The Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

Amount of the fee loan N.I.

25.—(1) Unless one of the cases set out in paragraph (3) applies, the amount of a fee loan in respect of an academic year of a designated course must not exceed the lesser of—

(a) £3,225; and

(b) the fees payable by the student in connection with that year.

(2) In the cases set out in paragraph (3), the amount of a fee loan in respect of an academic year of a designated course must not exceed the lesser of—

(a) £1,610; and

(b) the fees payable by the student in connection with that year.

(3) The cases are—

(a) the final academic year of a designated course where that academic year is normally required to be completed after less than 15 weeks’ attendance;

(b) in respect of a sandwich course, an academic year—

(i) during which any periods of full-time study are in aggregate less than 10 weeks; or

(ii) if in respect of that academic year and any previous academic years of the course the aggregate of any one or more periods of attendance which are not periods of full-time study at the institution (disregarding intervening vacations) exceeds 30 weeks;

(c) in respect of a course for the initial training of teachers, an academic year during which any periods of full-time study are in aggregate less than 10 weeks;

(d) in respect of a course provided in conjunction with an overseas institution, an academic year—

(i) during which any periods of full-time study at the institution in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland are in aggregate less than 10 weeks; or

(ii) if in respect of that academic year and any previous academic years of the course the aggregate of any one or more periods of attendance which are not periods of full-time study at the institution in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland (disregarding intervening vacations) exceeds 30 weeks.

(4) If a student’s status as an eligible student is transferred from one designated course to another under these Regulations and the circumstances in paragraph (5) apply, the student may apply to the Department to borrow an additional amount by way of a fee loan in respect of the academic year of the course to which that student transfers.

(5) The circumstances are—

(a) the fees payable in respect of the academic year of the course to which the current system student transfers exceed the fees payable in respect of the academic year of the course from which the student is transferring; and

(b) the academic year of the course to which the current system student transfers does not begin on a later date than the academic year of the course from which the student is transferring.

(6) If a student’s status as an eligible student is transferred from one designated course to another under these Regulations and the circumstances in paragraph (7) apply, the student may apply to the Department for another fee loan in respect of the academic year of the course to which the student transfers.

(7) The circumstances are that the academic year of the course to which the current system student transfers begins on a later date than the academic year of the course from which that student is transferring.

(8) Where the circumstances in paragraph (5) apply, the maximum additional amount that the current system student may borrow in respect of the academic year to which that student transfers, provided that the student qualifies for a fee loan in respect of that year, is determined by deducting the amount of any fee loan the student has taken out under these Regulations in respect of the academic year from which the student is transferring from the lesser of—

(a) £3,225 or, where one of the cases set out in paragraph (3) applies, £1,610; and

(b) the fees payable by the student in respect of the academic year to which the student is transferring.

(9) Where the circumstances in paragraph (7) apply, the maximum amount of fee loan that a current system student may borrow in respect of the academic year to which that student transfers provided that the student qualifies for a fee loan in respect of that year is the lesser of—

(a) £3,225 or, where one of the cases set out in paragraph (3) applies, £1,610; and

(b) the fees payable by the student in connection with that year.

(10) Where a current system student has applied for a fee loan of less than the maximum amount available in relation to an academic year, that student may apply to borrow an additional amount which when added to the amount already applied for does not exceed the relevant maximum applicable in that student’s case.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 25 in operation at 12.3.2009 with application in accordance with reg. 1(4)