The Education (Student Support) ( No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are based on the Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (the “2009 Regulations”). Differences of substance between the 2009 Regulations and these Regulations, including increases in rates of grants and loans, are described below.

These Regulations revoke, from 1st September 2010, the 2009 Regulations subject to savings and transitional provisions the extent of which are set out in regulation 4.

Regulations 109 and 126 provide that part-time and full-time distance learning students who transfer to the current course on or after 1st September 2009 from a course beginning before 1st September 2009 will not be prevented from qualifying for support because the course leads to an equivalent or lower qualification.

Regulations 109 and 126 also remove restrictions on part-time and full-time distance learning students who wish to top-up to a higher level qualification. Students who already hold a lower level qualification such as a foundation degree or ordinary degree will be eligible to apply for support to top-up their qualification to an honours degree on a part-time or full-time distance learning course regardless of any break in study or change in course subject and regardless of whether the top-up course is at the same or different institution.

Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Schedule 1 make changes to regulations 112 and 129 of the 2009 Regulations so that part-time or full-time distance learning students who transfer to the current course on or after 1st September 2009 from a part-time or full-time distance learning course which began before 1st September 2009 are not prevented from qualifying for support because the course leads to an equivalent or lower qualification.

Apart from increases to amounts in line with inflation, the income thresholds and assessments of loans for living costs and maintenance grants are not changed.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on the costs of business, charities or voluntary bodies. The impact on the public sector is minimal.