17.—(1) For the purposes of regulations 12 and 14 to 16, the “ordinary duration” of a course is the number of academic years ordinarily required to complete it.
(2) For the purposes of calculating—
(a)a student's maximum period of eligibility under regulation 14(2), 15(2) or 16(2), or
(b)whether a student's period of eligibility has ended,
any part-year undertaken by the student is to be counted as a whole academic year.
(3) In regulations 14 and 15, “previous course” means a course which—
(a)is—
(i)a full time higher education course, or
(ii)a part-time course for the initial training of teachers,
that the student began to undertake before the present course,
(b)meets one of the conditions set out in paragraph (4), and
(c)is not excluded from being a previous course by virtue of paragraph (5), (6) or (7).
(4) The conditions are—
The course is provided by an institution in the United Kingdom which was a recognised educational institution for some or all of the academic years during which the student undertook the course.
The course is one in relation to which—
(a)a scholarship, exhibition, bursary, grant, allowance or award of any description was paid in respect of the student undertaking the course to defray fees, and
(b)the payment was provided by a publicly funded institution.
(5) A course which falls within paragraph (3)(a) and (b) is nevertheless not a previous course if—
(a)the present course is a full-time course for the initial training of teachers of no more than two years duration, and
(b)the student is not a qualified teacher.
(6) A course for the Certificate in Education which falls within paragraph (3)(a) and (b) is nevertheless not a previous course if—
(a)the present course is a course for the degree (including an honours degree) of Bachelor of Education, and
(b)the student—
(i)transferred to the present course from the course for the Certificate in Education before the completion of that course, or
(ii)began the present course on completion of the course for the Certificate in Education.
(7) A course for the degree (other than an honours degree) of Bachelor of Education is not a previous course if—
(a)the present course is a course for the honours degree of Bachelor of Education, and
(b)the student—
(i)transferred to the present course from the course for the degree (other than an honours degree) of Bachelor of Education before the completion of that course, or
(ii)began the present course on completion of the course for the degree (other than an honours degree) of Bachelor of Education.