PART 5GRANTS FOR LIVING AND OTHER COSTS

CHAPTER 7SPECIAL SUPPORT GRANTS FOR CURRENT SYSTEM STUDENTS

Qualifying conditions for the special support grantI159

1

A current system student qualifies in accordance with this regulation for a special support grant in connection with the student’s attendance on a designated course to defray the costs of books, equipment, travel or childcare incurred for the purpose of attending that course.

2

A current system student qualifies for a special support grant if the student—

a

falls within a prescribed category of person for the purposes of section 123(1)(e) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act (Northern Ireland) 199253; or

b

is treated as being liable to make payments in respect of a dwelling prescribed by regulations made under section 129(2) of that Act54.

3

If a current system student does not qualify for a fee loan F2or relevant institution charge loan in respect of an academic year of the designated course, the student cannot qualify for a special support grant for that year unless the reason that the student does not qualify for a fee loan F2or relevant institution charge loan is that—

a

the year is an Erasmus year F3in accordance with regulation 20(3); or

b

the designated course is an old flexible postgraduate course for the initial training of teachers.

F14

Subject to F4paragraph (5), a special support grant is payable in respect of the four quarters of the academic year.

5

Subject to paragraph (6), where one of the events listed in regulation 18(a), (b), (c), (e), (f), (g) or (h) occurs in the course of an academic year, a student may qualify for a special support grant in respect of such quarters as begin after the relevant event occurs.

6

Where the state of which the student is a national accedes to the EU the student may qualify for the special support grant only if the student has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three year period immediately preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.