The Education (Student Support) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (No. 2) Regulations 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations are made under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (“the 1998 Act”) and they amend—

(a) The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2017 (“the 2017 Regulations”), and

(b) The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2018 (“the 2018 Regulations”).

The 2017 Regulations provide for financial support for eligible students taking designated higher education courses which begin before 1 September 2018. Part 2 of these Regulations amends regulation 62 of the 2017 Regulations which concerns, amongst other things, the recovery by the Welsh Ministers of overpayments of loans for living costs. The way in which the Welsh Ministers may recover such overpayments no longer depends on whether a student has failed to provide information or has provided inaccurate information. Regulation 62 also enables the Welsh Ministers to require a student to repay an overpayment in accordance with regulations made under section 22 of the 1998 Act.

The 2018 Regulations provide for financial support for eligible students taking designated higher education courses which begin on or after 1 September 2018. Part 3 of these Regulations amends the 2018 Regulations.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 19 (early termination of eligibility) so that a student undertaking a distance learning course outside the United Kingdom for a reason related to coronavirus will remain eligible for funding.

Regulation 6 amends regulation 39 (qualifying conditions for tuition fee loan) to remove the requirement for a student undertaking a distance learning course to be in Wales on the first day of that course, in cases where the absence relates to coronavirus.

Regulation 7 amends regulation 44 (qualifying conditions for base grant and maintenance grant) to remove the requirement for a student undertaking a distance learning course to be in Wales on the first day of that course, in cases where the absence relates to coronavirus.

Regulation 8 amends regulation 54 (qualifying conditions for maintenance loan) to remove the requirement for a student undertaking a distance learning course to be in Wales on the first day of that course, in cases where the absence relates to coronavirus.

Regulation 9 amends regulation 62 (qualifying conditions for disabled student’s grant) to remove the requirement for a student undertaking a distance learning course to be in Wales on the first day of that course, in cases where the absence relates to coronavirus.

Regulation 10 substitutes a new regulation 91 (recovery of overpayments of maintenance loans) into the 2018 Regulations. The way in which the Welsh Ministers may recover such overpayments no longer depends on whether a student has failed to provide information or has provided inaccurate information. Regulation 91 also enables the Welsh Ministers to require a student to repay an overpayment in accordance with regulations made under section 22 of the 1998 Act.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Higher Education Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.