ordinarily living outside the United Kingdom and is not maintained by him.

(13) For the purposes of this regulation a dependant’s net income shall be his income from all sources for the academic year in question reduced by the amount of income tax and social security contributions payable in respect of it, but disregarding –

(a) any pension, allowance or other benefit paid by reason of a disability or incapacity to which the dependant is subject;

(b) child benefit;

(c) any allowance payable to his spouse by an adoption agency in accordance with regulations made under Article 59A of the Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987(37);

(d) any guardian’s allowance to which his spouse is entitled under section 77 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992;

(e) in the case of a spouse with whom a child in the care of a Health and Social Services Board or a Health and Social Services Trust is boarded out, any payment made to him in pursuance of Article 27(2)(a) of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995(38);

(f) any payments made to his spouse in pursuance of an order made under Article 15 of and Schedule 1 to the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 in respect of a person who is not his child or any assistance given by a Health and Social Services Board or Health and Social Services Trust pursuant to Articles 35 and 36 of that Order.

(14) Where an eligible student, or his spouse, make any recurrent payments which were previously made by the student in pursuance of an obligation incurred before the first academic year of the student’s course the spouse’s net income shall be reduced by –

(a) an amount equal to the payments in question for the academic year, if in the opinion of the Department the obligation had been reasonably incurred; or

(b) such lesser amount if any as the Department considers appropriate, if in its opinion a lesser obligation could reasonably have been incurred.

Grants for dependants—childcare costs

17.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs an eligible student who has not elected to be ineligible for grant under this regulation in accordance with regulation 16(6) shall in respect of each academic year be eligible for a grant in respect of childcare costs for each dependent child where the childcare is provided by an approved or registered childcare provider, if –

(a) the child is under the age of 15 immediately before the beginning of the academic year; or

(b) the child has registered special educational needs within the meaning of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996(39) and is under the age of 17 immediately before the beginning of the academic year.

(2) The amount of grant for each week for which a student shall be eligible under paragraph (1) is:

(a) where the academic year begins in the autumn, for the period of 40 weeks beginning on the first day of the first term of the academic year:

(i) for one dependent child, 85 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £114·75 per week; or

(ii) for two or more dependent children, 85 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £170 per week;

(b) where the academic year begins in the winter, spring or summer, for each week of each term of the academic year and the Christmas and Easter vacations beginning on the first day of the first term of the academic year:

(i) for one dependent child, 85 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £114·75 per week; or

(ii) for two or more dependent children, 85 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £170 per week; and

(c) for any other week of the academic year to which sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) do not apply including a week of the summer vacation, except each week falling within the period between the end of the course and the end of the academic year in which the course ends:

(i) for one dependent child, 70 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £94·50 per week; or

(ii) for two or more dependent children, 70 per cent. of the costs of the childcare, subject to a maximum amount of £140 per week.

(3) Where the amount to be deducted from grant in accordance with regulation 16(2) exceeds the amount of grant calculated under regulation 16(1), the amount of grant payable under paragraph (2) shall be reduced by the amount of that excess.

(4) Where no grant is payable under regulation 16 in respect of a dependent child because his net income exceeds the maximum amount applicable to him under paragraph (1) of that regulation, the amount of grant payable under paragraph (2) shall be reduced by the amount of his net income less £975.

(5) If an eligible student’s spouse is also an eligible student or holds a statutory award and if in calculating the amount of support for which the spouse is eligible or payment to which he is entitled under the award account is taken of his dependants, the amount of grant calculated under paragraph (2) shall be reduced by one half.

(6) Where an eligible student has in an academic year attended his course for a period of 30 weeks 3 days and he attends for a further period and the period of 40 weeks referred to in paragraph (2)(a) has expired, the relevant amounts referred to in paragraph (2)(a) shall apply for each week or part week of such attendance.

(7) In this regulation –

“approved childcare provider” means a childcare provider within the meaning of the Tax Credit (New Category of Childcare Provider) Regulations 1999(40), who has been approved in accordance with those regulations;

“registered childcare provider” means a person who acts as a child minder or provides day care and is registered within the meaning of Articles 118, 119 and 120 of the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995(41), (grant or refusal of registration of child minders and persons providing day care for young children).

Grants for school meals for dependent children

18.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), where an eligible student is eligible for and entitled to receive a grant under regulation 16(1) in respect of a dependent child, he shall in respect of each academic year also be eligible for a grant under this regulation; for that dependent child if the child is either aged three or four during the relevant school year or attends a grant-aided school during the relevant school year.

(2) The amount of grant for which a student shall be eligible under paragraph (1) is –

(a) £255 for each dependent child aged three or over on 31st December in the relevant school year, but under the age of 11 immediately before the beginning of the relevant school year;

(b) £170 for each dependent child whose third birthday falls after 31st December but on or before 31st March in the relevant school year;

(c) £85 for each dependent child whose third birthday falls after 31st March but before the end of the relevant school year;

(d) £275 for each dependent child of compulsory school age who is aged 11 or over immediately before the beginning of the relevant school year.

(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply where a dependent child receives school meals free of charge under arrangements approved by the Department of Education in accordance with Articles 58 and 59 of the 1986 Order.

(4) The Department shall pay a grant for which a student is eligible under this regulation in a single instalment at such time and in such manner as it considers appropriate.

(5) In this regulation –

• “grant-aided school” has the meaning assigned to it in the 1986 Order;

• “relevant school year” means –

  (a)

  in the case of a child who attends a grant-aided school, the school year whose beginning is closest to the beginning of the academic year in respect of which the eligibility for grant under this regulation is being assessed; and

  (b)

  in the case of a child aged three or four who does not attend such a grant-aided school, the period of 12 months beginning on 1st September which falls closest to the beginning of the academic year in respect of which the eligibility for grant under this regulation is being assessed;

• “school year” means the period from 1st August to 31st July.

Grants for travel

19.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs an eligible student shall in respect of each academic year be eligible for a grant equal to such reasonable expenditure which he is obliged to incur –

(a) in the case of a student attending a course in medicine or dentistry, a necessary part of which is a period of study by way of clinical training, for the purpose of attending in connection with his course any hospital or other premises in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland (not comprised in the institution) at which facilities for clinical training are provided, but not incurred for the purpose of residential study away from the institution;

(b) within or outside the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending for a period of at least eight weeks as a part of his course an overseas institution or for the purpose of attending the British Institute in Paris.

(2) In determining the expenditure incurred by an eligible student there shall be disregarded the first £265 of such expenditure.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation any reference to expenditure incurred for the purpose of attending an institution or period of study –

(a) includes expenditure both before and and after so attending; and

(b) does not include any expenditure in respect of which grant is payable under regulation 14.

(4) Where an eligible student attends for a period of at least eight weeks as a part of his course an overseas institution or the British Institute in Paris and he reasonably incurs any expenditure in insuring against liability for the cost of medical treatment provided outside the United Kingdom for any illness or bodily injury contracted or suffered during that period he shall be eligible for additional grant under this regulation equal to the amount so incurred.

Part V Loans for Living Costs

Eligibility for loans for living costs

20.—(1) Subject to and in accordance with the following paragraphs and regulation 21 an eligible student shall be eligible for loan for living costs if:

(a) he is under the age of 50 on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or

(b) he is aged 50 or over and under the age of 55 on that day, if the Department is satisfied that he intends to enter employment after he has completed his course, or such other higher education course which he intends to start undertaking immediately after completing his present course, disregarding any intervening vacation.

(2) An eligible student shall not be eligible for a loan for living costs –

(a) if –

(i) he is absent from his course for the duration of one academic year; and

(ii) he is in receipt of funding from the Department to participate in a management development programme; or

(b) if he is a person mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 and not in any other paragraph of that Schedule.

(3) An eligible student shall be eligible for loan for living costs in respect of –

(a) an academic year during which –

(i) his course becomes a designated course,

(ii) he or his spouse or parent is recognised as a refugee or is granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1, or

(b) any academic year which begins after the events referred to in paragraph (a),

but shall not be eligible for loan for living costs in respect of any other academic year.

Maximum amounts of loans

21.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs the amount of loan for living costs in respect of each academic year shall not exceed –

(a) for a student who resides at his parent’s home while attending the course, £3,090;

(b) for a student who does not –

(i) if he attends a course at the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, £4,815;

(ii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution (other than in a high cost country), £4,770;

(iii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution in a high cost country, £5,670;

(iv) if he attends the British Institute in Paris, £4,770; or

(v) otherwise, £3905.

(2) Subject to the following paragraphs the amount of loan for living costs in respect of an academic year which is the final year of a course other than an accelerated course shall not exceed –

(a) for a student who resides at his parent’s home while attending the course, £2,700;

(b) for a student who does not –

(i) if he attends a course at the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, £4,175;

(ii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution (other than in a high cost country), £4,150;

(iii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution in a high cost country, £4,935;

(iv) if he attends the British Institute in Paris, £4,150; or

(v) otherwise, £3,390.

(3) Where an eligible student resides at his parent’s home and the Department is satisfied that in all the circumstances his parents by reason of age, incapacity, or otherwise cannot reasonably be expected to support him and that it would be appropriate for the amounts referred to in paragraphs (1)(b) or (2)(b) to apply, the student shall be treated as if he were not residing at his parent’s home.

(4) Where an eligible student does not reside at his parent’s home but the Department is satisfied that in all the circumstances he could conveniently attend the course from his parent’s home and that it would be appropriate for the amounts referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) or (2)(a) to apply, the student shall be treated as if he were residing at his parent’s home.

(5) Where an eligible student is a member of a religious order who resides in a house of his order he shall be treated as if he were residing at his parent’s home.

(6) Where an eligible student –

(a) resides at his parent’s home for part of the period of attendance during an academic year and resides elsewhere for the remaining part of that period, or is treated as residing at his parent’s home or elsewhere under paragraphs (3) to (5) for part of that period; or

(b) attends a course at the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, or at an overseas institution or at the British Institute in Paris, for part of an academic year and a course at another institution for another part,

the Department shall determine which of the rates referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply for each of the three quarters of the academic year in respect of which support is payable under regulation 27(2) by reference to the student’s circumstances during the relevant quarter.

(7) Where the Department has determined applicable rates for each quarter under paragraph (6) the maximum amount of loan for living costs for the relevant quarter shall be one third of the maximum amount applicable at that rate for an academic year, and the maximum amount for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the three amounts so determined.

(8) Where an eligible student is eligible for loan for living costs in respect of an academic year under regulation 20(3)(a) he shall only be eligible for loan in respect of such of the three quarters of the year in respect of which support is payable under regulation 27(2) as begin after the events referred to in regulation 20(3)(a), and subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), the maximum loan for each such quarter shall be one third of the amount for the academic year and the maximum amount for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the maximum amounts in respect of each such quarter.

(9) For the purposes of paragraphs (1) to (8) where a postgraduate course of initial training for teachers is of only one academic year’s duration that year shall not be treated as a final year.

(10) Where an eligible student has, in an academic year, attended his course for a period of 30 weeks 3 days and attends for a further period the amounts referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be increased for each week or part week of such attendance:

(a) for a student who resides or is treated as residing at his parent’s home, by £47;

(b) for a student who does not –

(i) if he attends a course provided by the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, by £90;

(ii) if he attends, for at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution (other than in a high cost country) and the further period of attendance is required at the overseas institution, by £97;

(iii) if he attends, for at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution in a high cost country and the further period of attendance is required at the overseas institution, by £127;

(iv) if he attends the British Institute in Paris, £97; or

(v) otherwise, by £69.

(11) Where an eligible student attends a course at the University of Ulster for a period not exceeding 6 weeks during the summer vacation and the Department is satisfied that the course is one which is included under the university’s summer teaching scheme, the amounts referred to in paragraph (1) shall be increased for each week or part week of such attendance –

(a) for a student who resides or is treated as residing at his parent’s home, by £47; or

(b) otherwise by £69.

(12) Where an eligible student attends a course for a period of not less than 45 weeks in any continuous period of 52 weeks the amounts referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall in addition be increased for each week during the 52 week period during which he did not attend by the amounts referred to in paragraph (10).

(13) Where in relation to an academic year an eligible student is eligible for a bursary under regulation 13(1) he shall be eligible for a loan for living costs under this regulation but –

(a) for those eligible for the maximum bursary of £1,500, the maximum amounts set out in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be reduced by £1,000; and

(b) in all other cases the maximum amounts set out in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall be reduced by the amount of the bursary for which the student is eligible.

(14) Where in relation to an academic year an eligible student is not eligible for a grant for living costs by virtue of regulation 12(2)(a) and (b) he shall be eligible for a loan for living costs under this regulation but –

(a) in paragraphs (1) and (2) there shall be substituted for the amounts in column (1) below the corresponding amounts in column (2):

Column (1)	Column (2)
£3,090	£1,465
4,815	2,365
4,770	1,915
5,670	1,915
3,905	1,915
2,700	1,075
4,175	1,725
4,150	1,400
4,935	1,400
3,390	1,400

• and

  (b)

  paragraphs (10) and (11) shall not apply.

(15) Where in relation to an academic year an eligible student is not eligible for a grant for living costs by virtue of regulation 12(2)(c) or 12(3) he shall be eligible for a loan for living costs under this regulation but –

(a) in paragraphs (1) and (2) there shall be substituted for the amounts in column (1) below the corresponding amounts in column (2):

Column (1)	Column (2)
£3,090	£1,465
4,815	2,365
4,770	2,345
5,670	2,785
3,905	1,915
2,700	1,075
4,175	1,725
4,150	1,715
4,935	2,035
3,390	1,400

• and

  (b)

  paragraphs (10) and (11) shall not apply.

Applications for loans

22.—(1) An eligible student who is eligible for a loan for living costs in respect of an academic year shall apply for such a loan not exceeding the maximum amount applicable in his case, by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require not later than one month before the end of that year.

(2) The completed form shall include among other things the following particulars –

(a) his United Kingdom national insurance number, unless he does not have one;

(b) his most recent student loan account number, if any; and

(c) the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two persons who know him.

(3) The student shall sign a declaration on the application form that –

(a) the particulars given in the application form are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief;

(b) he will notify the Department (or if any person is exercising functions in relation to his application by virtue of arrangements under Article 4(3) of the Order he will notify that person) of any change in them; and

(c) he will repay any amount lent to him, together with interest and applicable charges and penalties, in accordance with the Order and regulations made thereunder from time to time.

(4) In any case where –

(a) the Department determines that the maximum amount of loan which has been notified to an eligible student in relation to an academic year should be increased (including an increase from nil) as a result of a reassessment of the student’s contribution or otherwise, and

(b) the Department considers that the increase in the maximum amount does not result from the eligible student –

(i) failing to provide information promptly which might affect his eligibility for a loan or the amount of loan for which he is eligible, or

(ii) providing information which is inaccurate in any material particular,

he may apply to borrow an additional amount which, when added to the amount already applied for shall not exceed the increased maximum.

(5) Such application shall be made by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require not later than one month before the end of the academic year or one month after the date he received notice of the increased maximum amount, whichever is the later.

(6) A student shall sign a declaration on the application form in the terms set out in paragraph (3).

(7) Where an eligible student has applied for a loan less than the maximum amount of loan to which he is entitled in relation to the academic year under the preceding paragraphs he may apply to borrow an additional amount, which when added to the amount already applied for shall not exceed the relevant maximum applicable in his case.

(8) Such application shall be made by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require not later than one month before the end of the academic year.

(9) A student shall sign a declaration on the application form in the terms set out in paragraph (3).

Hardship loans

23.—(1) An eligible student who has applied for the maximum amount of loan in respect of an academic year which has been notified to him and received at least one instalment of that loan may apply to the Department for a determination in accordance with paragraph (4) that he is eligible for an additional loan which shall be known as a “hardship loan”.

(2) A hardship loan shall be £100 or a multiple thereof not exceeding £500.

(3) An eligible student shall demonstrate his eligibility for a hardship loan by providing such evidence of his requirements and resources as the Department may require.

(4) On being satisfied that an eligible student is in serious financial difficulty such that his access to a course or his continued attendance on a course may be at risk, the Department shall determine the amount of hardship loan which it considers the student requires, and the student shall be eligible for a hardship loan of that amount.

(5) An eligible student who is eligible for a hardship loan shall apply for a loan not greater than the amount referred to in paragraph (4) by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require not later than one month after the date he receives notice of the determination under paragraph (4) and one month before the end of the academic year.

(6) A student shall sign a declaration on the application form in the terms set out in regulation 22(3).

(7) Where the amount of the hardship loan is determined to be less than £500 under paragraph (4), the student may make one further application for a hardship loan in accordance with the requirements of this regulation, except that the amount of the hardship loan under the second determination when added to the amount under the first determination shall not exceed £500.

Part VI Financial Assessment

Calculation of contribution

24.—(1) An eligible student’s contribution in respect of an academic year, if any, shall be the aggregate of his income for that year calculated in accordance with Part I of Schedule 3 and any contribution applicable in his case by virtue of Part II or III of that Schedule.

(2) For the purposes of the exercise of the Department’s functions under the Order and regulations made under it, it shall require an eligible student to provide from time to time such information as it considers necessary as to the income of any person whose means are relevant to the assessment of his contribution.

Application of contribution

25.—(1) The maximum amounts of grants or loans for which an eligible student shall be eligible shall be the amounts remaining after subtracting in accordance with this regulation his contribution from the maximum amount of any –

(a) grant for fees for which he is eligible under regulation 10, other than fees payable in respect of his attendance at a course –

(i) at an institution which is neither maintained nor assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds other than a course referred to in regulation 11(2)(a)(i), or

(ii) for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 other than a course for a first degree;

(iii) at a university or relevant institution of higher education in the Republic of Ireland unless the eligible student is eligible for grant for fees in accordance with regulation 10(8) or (9);

(iv) undertaken at the Pontifical College, Maynooth, or at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, which the student began to attend after 31st August 1998 and before 1st September 1999;

(v) at the Union Theological College, the Edgehill College, and the Irish Baptist College, Belfast, or the Belfast Bible College, for the degrees of Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Arts (Joint Honours) or the Diploma in Theology of the Queen’s University of Belfast;

(b) bursary for which he is eligible under regulation 13;

(c) grant for dependants for which he is eligible under regulations 16 and 17;

(d) loan for living costs for which he is eligible under regulation 20, other than a loan to which a maximum amount referred to in regulation 3(6) or 21(14) or (15) applies;

(e) grant for travel costs for which he is eligible under regulation 19.

(2) Where the contribution exceeds the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(a) the maximum amount shall be reduced to nil, and the balance of the contribution not required to reduce the amount to nil shall be available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(b).

(3) Where –

(a) regulation 11(1)(c), (e), (f) or (g) applies to the grant for fees for which the student is eligible; or

(b) the student is not eligible for grant for fees in pursuance of regulation 10(7)(c),

the amount available to reduce the maximum amount of bursary referred to in paragraph (1)(b) shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph (2), but it shall be assumed, that the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(a) is £1,100 rather than the amount referred to in regulation 11(1)(c), (e), (f) or (g) or, in the case of a student who is not eligible for grant in pursuance of regulation 10(7)(c), rather than nothing.

(4) Where the contribution available to reduce the maximum amount of bursary referred to in paragraph (1)(b) exceeds that maximum amount it shall be reduced to nil, and the balance of the contribution not required to reduce the amount to nil shall be available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(c).

(5) Where the contribution available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(c) exceeds that maximum amount it shall be reduced to nil, and the balance of the contribution not required to reduce the amount to nil shall be available to reduce the maximum amount of loan referred to in paragraph (1)(d).

(6) Subject to paragraph (7) where the contribution available to reduce the maximum amount of loan referred to in paragraph (1)(d) would reduce that amount to less than the following amounts –

(a) in the case of a student who resides at his parent’s home while attending the course, £1,795;

(b) for a student who does not –

(i) if he attends a course provided at the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, £3,610;

(ii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution (other than in a high cost country), £3,580;

(iii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution in a high cost country, £4,250;

(iv) if he attends the British Institute in Paris, £3,580; or

(v) otherwise, £2,930,

the maximum amount shall be reduced to that amount, and the balance of the contribution not required to reduce the amount of loan to that amount shall be available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(e).

(7) Where the academic year in question is the final year of a course other than an accelerated course and the contribution available to reduce the maximum amount of loan referred to in paragraph (1)(d) would reduce that amount to less than the following amounts –

(a) in the case of a student who resides at his parent’s home while attending the course, £1,405;

(b) for a student who does not –

(i) if he attends a course provided at the University of London or at an institution within the area comprising the City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, £3,130;

(ii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution (other than in a high cost country), £3,115;

(iii) if he attends, for a period of at least eight weeks as part of his course, an overseas institution in a high cost country, £3,700;

(iv) if he attends the British Institute in Paris, £3,115; or

(v) otherwise, £2,545,

the maximum amount shall be reduced to that amount, and the balance of the contribution not required to reduce the amount of loan to that amount shall be available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(e).

(8) Where under regulation 21(6) the Department determines that different rates shall apply for different quarters of the academic year the amount to which the maximum amount shall be reduced in accordance with paragraphs (6) or (7) shall be the aggregate of the three amounts determined under paragraph (9) for the three quarters in respect of which loan is payable.

(9) The amount for each quarter determined under this paragraph shall be one third of the amount referred to in paragraph (6) or (7) which corresponds to the rate which the Department has determined shall be applicable for the quarter.

(10) Where the contribution available to reduce the maximum amount of grant referred to in paragraph (1)(e) exceeds that amount it shall be reduced to nil.

Part VII Payments

Payment of grant for fees

26.—(1) The Department shall pay the grant for fees for which a student is eligible when a valid request for payment has been received from the academic authority, payment to be made to it –

(a) not before the expiry of three months from the beginning of the academic year;

(b) not later than 10 weeks after the expiry of that period, or promptly after a valid request for payment has been received, if that is later.

(2) The Department may make a provisional payment where assessment of the student’s contribution or other matters have delayed final calculation of the amount of grant for which the student is eligible.

(3) No payment of grant for fees shall be made if –

(a) before the expiry of three months from the beginning of the academic year the eligible student ceases to attend the course; and

(b) the academic authority has determined or agreed that he will not commence attending again during the academic year in respect of which the fees are payable, or at all.

Payment of grants and loans for living costs

27.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs and regulation 18 (4), the Department shall pay grants for which a student is eligible under Part IV or loans for which a student has applied under Part V in such instalments (if any) and at such times as it considers appropriate; and in the exercise of its functions under this paragraph it may in particular make provisional payments pending the final calculation of the amount of grant or loan for which the student is eligible.

(2) Bursaries and grants for which a student is eligible under regulations 13 and 16 and loans for which a student has applied under Part V, other than a loan under regulation 23 shall be payable in respect of three quarters of the academic year, and shall not be payable in respect of the quarter during which in the opinion of the Department the longest of any vacations is taken.

(3) The Department shall pay support referred to in paragraph (2) in the following instalments:

(a) if the first instalment is paid during the first quarter of the academic year in respect of which the support is payable it shall be paid in three equal instalments during the quarters in respect of which it is payable;

(b) if the first instalment is paid during the second quarter of the academic year in respect of which support is payable it shall be paid in two instalments during the quarters in respect of which it is payable, the first amounting to two thirds of the amount to be paid, and the second one third of that amount; and

(c) if the first instalment is paid during the third quarter of the academic year in respect of which the support is payable it shall be paid in one instalment.

(4) Payments shall be made in such manner as the Department considers appropriate, and it may make it a condition of entitlement to payment that the eligible student shall provide it with particulars of a bank or building society account in the United Kingdom into which payments may be made by electronic transfer.

(5) Subject to regulation 7 no support referred to in paragraph (2) shall be payable in respect of a quarter beginning after an eligible student has withdrawn from, abandoned or been expelled from his course; and the amount of such support for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the support, if any, which is payable in respect of each quarter.

(6) No support referred to in paragraph (2) shall be payable in respect of a quarter during any part of which an eligible student is absent from his course, unless in the opinion of the Department it would be appropriate in all the circumstances to pay all or part of the support; and the amount of such support for the academic year shall be the aggregate of the support, if any, which is payable in respect of each quarter.

(7) In deciding whether it would be appropriate to pay all or part of the support under paragraph (6) the circumstances which the Department shall have regard to shall include the reasons for the student’s absence, the length of the absence, and the financial hardship which not paying all or part of the support would cause.

(8) An eligible student shall not be considered to be absent from his course if he is unable to attend due to illness and his absence has not exceeded 60 days.

(9) Where after the Department has made any payment of support referred to in paragraph (2), it makes a determination of the amount of grant for which the student is eligible in respect of an academic year under regulation 13 or 16 either for the first time or by way of revision of a provisional or other determination of that amount –

(a) if the determination increases the amount of grant for which the student is eligible it shall pay the additional amount in instalments in accordance with paragraph (3), paying the first instalment as soon as is reasonably practicable after the determination and any subsequent instalment with instalments already payable;

(b) if the determination decreases the amount of grant for which the student is eligible it shall subtract the amount of the decrease from any instalments of grant which remain to be paid under regulation 16, so that the instalments continue to bear the proportion to each other referred to in paragraph (3);

(c) if the amount of the decrease is greater than the amount of grant remaining to be paid that amount shall be reduced to nil, and the balance subtracted from any other grant for which the student is eligible in respect of the academic year; and

(d) any remaining overpayment shall be recovered in accordance with regulation 28.

(10) Where the Department has made any payment of support referred to in paragraph (2) and a student who is eligible for a loan under Part V, other than a loan under regulation 23 applies for such a loan or applies for an additional such loan in respect of an academic year, the Department shall pay the loan or the additional loan in instalments in accordance with paragraph (3), paying the first instalment as soon as is reasonably practicable after a satisfactory application has been received and any subsequent instalment with instalments already payable.

(11) Where the Department has paid an instalment of loan for which a student is eligible in respect of an academic year under Part V and it makes a determination that the amount of loan for which the student is eligible is less than the amount previously determined, either by way of revision of a provisional determination or otherwise, –

(a) it shall subtract such amount as is necessary to ensure that the student does not borrow an amount greater than the amount which he is eligible to borrow from any instalments of loan which remain to be paid, so that the instalments continue to bear the proportion to each other referred to in paragraph (3);

(b) if the amount to be subtracted is greater than the amount of loan remaining to be paid that amount shall be reduced to nil; and

(c) any remaining overpayment shall be recovered in accordance with regulation 28.

(12) Notwithstanding the above paragraphs, where –

(a) support referred to in paragraph (2) is payable in respect of a period of attendance at an overseas institution; and

(b) the Department considers that payment of the support in instalments in accordance with the above paragraphs may prejudice his admission to the overseas country or institution,

it may pay the support in such instalments, if any, as it considers appropriate.

(13) Notwithstanding the above paragraphs where the periods of attendance for a course are such that the payment of instalments during the quarters in respect of which the support is payable may cause the eligible student hardship the Department may pay the instalments at such other times as it considers appropriate.

(14) Notwithstanding the above paragraphs where by reason of the absence of the student –

(a) support referred to in paragraph (2) is reduced in accordance with paragraph (6); and

(b) the Department considers that the payment of such support in accordance with the above paragraphs would be inappropriate,

it may pay such support in such number of instalments and in instalments of such amounts as it considers appropriate.

Overpayments

28.—(1) Any overpayment of grant for fees under Part III shall be recovered by the Department from the academic authority.

(2) Any overpayment of grant for living costs under Part IV other than a grant for dependants under regulations 16 and 17 shall be recovered in such one or more of the following ways as the Department considers appropriate in all the circumstances –

(a) by subtracting the overpayment from any other grant, other than a grant for dependants under regulations 16 and 17 for which the student is eligible in respect of the academic year in question, or from any other grant other than a grant for dependants under regulations 16 and 17 for which he is eligible in respect of any other academic year;

(b) where a student, upon completion of his course, immediately commences another course disregarding any intervening vacation, by subtracting the overpayment from any payment of grant for living costs (other than a grant for dependants under regulations 16 and 17) for which he is eligible in respect of any academic year in connection with the second course;

(c) by taking such other action for the recovery of a payment without statutory authority as is available to it.

(3) Any overpayment of grant for dependants under Part IV shall be recovered in such one or more of the following ways as the Department considers appropriate in all the circumstances–

(a) by subtracting the overpayment from any grant for dependants under regulations 16 and 17 for which the student is eligible in respect of the academic year in question or for which he is eligible in respect of any other academic year;

(b) where a student, upon completion of his course, immediately commences another course disregarding any intervening vacation by subtracting the overpayment from any payment of such grant for which he is eligible in respect of any academic year in connection with the second course; and

(c) by taking such other action for the recovery of a payment without statutory authority as is available to it.

(4) Any overpayment of a loan for living costs under Part V in respect of any academic year may be recovered if in the opinion of the Department –

(a) the overpayment is a result of a failure of the student to provide promptly information which might affect his eligibility for a loan or the amount of loan for which he is eligible; or

(b) any information which he has provided is inaccurate in a material particular,

but otherwise it shall be treated as a loan properly made under Part V which shall be repayable in accordance with the Order and regulations made under it.

(5) Where an overpayment of loan is treated as properly made under paragraph (4) the Department may subtract the overpayment from the amount of loan for living costs under Part V for which the student is eligible in respect of any other academic year.

(6) Where an overpayment of loan for living costs is recoverable in accordance with paragraph (4) it shall be recovered in such one or more of the following ways as the Department considers appropriate in all the circumstances –

(a) by subtracting the overpayment from the amount of loan for which the student is eligible in respect of any other academic year;

(b) where a student, upon completion of his course, immediately commences another course disregarding any intervening vacation, by subtracting the overpayment from any payment of loan for which he is eligible in respect of any academic year in connection with the second course;

(c) by taking such other action for the recovery of a payment made without statutory authority as is available to it.

Part VIII Support for Part-Time Courses

Eligible part-time students

29.—(1) Subject to and in accordance with this Part a person shall be eligible for support in connection with his undertaking a designated part-time course if he is a person mentioned in Schedule 1.

(2) A person shall not be eligible under this regulation if –

(a) he is a person mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 and not in any other paragraph of that Schedule;

(b) there has been made to him or paid to him in relation to his undertaking the part-time course –

(i) a bursary or award of similar description under Article 44 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 whether the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income or not; or

(ii) any allowance under the Nursing and Midwifery Student Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 1992; or

(iii) any allowance under sections 73(f) and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 where that part-time course leads to a qualification in a healthcare profession, other than as a medical doctor or dentist, whether the amount of which is calculated by reference to his income or not;

(c) he is in breach of any obligation to repay any loan;

(d) he has not ratified any agreement for a loan made with him when he was under the age of 18; or

(e) he has, in the opinion of the Department, shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph 2(c) and (d) “loan” means a loan made under the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, the Order and regulations made thereunder, the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 and regulations made thereunder or the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and regulations made thereunder.

(4) Paragraph 2(d) shall only apply, in a case where the agreement for a loan is subject to the law of Scotland, if it was made –

(a) before 25th September 1991, and

(b) with the concurrence of the borrower’s curator, or at a time when he had no curator.

(5) A person shall not be eligible for support for more than one designated part-time course at any one time.

(6) Where a person who meets the requirements of this regulation is notified of that fact by the Department under regulation 33(6) he shall thenceforth be an “eligible part-time student” for the purposes of these Regulations.

Designated part-time courses

30.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), a part-time course shall be designated for the purposes of Article 3(1) of the Order and regulation 29(1) if –

(a) it is mentioned in Schedule 2;

(b) it exceeds one academic year’s duration and does not exceed twice the period normally required to complete a full-time course leading to the same qualification;

(c) it is wholly provided by an educational institution or institutions in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland which are maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds or is provided by such institution or institutions in conjunction with an institution or institutions outside the United Kingdom; and

(d) it is not designated by or under regulation 5.

(2) Paragraphs (5) and (6) of regulation 5 shall apply for the purposes of paragraph (1) as they apply for the purposes of paragraph (1) of that regulation.

(3) For the purposes of Article 3(1) of the Order and regulation 29(1) the Department may designate part-time courses of higher education which are not designated by paragraph (1).

Eligibility for loans for part-time courses

31.—(1) Subject to and in accordance with the following paragraphs, an eligible part-time student shall be eligible for a loan if –

(a) he is under the age of 50 on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or

(b) he is aged 50 or over and under the age of 55 on that day, if the Department is satisfied that he intends to enter employment after he has completed his part-time course or such other higher education course which he intends to start undertaking immediately after completing his present course, disregarding any intervening vacation; and

(c) in respect of the second and any subsequent year of his part-time course, he is ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the academic year.

(2) An eligible part-time student shall not be eligible for a loan if –

(a) he holds a first degree from an educational institution in the United Kingdom or a comparable qualification from an educational institution outside the United Kingdom; or

(b) there have been paid to him 6 loans in connection with his undertaking one or more designated part-time courses.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(a) a degree shall not be treated as a first degree where–

(a) it is a degree (other than an honours degree) that has been awarded to an eligible part-time student who has completed the required modules, examinations or other forms of assessment for his first degree course;

(b) the course was undertaken at an educational institution in the United Kingdom; and

(c) the eligible part-time student is registered to continue the course at the same educational institution after the award of his degree so as to obtain an honours degree on completion of the required modules, examinations or other forms of assessment.

(4) An eligible part-time student shall be eligible for a loan in respect of –

(a) an academic year during which –

(i) his course becomes a designated part-time course,

(ii) he or his spouse or parent is recognised as a refugee or is granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1, or

(b) any academic year which begins after the events referred to in paragraph (a) but shall not be eligible for a loan in respect of any other academic year.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), an eligible part-time student shall not be eligible for a loan if he is a prisoner serving a custodial sentence.

(6) Paragraph (5) shall not apply in respect of an academic year during which the student enters prison to serve a custodial sentence or is released from prison having served such a sentence.

(7) An eligible part-time student who is eligible for a loan in respect of an academic year in accordance with the preceding paragraphs shall be eligible for a loan in respect of that year if –

(a) at the date of his application for the loan, he or his spouse is entitled under Part VII of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act (Northern Ireland) 1992(42) to income support(43), working families' tax credit(44), disabled person’s tax credit(45), housing benefit(46); or

(b) his financial resources for the preceding financial year do not exceed £13,000.

(8) For the purposes of paragraphs (7) and (10) an eligible part-time student’s financial resources for a financial year means the aggregate of his income for that year together with the aggregate of the income for that year of any person who at the date of his application for the loan is his spouse.

(9) In calculating an eligible part-time student’s income under this regulation there shall be disregarded –

(a) £2,000 in respect of his spouse;

(b) £2,000 in respect of the only or eldest child who is dependent on him or his spouse; and

(c) £1,000 in respect of each other such child.

(10) Where the Department is satisfied that an eligible part-time student’s financial resources in the current financial year are unlikely to, or do not, exceed £13,000 it may assess that student’s eligibility for a loan under this regulation by reference to those resources in the current financial year.

(11) For the purposes of this regulation –

• “child” in relation to an eligible part-time student includes a step-child and any child for whom the student has parental responsibility and, in the case of an eligible part-time student aged 25 or over on the first day of the academic year in respect of which his eligibility for a loan is being assessed, any child of his partner;

• “dependent” means wholly or mainly financially dependent;

• “financial year” means, subject to paragraph (12), the period of 12 months for which the income of the eligible part-time student is computed for the purposes of the income tax legislation which applies to it;

• “income” means gross income from all sources;

• “partner” means a woman ordinarily living with a man part-time student as his wife or a man ordinarily living with a woman part-time student as her husband;

• “preceding financial year” means the most recent financial year ending before the first day of the academic year in respect of which a person’s eligibility for a loan is being assessed and “current financial year” means the financial year which includes the first day of that academic year;

• “spouse” includes, in the case of an eligible part-time student aged 25 or over on the first day of the academic year in respect of which his eligibility for a loan is being assessed, a partner. It does not include a spouse of an eligible part-time student where they have ceased ordinarily to live together, in the case of a married part-time student whether or not an order for their separation has been made by any court, or where the spouse is ordinarily living outside the United Kingdom and is not maintained by him.

(12) In the case of an eligible part-time student or his spouse whose income is subject to the income tax legislation of the Republic of Ireland, for the purposes of this regulation his income in the period from 1st January 2001 to 5th April 2001 shall be treated not only as income in the financial year ending on 5th April 2001 but also as income in the period from 6th April 2001 to 31st December 2001 and the latter period shall be treated as a financial year notwithstanding that it is less than 12 months in duration.

Amount of loan

32.  The amount of a loan for a designated part-time course in respect of each academic year shall be £500.

Applications for support

33.—(1) A person shall apply for support in respect of an academic year of a part-time course (other than a course for the initial training of teachers) by completing and submitting to the Department an application in such form as it may require; and regulation 6 shall not apply to him in connection with his undertaking that course.

(2) The completed application form shall include among other things the following particulars –

(a) his United Kingdom national insurance number, unless he does not have one;

(b) his most recent student loan account number, if any; and

(c) the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two persons who know the student.

(3) The applicant shall sign a declaration on the application form that –

(a) the particulars given in the application form are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief;

(b) he will notify the Department (or if an Education and Library Board or any other person is exercising functions in relation to his application by virtue of a determination under Article 4 (1)(a) or 4(3) of the Order he will notify that authority or person) of any change in them;

(c) in the case of an application for a loan, he shall repay the amount lent to him, together with interest and applicable charges and penalties, in accordance with the Order and regulations made thereunder from time to time; and

(d) in the case of an application for a grant under regulation 34, he will if required to do so repay to the Department any amount paid to him which for whatever reason exceeds the amount of grant to which he is entitled under that regulation.

(4) The application form must reach the Department not later than 6 months after the first day of the academic year of the course in which it is submitted, but where –

(a) the course becomes a designated part-time course after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Department not later than 6 months after the date on which the course was designated;

(b) the student, or his spouse or parent, is recognised as a refugee or has been granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Department not later than 6 months after the date of recognition or the date leave was granted respectively;

(c) the Department considers that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should be relaxed, the application must reach the Department not later than such date as it specifies.

(5) An applicant shall demonstrate his eligibility for support by providing such evidence as the Department may require; and the Department may take such steps and make such inquiries as it considers necessary to determine whether the applicant is eligible for support.

(6) If the Department considers that the applicant is eligible for the support for which he has applied under this Part it shall –

(a) where the application is the first to be made in connection with the applicant’s undertaking the part-time course, notify him of the facts that he is an “eligible part-time student” and is eligible for the support for which he has applied; and

(b) in respect of any subsequent application notify him that he is eligible for the support for which he has applied.

Grants for disabled part-time students' living costs

34.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), regulation 14 shall apply in relation to an eligible part-time student in respect of his undertaking a designated part-time course as it applies in relation to an eligible student in respect of his undertaking a designated course with the substitution –

(a) for the amount specified in regulation 14(2)(a) of £8,265; and

(b) for the amount specified in regulation 14(2)(d) of £1,090.

(2) An eligible part-time student shall be eligible for grant under this regulation if, in respect of the second and any subsequent year of his part-time course, he is ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the academic year.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), an eligible part-time student shall not be eligible for grant under this regulation if he is a prisoner serving a custodial sentence.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply in respect of an academic year during which the student enters prison to serve a custodial sentence or is released from prison having served such a sentence.

Transfers of Eligibility

35.—(1) An eligible part-time student may request the Department to transfer his eligibility in any case where –

(a) on the recommendation of the academic authority the student starts to undertake another part-time course at the institution;

(b) with the consent of the academic authority of the institution concerned the student starts to undertake a part-time course at another institution; or

(c) after commencing a part-time course for a first degree (other than an honours degree) the student is, before the completion of that course admitted to a part-time course for an honours degree in the same subject or subjects at the institution.

(2) The Department, on being satisfied of the matters referred to in paragraph (1) and that the second course is a designated part-time course, shall transfer the eligible part-time student’s eligibility, and thenceforth the student shall for all purposes be an eligible part-time student in connection with his undertaking the second course, whether or not he may have been so eligible if he had applied under regulation 33.

(3) An eligible part-time student’s eligibility as such may not be transferred after it has expired or been terminated under regulation 37.

Conversion of eligibility

36.—(1) An eligible student under Part II may request the Department to convert his eligibility to that of an eligible part-time student in any case where –

(a) with the consent of the academic authority the eligible student ceases to attend his course and starts to undertake a designated part-time course at the institution; or

(b) with the consent of the academic authority of the institution concerned the eligible student ceases to attend his course and starts to undertake a designated part-time course at another institution.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the Department, on being satisfied of the matters referred to in paragraph (1) and that the second course is a designated part-time course, shall convert the eligible student’s eligibility, and thenceforth the student shall for all purposes cease to be an eligible student and shall be an eligible part-time student in connection with his undertaking the second course, whether or not he may have been so eligible if he had applied under regulation 33.

(3) The Department shall not under paragraph (2) convert the eligibility of a student who is a person mentioned in paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 and not in any other paragraph of that Schedule.

(4) An eligible student’s eligibility as such may not be converted after it has expired or been terminated under regulation 8.

(5) Where under this regulation an eligible student under Part II becomes an eligible part-time student in the course of an academic year –

(a) where the Department has determined to pay an amount of grant to the student under regulation 14 in periodic instalments no payment in respect of that amount of grant shall be made in respect of any instalment period beginning after the date on which the student became an eligible part-time student;

(b) the maximum amount of grant to which the student would, apart from this regulation, be entitled to under regulation 34 in connection with his undertaking a designated part-time course in respect of that academic year shall be reduced by one third, where the student became an eligible part-time student during the second quarter of the academic year, and by two thirds where he became such a student in a later quarter of that year;

(c) where an amount of grant for any purpose has been paid to the student under regulation 14 in a single instalment the maximum amount of grant payable to him under regulation 34 for that purpose shall be reduced (or where sub-paragraph (b) applies further reduced) by the amount of grant paid to him for that purpose under regulation 14, and where the resulting amount is nil or a negative amount that amount shall be nil; and

(d) where immediately before he became an eligible part-time student he was eligible to apply, but had not applied, for a loan for living costs in respect of that year under regulation 22, or had not applied for the maximum amount or increased maximum for which he was entitled under regulation 22 without prejudice to regulation 31 he may apply for such a loan or such additional amount of loan in accordance with regulation 22 as if he had continued to be an eligible student under Part II; and in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (6) the maximum or increased maximum amount of such loan for the academic year shall be reduced in accordance with that paragraph.

(6) Where the application is made during the first quarter of the academic year in respect of which the loan is payable the maximum amount or increased maximum amount of loan (as the case may be) shall be reduced by two thirds, and where the application is made during the second quarter of that year that amount shall be reduced by one third.

(7) An eligible part-time student may request the Department to convert his eligibility to that of an eligible student under Part II in any case where –

(a) with the consent of the academic authority the eligible part-time student ceases to undertake his course and starts to attend a course designated by or under regulation 5 at the institution; or

(b) with the consent of the academic authority of the institution concerned the eligible part-time student ceases to undertake his course and starts to attend a course designated by or under regulation 5 at another institution.

(8) The Department, on being satisfied of the matters referred to in paragraph (7) and that the second course is a designated course, shall convert the eligible part-time student’s eligibility, and thenceforth the student shall for all purposes cease to be an eligible part-time student and shall be an eligible student in connection with his attendance at the second course, whether or not he may have been so eligible if he had applied under regulation 6.

(9) An eligible part-time student’s eligibility as such may not be converted after it has expired or been terminated under regulation 37.

(10) Where under this regulation an eligible part-time student becomes an eligible student under Part II in the course of an academic year –

(a) where the Department has determined to pay an amount of grant to the student under regulation 34 in periodic instalments no payment in respect of that amount of grant shall be made in respect of any instalment period beginning after the date on which the student became an eligible student;

(b) any loan to which the student is entitled under this Part in respect of that year shall be ignored in determining the amount of support to which he may be entitled in respect of that year under Parts III to V;

(c) the maximum amount of any support under Part IV or V to which the student would, apart from this regulation, be entitled in connection with his attendance at a designated course in respect of that academic year shall be reduced by one third, where the student became an eligible student during the second quarter of the academic year, and by two thirds where he became such a student in a later quarter of that year; and

(d) where an amount of grant for any purpose has been paid to the student under regulation 34 in a single instalment the maximum amount of grant payable to him under regulation 14 for that purpose shall be reduced (or where sub-paragraph (c) applies further reduced) by the amount of grant paid to him for that purpose under regulation 34, and where the resulting amount is nil or a negative amount that amount shall be nil.

Termination of eligibility

37.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs an eligible part-time student shall cease to be eligible for support at the end of the academic year in which he completes his course.

(2) Where an eligible part-time student has withdrawn from a course in circumstances where the Department has not transferred or converted, or will not transfer or convert, his eligibility under regulation 35 or 36, or has abandoned, ceased to undertake or been expelled from his course, the Department shall determine that he is no longer eligible to receive support under this Part and on such determination he shall cease to be an eligible part-time student.

(3) Where an eligible part-time student has shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support under this Part the Department may determine that he is no longer eligible to receive such support and on such determination he shall cease to be an eligible part-time student.

Payment of support

38.—(1) The Department shall pay a loan under this Part in a single instalment at such time as it considers appropriate.

(2) The Department shall pay grant under regulation 34 in such instalments (if any) and at such times as it considers appropriate.

(3) Payments shall be made in such manner as the Department considers appropriate, and it may make it a condition of entitlement to payment that the eligible part-time student shall provide it with particulars of a bank or building society account in the United Kingdom into which payment may be made by electronic transfer.

Overpayments

39.—(1) Any overpayment of a loan under this Part in respect of any academic year may be recovered if in the opinion of the Department –

(a) the overpayment is a result of a failure of the student to provide promptly information which might affect his eligibility for a loan under this Part, or

(b) any information which he has provided is inaccurate in a material particular,

but otherwise it shall be treated as a loan properly made which shall be repayable in accordance with the Order and regulations made under it.

(2) Where an overpayment of loan is treated as properly made under paragraph (1) the Department may subtract the overpayment from the amount of loan under this Part for which the student is eligible in respect of any other academic year.

(3) Where an overpayment of loan is recoverable in accordance with paragraph (1) it shall be recovered in such of the following ways as the Department considers appropriate in all the circumstances –

(a) by subtracting the overpayment from the amount of loan under this Part for which the student is eligible in respect of any other academic year;

(b) by taking such other action for the recovery of a payment made without statutory authority as is available to it.

(4) Any overpayment of grant paid under regulation 34 in respect of an academic year shall be recovered in such one or more of the following ways as the Department considers appropriate in all the circumstances –

(a) by subtracting the overpayment from any grant for which the student is eligible under regulation 34 in respect of any other academic year;

(b) by subtracting the overpayment from any grant other than a grant for dependants for which the student is eligible under Part IV;

(c) by taking such other action for the recovery of a payment made without statutory authority as is available to it.

Part IX Interest and Insolvency

Interest

40.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) loans shall bear interest at the rate which in relation to a loan made under these Regulations on or after 1st September 2002 will result in an annual percentage rate of charge determined in accordance with the Consumer Credit (Total Charge for Credit) Regulations 1980(47) equal to the percentage increase between the retail prices all items index published by the Office for National Statistics for March 2001 and that index so published for March 2002.

(2) If the rate referred to in paragraph (1) exceeds the rate for the time being specified for the purposes of any exemption conferred by virtue of section 16(5)(b) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974(48) loans shall bear interest at the rate so specified.

(3) Interest shall be calculated on the principal outstanding daily, and shall be added to the principal monthly.

(4) The index of prices which the Department is required by Article 3(8) of the Order to have regard to in prescribing the rate of interest which loans shall bear shall be the retail prices all items index mentioned in paragraph (1).

Insolvency

41.—(1) In Northern Ireland, a bankrupt’s estate shall not include nor shall there be claimed therefor under Article 280 or 283 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989(49) any sum payable to an eligible student by way of a loan and which he receives or is entitled to receive after the commencement of the bankruptcy, whether his entitlement arises before or after the commencement of his bankruptcy.

(2) In England and Wales there shall not be treated as part of a bankrupt’s estate or claimed for his estate under section 307 or 310 of the Insolvency Act 1986(50) any sum payable to an eligible student by way of a loan and which he receives or is entitled to receive after the commencement of the bankruptcy, whether his entitlement arises before or after the commencement of his bankruptcy.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Employment and Learning on 21st June 2002.

L.S.

David McAuley

A senior officer of the

Department for Employment and Learning