PART IIELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS

Eligible students3

1

The Scottish Ministers may pay a loan, in accordance with the provisions of section 73(f) of the Act and these Regulations, to or in respect of an eligible student.

2

Subject to and in accordance with these Regulations a person shall be eligible for a loan in connection with their undertaking a designated course if that person–

a

is a person mentioned in Schedule 1;

b

is–

i

under the age of 50 on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or

ii

aged 50 or over and under the age of 55 on that day and the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that that person intends to enter employment after completion of the course;

c

is not eligible for a loan in relation to an academic year of the course under the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 or any regulations made under any of the foregoing;

d

is not eligible to receive in relation to the academic year–

i

a bursary or award of similar description under section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 196813 the amount of which is not calculated by reference to their income; or

ii

any allowance under the Nursing and Midwifery Student Allowances (Scotland) Regulations 200714;

e

is not in breach of any obligation to repay any loan;

f

where the designated course is a part-time course, has already received fewer than 8 loans in connection with that person undertaking one or more part-time courses;

g

where the designated course is a part-time course, on the relevant date–

i

has attained the age of 25 years;

ii

is married or in a civil partnership;

iii

has no parent living; or

iv

has been self-supporting out of earnings for periods aggregating not less than 3 years.

3

Notwithstanding that a person satisfies the requirements specified in paragraph (2), a person shall not be eligible for a loan if–

a

that person has, in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers, shown themselves by their conduct to be unfitted to receive a loan; or

b

the designated course is a part-time course and the person holds a first degree from an educational institution in the United Kingdom or a comparable qualification from an educational institution outside the United Kingdom.

4

For the purposes of paragraph (2)(e) and (f) “loan” means a loan made under the Act, the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 or under any regulations made under any of the foregoing.

5

A person in respect of whom the first day of the first academic year of the course is on or after 1st August 2007 shall not, at any one time, be eligible for support for more than one designated course.