Amendment of the Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 20096

After regulation 99 insert—

Payment of fee contribution loans99A

1

The Department must pay the fee contribution loan for which an eligible student qualifies to an institution to which the student is liable to make payment.

2

The Department may pay the fee contribution loan in instalments.

3

The Department must not pay the fee contribution loan before—

a

the Department has received a request for payment from the academic authority; and

b

a period of three months beginning with the first day of the academic year has expired.

4

Where assessment of an old system student’s contribution or other matters have delayed the final calculation of the amount of fee contribution loan for which the student qualifies, the Department may make a provisional assessment and payment.

5

No payment of fee contribution loan can be made in respect of a designated course if–

a

before the expiry of a period of three months beginning with the first day of the academic year the eligible student ceases to attend or, in the case of a student treated as in attendance under regulation 19, undertake the course; and

b

the academic authority has determined or agreed that the student will not begin attending or, as the case may be, undertaking in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland the course again during the academic year in respect of which the fees are payable or at all.