The Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) Regulations 2008
- (c) “standard full-time student” (“myfyriwr amser-llawn safonol”) means a student who is to be taken —
- (i) to have begun the full-time equivalent on the same date as the eligible part-time student began the course in question;
- (ii) not to have been excused any part of the full-time equivalent;
- (iii) not to have repeated any part of the full-time equivalent; and
- (iv) not to be absent from the full-time equivalent other than during vacations.
- (4) For the purposes of section 22 of the Act and regulation 92, the Welsh Ministers may designate courses of higher education which are not designated under paragraph (1).
Period of eligibility
94
- (1) An eligible postgraduate student retains his or her status as an eligible postgraduate student until the status is terminated in accordance with this regulation and regulation 92.
- (2) The period for which an eligible postgraduate student retains the status is the “period of eligibility” (“cyfnod cymhwystra”).
- (3) Subject to the following paragraphs and regulation 92, the period of eligibility terminates at the end of the period ordinarily required for completion of the designated postgraduate course.
- (4) The period of eligibility terminates when the eligible postgraduate student —
- (a) withdraws from his or her designated postgraduate course in circumstances where the Welsh Ministers have not transferred or will not transfer his or her status as an eligible postgraduate student to another course under regulation 95; or
- (b) abandons or is expelled from his or her designated postgraduate course.
- (5) The Welsh Ministers may terminate the period of eligibility where the eligible postgraduate student has shown himself or herself by his or her conduct to be unfitted to receive support.
- (6) If the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that an eligible postgraduate student has failed to comply with any requirement to provide information under this Part or has provided information which is inaccurate in a material particular, the Welsh Ministers may take such of the following actions as they consider appropriate in the circumstances —
- (a) terminate the period of eligibility;
- (b) determine that the student no longer qualifies for a grant or any particular amount of grant;
- (c) treat any support paid to the student as an overpayment which may be recovered under regulation 100.
- (7) Where the period of eligibility terminates on or before the expiry of the period ordinarily required for the completion of the designated postgraduate course, the Welsh Ministers may, at any time, renew the period of eligibility for such periods as they determine.
Transfer of status
95
- (1) Where an eligible postgraduate student transfers to another postgraduate course, the Welsh Ministers must transfer the student’s status as an eligible postgraduate student to that course where —
- (a) they receive a request from the eligible postgraduate student to do so;
- (b) they are satisfied that one or more of the grounds for transfer in paragraph (2) applies; and
- (c) the period of eligibility has not terminated.
- (2) The grounds for transfer are —
- (a) on the recommendation of the academic authority the eligible postgraduate student starts to undertake another designated postgraduate course at the institution; or
- (b) the eligible postgraduate student starts to undertake a designated postgraduate course at another institution.
- (3) Subject to paragraph (4), an eligible postgraduate student who transfers under paragraph (1) shall, for the remainder of the academic year in which he or she transfers, continue to receive in connection with the course to which he or she transfers the support for which the Welsh Ministers have determined he or she qualifies in respect of the course from which he or she transfers.
- (4) The Welsh Ministers may re-assess the support after the transfer.
- (5) An eligible student who transfers under paragraph (1) after the Welsh Ministers have determined his or her support in connection with the academic year of the course from which he or she is transferring but before he or she completes that year may not apply for another grant under this Part in connection with the academic year of the course to which he or she transfers.
Applications for support
96
- (1) A person (the “applicant”) must apply for a grant under this Part in connection with each academic year of a designated postgraduate course by completing and submitting to the Welsh Ministers an application in such form and accompanied by such documentation as the Welsh Ministers may require.
- (2) The application must reach the Welsh Ministers as soon as is reasonably practicable.
- (3) The Welsh Ministers may take such steps and make such inquiries as they consider necessary to determine whether the applicant is an eligible postgraduate student, whether he or she qualifies for a grant and the amount of grant payable, if any.
- (4) The Welsh Ministers must notify the applicant—
- (a) whether he or she qualifies for a grant;
- (b) if he or she does qualify, the amount payable in respect of the academic year, if any; and
- (c) how that amount is allocated between the types of eligible expenditure.
Information
97
Schedule 3 applies to the provision of information.
Amount of grant
98
- (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the grant under this Part is such amount as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate to assist with one or more types of eligible expenditure.
- (2) The grant must not exceed £10,000 in respect of an academic year.
- (3) For the purposes of this Part, the “types of eligible expenditure” are—
- (a) expenditure on a non-medical helper;
- (b) expenditure on major items of specialist equipment; and
- (c) additional expenditure incurred—
- (i) within the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending the institution;
- (ii) within or outside the United Kingdom for the purpose of attending, as part of the course, any period of study at an overseas institution or for the purposes of attending the Institute.
Payment of grant
99
- (1) The Welsh Ministers may pay a grant for which a student qualifies under this Part in such instalments (if any) and at such times as they consider appropriate and in the exercise of their functions under this Part they may make provisional payments pending the final calculation of the amount of grant for which the student qualifies.
- (2) Payments may be made in such manner as the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate and they may make it a condition of entitlement to payment that the eligible postgraduate student must provide them with particulars of a bank or building society account in the United Kingdom into which payments may be made by electronic transfer.
Overpayments
100
- (1) An eligible postgraduate student must, if so required by the Welsh Ministers, repay any amount paid to the student under this Part which for whatever reason exceeds the amount of grant to which he or she is entitled under this Part.
- (2) The Welsh Ministers must recover an overpayment of grant under this Part unless they consider it is not appropriate to do so.
- (3) The methods of recovery are —
- (a) subtracting the overpayment from any kind of grant payable to the student from time to time pursuant to regulations made by the Welsh Ministers under section 22 of the Act;
- (b) taking such other action for the recovery of an overpayment as is available to them.
- (4) A payment of grant under this Part made before the relevant date is an overpayment if the student withdraws from the course before the relevant date unless the Welsh Ministers decide otherwise.
- (5) In this regulation, the “relevant date” (“dyddiad perthnasol”) is the date on which the first term of the academic year in question actually begins.
- (6) In the circumstances in paragraphs (7) and (8), there is an overpayment of grant under this Part unless the Welsh Ministers decide otherwise.
- (7) The circumstances are—
- (a) the Welsh Ministers apply all or part of the grant under this Part to the purchase of specialist equipment on behalf of the eligible postgraduate student;
- (b) the student’s period of eligibility terminates after the relevant date; and
- (c) the equipment has not been delivered to the student before the student’s period of eligibility terminated.
- (8) The circumstances are—
- (a) the eligible postgraduate student’s period of eligibility terminates; and
- (b) a payment of grant under this Part in respect of specialist equipment is made to the student after the student’s period of eligibility terminated.
- (9) Where there is an overpayment of the grant under this Part, the Welsh Ministers may accept the return of specialist equipment purchased with the grant by way of recovery of all or part of the overpayment if they consider it is appropriate to do so.
SCHEDULE 1 — Eligible Students
PART 1
Interpretation
1
- (1) For the purposes of this Schedule —
- “EEA frontier self-employed person” (“person hunan-gyflogedig ffin yr AEE”) means an EEA national who — is a self-employed person in Wales; and resides in Switzerland or the territory of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom and returns to his or her residence in Switzerland or that EEA State, as the case may be, daily or at least once a week;
- “EEA frontier worker” (“gweithiwr ffin yr AEE”) means an EEA national who— is a worker in Wales; and resides in Switzerland or the territory of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom and returns to his or her residence in Switzerland or that EEA State, as the case may be, daily or at least once a week;
- “EEA migrant worker” (“gweithiwr mudol o'r AEE”) means an EEA national who is a worker, other than an EEA frontier worker, in the United Kingdom;
- “EEA national” (“gwladolyn o'r AEE”) means a national of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom;
- “EEA self-employed person” (“person hunan gyflogedig o'rAEE”) means an EEA national who is a self-employed person, other than an EEA frontier self-employed person, in the United Kingdom;
- “EEA State” (“gwladwriaeth AEE”) means a Member State of the European Economic Area;
- “employed person” (“person cyflogedig”) means an employed person within the meaning of Annex 1 to the Swiss Agreement;
- “European Economic Area” (“Ardal Economaidd Ewropeaidd”) means the area comprised by the EEA States;
- “family member” (“aelod o deulu”) means (unless otherwise indicated) — in relation to an EEA frontier worker, an EEA migrant worker, an EEA frontier self-employed person or an EEA self-employed person — his or her spouse or civil partner; his or her child or the child of his or her spouse or civil partner; or dependent direct relatives in his or her ascending line or that of his or her spouse or civil partner; in relation to a Swiss employed person, a Swiss frontier employed person, a Swiss frontier self-employed person or a Swiss self-employed person — his or her spouse or civil partner; or his or her child or the child of his or her spouse or civil partner; in relation to an EC national who falls within Article 7(1)(c) of Directive 2004/38 — his or her spouse or civil partner; or direct descendants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner who are— under the age of 21; or dependants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner; in relation to an EC national who falls within Article 7(1)(b ) of Directive 2004/38 — his or her spouse or civil partner; or direct descendants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner who are— under the age of 21; or dependants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner; dependent direct relatives in his or her ascending line or that of his or her spouse or civil partner; in relation to a United Kingdom national, for the purposes of paragraph 9 — his or her spouse or civil partner; or direct descendants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner who are— under the age of 21; or dependants of his or her or of his or her spouse or civil partner;
- “self—employed person” (“person hunan-gyflogedig”) means— in relation to an EEA national, a person who is self—employed within the meaning of article 7 of Directive 2004/38 or the EEA Agreement, as the case may be; or in relation to a Swiss national, a person who is a self-employed person within the meaning of Annex 1 to the Swiss Agreement;
- “settled” (“wedi setlo”) has the meaning given by section 33(2A) of the Immigration Act 1971[^f00076];
- “Swiss Agreement” (“Cytundeb y Swistir”) means the Agreement between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation of the other, on the Free Movement of Persons signed at Luxembourg on 21st June 1999[^f00077] and which came into force on 1st June 2002;
- “Swiss employed person” (“person cyflogedig Swisaidd”) means a Swiss national who is an employed person, other than a Swiss frontier employed person, in the United Kingdom;
- “Swiss frontier employed person” (“person hunan -gyflogedig ffin y Swistir”) means a Swiss national who— is an employed person in Wales; and resides in Switzerland or in the territory of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom and returns to his or her residence in Switzerland or that EEA State, as the case may be, daily or at least once a week;
- “Swiss frontier self-employed person” (“person hunan-gyflogedig ffin y Swistir”) means a Swiss national who— is a self-employed person in Wales; and resides in Switzerland or in the territory of an EEA State, other than the United Kingdom, and returns to his or her residence in Switzerland or that EEA State, as the case may be, daily or at least once a week;
- “Swiss self-employed person” (“person hunan-gyflogedig o'r Swistir”) means a Swiss national who is a self-employed person, other than a Swiss frontier self-employed person, in the United Kingdom;
- “worker” (“gweithiwr”) means a worker within the meaning of article 7 of Directive 2004/38 or the EEA Agreement, as the case may be;
- (2) For the purposes of this Schedule, “parent” (“rhiant”) includes a guardian, any other person having parental responsibility for a child and any person having care of a child and “child” (“plentyn”) is to be construed accordingly.
- (3) For the purposes of this Schedule, a person who is ordinarily resident in Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Islands, as a result of having moved from another of those areas for the purpose of undertaking—
- (a) the present course; or
- (b) a course which, disregarding any intervening vacation, the student undertook immediately before undertaking the present course,
is to be considered to be ordinarily resident in the place from which he or she moved.
- (4) For the purposes of this Schedule, a person is to be treated as ordinarily resident in Wales, the United Kingdom and Islands or in the territory comprising the European Economic Area Switzerland and Turkey if he or she would have been so resident but for the fact that —
- (a) he or she;
- (b) his or her spouse or civil partner;
- (c) his or her parent; or
- (d) in the case of a dependent direct relative in the ascending line, his or her child or child’s spouse or civil partner,
is or was temporarily employed outside Wales, the United Kingdom and Islands or, as the case may be, outside the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
- (5) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3), temporary employment outside Wales, the United Kingdom and Islands or the territory comprising the European Economic Area, Switzerland and Turkey includes —
- (a) in the case of members of the regular naval, military or air forces of the Crown, any period which they serve outside the United Kingdom as members of such forces; and
- (b) in the case of members of the regular armed forces of an EEA State or Switzerland, any period which they serve outside the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland as members of such forces; and
- (c) in the case of members of the regular armed forces of Turkey, any period which they serve outside of the territory comprising the European Economic Area, Switzerland and Turkey as members of such forces.
- (6) For the purposes of this Schedule an area which —
- (a) was previously not part of the European Community or the European Economic Area; but
- (b) at any time before or after these Regulations come into force has become part of one or other or both of these areas,
is to be considered to have always been a part of the European Economic Area.
PART 2 — Categories
Persons who are settled in the United Kingdom
2
- (1) A person who on the first day of the first academic year of the course —
- (a) is settled in the United Kingdom other than by reason of having acquired the right of permanent residence;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in Wales;
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (d) subject to sub-paragraph (2), whose residence in the United Kingdom and Islands has not during any part of the period referred to in paragraph (c) been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.
- (2) Paragraph (d) of sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who is treated as being ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands in accordance with paragraph 1(4).
3
A person who —
- (a) is settled in the United Kingdom by virtue of having acquired the right of permanent residence;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course;
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (d) in a case where his or her residence referred to in paragraph (c) was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, was ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland immediately before the period of ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (c).
Refugees and their family members
4
- (1) A person who —
- (a) is a refugee;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands and has not ceased to be so resident since he or she was recognised as a refugee; and
- (c) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
- (2) A person who—
- (a) is the spouse or civil partner of a refugee;
- (b) was the spouse or civil partner of the refugee on the date on which the refugee made his or her application for asylum;
- (c) is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands and has not ceased to be so resident since he or she was given leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and
- (d) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
- (3) A person who—
- (a) is the child of a refugee or the child of the spouse or civil partner of a refugee;
- (b) on the date on which the refugee made his or her application for asylum, was the child of the refugee or the child of a person who was the spouse or civil partner of the refugee on that date;
- (c) was under 18 on the date on which the refugee made his or her application for asylum;
- (d) is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands and has not ceased to be so resident since he or she was given leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and
- (e) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
Persons with leave to enter or remain and their family members
5
- (1) A person—
- (a) with leave to enter or remain;
- (b) who is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (c) who has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.
- (2) A person—
- (a) who is the spouse or civil partner of a person with leave to enter or remain;
- (b) who was the spouse or civil partner of the person with leave to enter or remain on the date on which that person made his or her application for asylum;
- (c) who is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (d) who has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.
- (3) A person—
- (a) who is the child of a person with leave to enter or remain or the child of the spouse or civil partner of a person with leave to enter or remain;
- (b) who, on the date on which the person with leave to enter or remain made his or her application for asylum, was the child of that person or the child of a person who was the spouse or civil partner of the person with leave to enter or remain on that date;
- (c) who was under 18 on the date on which the person with leave to enter or remain made his or her application for asylum;
- (d) who is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (e) who has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.
Workers, employed persons, self-employed persons and their family members
6
- (1) A person who—
- (a) is —
- (i) an EEA migrant worker or an EEA self-employed person;
- (ii) a Swiss employed person or a Swiss self-employed person;
- (iii) a family member of a person mentioned in paragraph (i) or (ii);
- (iv) an EEA frontier worker or an EEA frontier self-employed person;
- (v) a Swiss frontier employed person or a Swiss frontier self-employed person; or
- (vi) a family member of a person mentioned in paragraph (iv) or (v);
- (b) subject to sub-paragraph (2), is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.
- (2) Paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) does not apply where the person applying for support falls within paragraph (a)(iv), (v) or (vi) of sub-paragraph (1).
7
A person who—
- (a) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course;
- (b) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (c) is entitled to support by virtue of Article 12 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1612/68 on the freedom of movement of workers[^f00078], as extended by the EEA Agreement[^f00079].
Persons who are settled in the United Kingdom and have exercised a right of residence elsewhere
8
- (1) A person who—
- (a) is settled in the United Kingdom;
- (b) left the United Kingdom and exercised a right of residence after having been settled in the United Kingdom;
- (c) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the day on which the first term of the first academic year actually begins;
- (d) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (e) in a case where his or her ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (d) was wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving full time education, was ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland immediately before the period of ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (d).
- (2) For the purposes of this paragraph, a person has exercised a right of residence if he or she is a United Kingdom national, a family member of a United Kingdom national for the purposes of Article 7 of Directive 2004/38 (or corresponding purposes under the EEA Agreement or Swiss Agreement) or a person who has a right of permanent residence who in each case has exercised a right under Article 7 of Directive 2004/38 or any equivalent right under the EEA Agreement or Swiss Agreement in a state other than the United Kingdom or, in the case of a person who is settled in the United Kingdom and has a right of permanent residence, if he or she goes to the state within the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland of which he or she is a national or of which the person in relation to whom he or she is a family member is a national.
EC nationals
9
- (1) A person who —
- (a) is either —
- (i) an EC national on the first day of the first academic year of the course; or
- (ii) a family member of a such a person;
- (b) is —
- (i) attending a designated course in Wales; or
- (ii) undertaking a designated part-time course or designated postgraduate course in Wales;
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (d) subject to sub-paragraph (2), whose ordinary residence in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland has not during any part of the period referred to in paragraph (c) been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education.
- (2) Paragraph (d) of sub-paragraph (1) does not apply to a person who is treated as being ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland in accordance with paragraph 1(4).
- (3) Where a state accedes to the European Community after the first day of the first academic year of the course and a person is a national of that state or the family member of a national of that state, the requirement in paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (1) to be an EC national on the first day of the first academic year of the course is treated as being satisfied.
10
- (1) A person who—
- (a) is an EC national other than a United Kingdom national on the first day of the first academic year of the course;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course;
- (c) 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; and
- (d) in a case where his or her ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (c) was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, was ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland immediately before the period of ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (c).
- (2) Where a state accedes to the European Community after the first day of the first academic year of the course and a person is a national of that state, the requirement in paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (1) to be an EC national other than a United Kingdom national on the first day of the first academic year of the course is treated as being satisfied.
Children of Swiss nationals
11
A person who—
- (a) is the child of a Swiss national who is entitled to support in the United Kingdom by virtue of article 3(6) of Annex 1 to the Swiss Agreement;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course;
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (d) in a case where his or her ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (c) was wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, was ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area and Switzerland immediately prior to the period of ordinary residence referred to in paragraph (c).
Children of Turkish workers
12
A person who—
- (a) is the child of a Turkish worker;
- (b) is ordinarily resident in Wales on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and
- (c) has been ordinarily resident in the territory comprising the European Economic Area, Switzerland and Turkey throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course.
SCHEDULE 2 — DESIGNATED COURSES
1
A first degree course.
2
A course for the Diploma of Higher Education.
3
A course for the Higher National Diploma or Higher National Certificate of —
- (a) the Business & Technician Education Council; or
- (b) the Scottish Qualification Authority.
4
A course for the certificate of Higher Education.
5
A course for the initial training of teachers.
6
A course for the further training of youth and community workers.
7
A course in preparation for a professional examination of a standard higher than that of —
- (a) examination at advanced level for the General Certificate of Education or the examination at higher level for the Scottish Certificate of Education; or
- (b) the examination for the National Certificate or the National Diploma of either of the bodies mentioned in paragraph 3,
not being a course for entry to which a first degree (or equivalent qualification) is normally required.
8
A course—
- (a) providing education (whether or not in preparation for an examination) the standard of which is higher than that of courses providing education in preparation for any of the examinations mentioned in paragraph 7(a) or (b) but not higher than that of a first degree course; and
- (b) for entry to which a first degree (or equivalent qualification) is not normally required.
SCHEDULE 3 — INFORMATION
1
Every applicant, eligible student, eligible part-time student and eligible postgraduate student must, as soon as reasonably practicable after he or she is requested to do so, provide the Welsh Ministers with such information as the Welsh Ministers consider they require for the purposes of these Regulations.
2
Every applicant, eligible student, eligible part-time student and eligible postgraduate student must forthwith inform the Welsh Ministers and provide them with particulars if any of the following occurs —
- (a) he or she withdraws from, abandons or is expelled from his or her course;
- (b) he or she transfers to any other course at the same or at a different institution;
- (c) he or she ceases to undertake his or her course and does not intend to or is not permitted to continue it for the remainder of the academic year;
- (d) he or she is absent from his or her course for more than 60 days due to illness or for any period for any other reason;
- (e) the month for the start or completion of the course changes;
- (f) his or her home or term-time address or telephone number changes.
3
Information provided to the Welsh Ministers under these Regulations must be in the format that the Welsh Ministers require and, if they require the information to be signed by the person providing it, an electronic signature in such form as the Welsh Ministers may specify satisfies such a requirement.
SCHEDULE 4 — COLLEGE FEE LOANS
Availability of college fee loans
1
A person qualifies for a college fee loan in connection with his or her attendance on a qualifying course in accordance with this Schedule.
2
A person qualifies for a college fee loan if he or she meets the following conditions—
- (a) he or she is an eligible student who is not excluded from qualifying by paragraph 3;
- (b) he or she has an honours degree from an institution in the United Kingdom;
- (c) he or she is taking a qualifying course which he or she—
- (i) starts on or after 1 September 2006 and on which he or she is continuing after 31 August 2008; or
- (ii) starts on or after 1 September 2008;
- (d) he or she is a member of a college or a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford or a member of a college of the University of Cambridge;
- (e) he or she is under the age of 60 on the first day of the first academic year of the qualifying course; and
- (f) none of the circumstances in regulation 4(3) apply to him or her.
3
An eligible student who falls within paragraph 9 of Part 2 of Schedule 1 does not qualify for a college fee loan under these Regulations if he or she is ordinarily resident in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Disabled students
4
A disabled student who is undertaking a qualifying course in the United Kingdom but who is not in attendance because he or she is not able to attend for a reason which relates to his or her disability is treated as if he or she were in attendance on the qualifying course for the purpose of qualifying for the college fee loan.
Students becoming eligible during the course of an academic year
5
Where one of the events listed in paragraph 6 occurs in the course of an academic year—
- (a) a student may qualify for a college fee loan in accordance with this Schedule in respect of that academic year provided that the relevant event occurred within the first three months of the academic year; and
- (b) a college fee loan is not available in respect of any academic year beginning before the academic year in which the relevant event occurred.
6
The events are—
- (a) the student, his or her spouse, his or her civil partner or his or her parent is recognised as a refugee or becomes a person with leave to enter or remain;
- (b) a state accedes to the European Community where the student is a national of that state or is the family member (as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 1) of a national of that state;
- (c) the student becomes a family member (as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 1) of an EC national;
- (d) the student acquires a right of permanent residence;
- (e) the student becomes the child of a Turkish worker;
- (f) the student becomes a person described in paragraph 6(1)(a) of Schedule 1;
- (g) the student becomes the child of a Swiss national.
7
A college fee loan is available in respect of each standard academic year of the qualifying course and in respect of one academic year of the qualifying course that is not a standard academic year.
8
Where a qualifying student is allowed to study the content of one standard academic year of the qualifying course over two or more academic years, for the purpose of determining whether the student qualifies for a college fee loan for those years, the first of such years of study is to be treated as a standard academic year and the following years of that kind are to be treated as academic years that are not standard academic years.
9
In this Schedule “standard academic year” (“blwyddyn academaidd safonol”) means an academic year of the qualifying course that would be taken by a person who does not repeat any part of the course and who enters the course at the same point as the qualifying student.
10
To receive a college fee loan, a qualifying student must enter into a contract with the Welsh Ministers.
Amount of the college fee loan
11
- (1) The amount of the college fee loan in respect of an academic year of a qualifying course must not exceed the amount equal to the college fees payable by the student to his or her college or permanent private hall in connection with that year.
- (2) Where a qualifying student has applied for a college fee loan of less than the maximum amount available in relation to the academic year, he or she may apply to borrow an additional amount which, when added to the amount already applied for, does not exceed the maximum amount available.
Transfers
12
Despite regulation 8, where a qualifying student transfers from one qualifying course to another qualifying course—
- (a) the Welsh Ministers must transfer the student’s status as a qualifying student to the other course on the request of the student unless the period of eligibility has terminated;
- (b) subject to paragraph (c) if the student transfers before the end of the academic year after applying for a college fee loan, the amount applied for is paid to the relevant college or permanent private hall in respect of the qualifying course to which the student transfers provided that the conditions in paragraph 13 are met and he or she cannot qualify for another college fee loan in respect of that academic year;
- (c) if the student transfers after the college fee loan is paid and before the end of the academic year, he or she cannot apply for another college fee loan in connection with the academic year of the qualifying course to which he or she transfers.
Payment
13
- (1) The Welsh Ministers must pay the college fee loan for which a qualifying student qualifies to the college or permanent private hall to which the student is liable to make payment.
- (2) The Welsh Ministers must pay the college fee loan in a single lump sum.
- (3) The Welsh Ministers must not pay the college fee loan before—
- (a) they have received a valid request for payment from the college or permanent private hall; and
- (b) a period of three months beginning with the first day of the academic year has expired.
- (4) A college or permanent private hall is required to send confirmation of attendance to the Welsh Ministers in such form as the Welsh Ministers may require and the Welsh Ministers must not pay the college fee loan in respect of the academic year until they have received an attendance confirmation from the relevant college or private hall unless they determine that owing to exceptional circumstances, it would be appropriate to make a payment without receiving an attendance confirmation. In this paragraph “attendance confirmation” has the same meaning as in regulation 61.
- (5) The Welsh Ministers must not make a payment of college fee loan in respect of a qualifying course if—
- (a) before the expiry of a period of three months beginning with the first day of the academic year the qualifying student ceases to attend or in the case of a student who is treated as in attendance under paragraph 4, undertake the course; and
- (b) the college or permanent private hall has determined or agreed that the student will not commence attending or, as the case may be, undertaking the course in the United Kingdom again during the academic year in respect of which the college fees are payable or at all.
Conditions of entitlement to payment of college fee loan
14
- (1) The Welsh Ministers may make it a condition of entitlement to payment of a college fee loan that a qualifying student must provide them with his or her United Kingdom national insurance number.
- (2) Where the Welsh Ministers have imposed a condition under paragraph (1), they must not make any payment of the loan to the qualifying student before they are satisfied that the student has complied with that condition.
- (3) Despite paragraph (2), the Welsh Ministers may make a payment of loan to a qualifying student if they are satisfied that owing to exceptional circumstances it would be appropriate to make such a payment without the qualifying student having complied with the condition imposed under paragraph (1).
Information requirements
15
- (1) The Welsh Ministers may at any time request from a qualifying student information that they consider is required to recover a loan.
- (2) The Welsh Ministers may at any time require a qualifying student to enter into an agreement to repay a loan by a particular method.
- (3) The Welsh Ministers may at any time request from a qualifying student sight of his or her valid national identity card, his or her valid passport issued by the state of which he or she is a national or his or her birth certificate.
- (4) Where the Welsh Ministers have requested information under this regulation, they may withhold any payment of a loan until the person provides what has been requested or provides a satisfactory explanation for not complying with the request.
- (5) Where the Welsh Ministers have requested an agreement as to the method of repayment under this paragraph, they may withhold any payment of a college fee loan until the person provides what has been requested.
Overpayment
16
Any overpayment of college fee loan is recoverable by the Welsh Ministers from the college or permanent private hall.
SCHEDULE 5 — FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT
Definitions
1
In this Schedule—
- (a) “existing student” (“myfyriwr presennol”) means an eligible student who is not a new eligible student;
- (b) “financial year” (“blwyddyn ariannol”) means the period of twelve months in respect of which the income of a person whose residual income is calculated under the provisions of this Schedule is computed for the purposes of the income tax legislation which applies to it;
- (c) “household income” (“incwm yr aelwyd”) has the meaning given in paragraph 3;
- (d) “independent eligible student” (“myfyriwr cymwys annibynnol”) has the meaning given in paragraph 2;
- (e) “Member State” (“Aelod-wladwriaeth”) means a Member State of the European Union;
- (f) “new eligible student” (“myfyriwr cymwys newydd”) means an eligible student who begins a designated course on or after 1 September 2004;
- (g) “parent” (“rhiant”) means a natural or adoptive parent and “child” (“plentyn”), “mother” (“mam”) and “father” (“tad”) is construed accordingly;
- (h) “parent student” (“myfyriwr sy'n rhiant”) means an eligible student who is the parent of an eligible student;
- (i) “partner” (“partner”) in relation to an eligible student means any of the following —
- (i) the spouse of an eligible student;
- (ii) the civil partner of an eligible student;
- (iii) a person ordinarily living with an eligible student as if he or she were his or her spouse where an eligible student falls within paragraph 2(1)(a) and he or she begins the designated course on or after 1 September 2000;
- (iv) a person ordinarily living with an eligible student as if he or she were his or her civil partner where an eligible student falls within paragraph 2(1)(a) and he or she begins the designated course on or after 1 September 2005;
- (j) “partner” (“partner”) in relation to the parent of an eligible student means any of the following other than another parent of the eligible student —
- (i) the spouse of an eligible student’s parent;
- (ii) the civil partner of an eligible student’s parent;
- (iii) a person ordinarily living with the parent of an eligible student as if he or she were the parent’s spouse;
- (iv) a person ordinarily living with the parent of an eligible student as if he or she were the parent’s civil partner;
- (k) “preceding financial year” (“blwyddyn ariannol flaenorol”) means the financial year immediately preceding the relevant year;
- (l) “relevant year” (“blwyddyn berthnasol”) means the academic year in respect of which the household income falls to be assessed;
- (m) “residual income” (“incwm gweddilliol”) means taxable income after the application of paragraph 4 (in the case of an eligible student), paragraph 5 (in the case of an eligible student’s parent), paragraph 6 (in the case of an eligible student’s partner) or paragraph 7 (in the case of the partner of a new eligible student’s parent); and
- (n) “taxable income” (“incwm trethadwy”) means, in relation to paragraph 4, in respect of the academic year for which an application has been made under regulation 9 and, in relation to paragraph 5, in respect (subject to sub-paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of paragraph 5) of the preceding financial year, a person’s taxable income from all sources computed as for the purposes of —
- (i) the Income Tax Acts;
- (ii) the income tax legislation of another Member State which applies to the person’s income; or
- (iii) where the legislation of more than one Member State applies to the period, the legislation under which the Welsh Ministers consider the person will pay the largest amount of tax in that period (except as otherwise provided in paragraph 5).
Independent eligible student
2
- (1) An independent eligible student is an eligible student in every case where —
- (a) he or she is aged 25 or over on the first day of the relevant year;
- (b) he or she is married or is in a civil partnership before the beginning of the relevant year, whether or not the marriage or civil partnership is still subsisting;
- (c) he or she has no parent living;
- (d) the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that neither of his or her parents can be found or that it is not reasonably practicable to get in touch with either of them;
- (e) he or she has communicated with neither of his or her parents for the period of one year before the beginning of the relevant year or, in the opinion of the Welsh Ministers, he or she can demonstrate on other grounds that he or she is irreconcilably estranged from his or her parents;
- (f) he or she was looked after by a local authority within the meaning of section 22 of the Children Act 1989[^f00080]throughout any three-month period ending on or after the date on which he or she attained the age of 16 and before the first day of the first academic year of the course (“the relevant period”) provided that he or she has not in fact at any time during the relevant period been under the charge or control of his or her parents;
- (g) his or her parents are residing outside the European Community and the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that either —
- (i) the assessment of the household income by reference to their residual income would place those parents in jeopardy; or
- (ii) it would not be reasonably practicable for those parents as a result of the calculation of any contribution under paragraph 8 or 9 to send any relevant funds to the United Kingdom;
- (h) paragraph 5(9) applies and the parent whom the Welsh Ministers considered the more appropriate for the purposes of that paragraph has died (irrespective of whether the parent in question had a partner);
- (i) he or she is a member of a religious order who resides in a house of that order;
- (j) he or she has the care of a person under the age of 18 as at the first day of the relevant year; or
- (k) he or she has supported himself or herself out of his or her earnings for any period or periods ending before the first academic year of the course which periods together aggregate not less than three years, and for the purposes of this sub-paragraph he or she is to be treated as supporting himself or herself out of his or her earnings during any period in which —
- (i) he or she was participating in arrangements for training for the unemployed under any scheme operated by, sponsored or funded by any state authority or agency, whether national, regional or local (“a relevant authority”);
- (ii) he or she was in receipt of benefit payable by any relevant authority in respect of a person who is available for employment but who is unemployed;
- (iii) he or she was available for employment and had complied with any requirement of registration imposed by a relevant authority as a condition of entitlement for participation in arrangements for training or receipt of benefit;
- (iv) he or she held a state studentship[^f00081] or comparable award; or
- (v) he or she received any pension, allowance or other benefit paid by any person by reason of a disability to which he or she is subject, or by reason of confinement, injury or sickness.
- (2) An eligible student who qualifies as an independent eligible student under paragraph 2(1)(j) in respect of an academic year of a designated course retains that status for the duration of the period of eligibility.
Household income
3
- (1) The amount of an eligible student’s contribution depends on the household income.
- (2) The household income is —
- (a) in the case of an eligible student who is not an independent eligible student, the residual income of the eligible student aggregated with the residual income of the eligible student’s parents (subject to paragraph 5(9)) and —
- (i) in the case of a new eligible student who began his or her specified designated course before 1 September 2005, the residual income of the partner (other than a partner within the meaning of paragraph 1(j)(iv)) of the student’s parent (provided that the Welsh Ministers have selected that parent under paragraph 5(9)); or
- (ii) in the case of a new eligible student who began his or her course on or after 1 September 2005, the residual income of the partner of the student’s parent (provided that the Welsh Ministers have selected that parent under paragraph 5(9));
- (b) in the case of an independent eligible student who has a partner, the residual income of the eligible student aggregated with the residual income of the eligible student’s partner (subject to sub-paragraph (4)); or
- (c) in the case of an independent eligible student who does not have a partner, the residual income of the eligible student.
- (3) In determining the household income under sub-paragraph (2), the sum of £1,100 is deducted —
- (a) for each child wholly or mainly financially dependent on the eligible student or the eligible student’s partner; or
- (b) for each child other than the eligible student wholly or mainly financially dependent on the eligible student’s parent or the eligible student’s parent’s partner whose residual income is being taken into account.
- (4) For the purpose of calculating the contribution payable in respect of a parent student, the residual income of the parent student’s partner must not be aggregated under paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (2) in the case of a parent student whose child or whose partner’s child holds an award in respect of which the household income is calculated with reference to the residual income of the parent student or of the parent student’s partner or of both.
Calculation of eligible student’s residual income
4
- (1) For the purpose of determining the residual income of an eligible student, there is deducted from his or her taxable income (unless already deducted in determining taxable income) the aggregate of any amounts falling within any of the following sub-paragraphs —
- (a) any remuneration for work done during any academic year of the eligible student’s course, provided that such remuneration does not include any sums paid in respect of any period for which he or she has leave of absence or is relieved of his or her normal duties for the purpose of attending that course;
- (b) the gross amount of any premium or other sum paid by the eligible student in relation to a pension (not being a pension payable under a policy of life insurance) in respect of which relief is given under section 273 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988[^f00082] or under section 188 of the Finance Act 2004[^f00083], or where the eligible student’s income is computed for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, the gross amount of any such premium or sum in respect of which relief would be given if that legislation made provision equivalent to the Income Tax Acts.
- (2) Where the only paragraph in Part 2 of Schedule 1 into which an eligible student falls is paragraph 9 and his or her income arises from sources or under legislation different from sources or legislation normally relevant to a person referred to in paragraph 9 of Part 2 of Schedule 1, his or her income is not disregarded in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) but is instead disregarded to the extent necessary to ensure that he or she is treated no less favourably than a person who is referred to in any paragraph of Part 2 of Schedule 1 would be treated if in similar circumstances and in receipt of similar income.
- (3) Where the eligible student receives income in a currency other than sterling, the value of that income for the purpose of this paragraph is —
- (a) if the student purchases sterling with the income, the amount of sterling the student so receives;
- (b) otherwise, the value of the sterling which the income would purchase using the rate for the month in which it is received published by the Office for National Statistics[^f00084].
Calculation of parent’s residual income
5
- (1) For the purposes of determining the taxable income of an eligible student’s parent, any deductions which fall to be made or exemptions which are permitted —
- (a) by way of personal reliefs provided for in Chapter 1 of Part VII of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 or, where the income is computed for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, any comparable personal reliefs;
- (b) pursuant to any enactment or rule of law under which payments which would otherwise under United Kingdom law form part of a person’s income are not treated as such; or
- (c) under sub-paragraph (2)
must not be made or permitted.
- (2) For the purposes of determining the residual income of an eligible student’s parent, there is deducted from the taxable income determined under sub—paragraph (1) the aggregate of any amounts falling within any of the following sub-paragraphs —
- (a) the gross amount of any premium or sum relating to a pension (not being a premium payable under a policy of life assurance) in respect of which relief is given under section 273, of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, or under section 188 of the Finance Act 2004, or where the income is computed for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, the gross amount of any such premium in respect of which relief would be given if that legislation made provision equivalent to the Income Tax Acts;
- (b) in any case where income is computed for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts by virtue of sub-paragraph (6) any sums equivalent to the deduction mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) of this sub-paragraph, provided that any sums so deducted do not exceed the deductions which would be made if the whole of the eligible student’s parent’s income were in fact income for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts;
- (c) in the case of a parent student or an eligible student’s parent who holds a statutory award, £1,100.
- (3) Where the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that the residual income of the parent in the financial year beginning immediately before the relevant year (“the current financial year”) is likely to be not more than 85 per cent. of the sterling value of his or her residual income in the preceding financial year they may, for the purpose of enabling the eligible student to attend the course without hardship, ascertain the parent’s residual income for the current financial year.
- (4) Where the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that the residual income of the parent in any financial year is, as a result of any event, likely to be and to continue after that year to be not more than 85 per cent. of the sterling value of his or her residual income in the previous financial year they may, for the purpose of enabling the eligible student to attend the course without hardship, ascertain the household income for the academic year of the eligible student’s course in which that event occurred by taking as the residual income of the parent the average of his or her residual income for each of the financial years in which that academic year falls.
- (5) Where the eligible student’s parent satisfies the Welsh Ministers that his or her income is wholly or mainly derived from the profits of a business or profession carried on by him or her, then any reference in this Schedule to a preceding financial year means the earliest period of twelve months which ends after the start of the preceding financial year and in respect of which accounts are kept relating to that business or profession.
- (6) Where an eligible student’s parent is in receipt of any income which does not form part of his or her income for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts or the income tax legislation of another Member State by reason only that —
- (a) he or she is not resident, ordinarily resident or domiciled in the United Kingdom, or where his or her income is computed as for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, not so resident, ordinarily resident or domiciled in that Member State;
- (b) the income does not arise in the United Kingdom, or where the parent’s income is computed as for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, does not arise in that Member State; or
- (c) the income arises from an office, service or employment, income from which is exempt from tax in pursuance of any legislation,
his or her taxable income for the purposes of this Schedule is computed as though the income under this sub-paragraph were part of his or her income for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts or the income tax legislation of another Member State, as the case may be.
- (7) Where the income of the eligible student’s parent is computed as for the purposes of the income tax legislation of another Member State, it is computed under the provisions of this Schedule in the currency of that Member State and the income of the eligible student’s parent for the purposes of this Schedule is the sterling value of that income determined in accordance with the rate for the month in which the last day of the financial year in question falls, as published by the Office for National Statistics.
- (8) Where one of the eligible student’s parents dies either before or during the relevant year and that parent’s income has been or would be taken into account for the purpose of determining the household income, the household income is —
- (a) where the parent dies before the relevant year, determined by reference to the income of the surviving parent; or
- (b) where the parent dies during the relevant year, the aggregate of —
- (i) the appropriate proportion of the household income determined by reference to the income of both parents, being the proportion in respect of that part of the relevant year during which both parents were alive; and
- (ii) the appropriate proportion of the household income determined by reference to the income of the surviving parent, being the proportion in respect of that part of the relevant year remaining after the death of the other parent.
- (9) Where the Welsh Ministers determine that the parents are separated for the duration of the relevant year, the household income is determined by reference to the income of whichever parent the Welsh Ministers consider the more appropriate under the circumstances.
- (10) Where the Welsh Ministers determine that the parents have separated in the course of the relevant year, the household income is determined by reference to the aggregate of —
- (a) the appropriate proportion of the household income determined in accordance with sub-paragraph (9), being the proportion in respect of that part of the relevant year during which the parents are separated; and
- (b) the appropriate proportion of the household income determined otherwise in respect of the remainder of the relevant year.
Calculation of eligible student’s partner’s residual income
6
- (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) of this paragraph, an eligible student’s partner’s income is determined in accordance with paragraph 5 (other than sub-paragraphs (8), (9) and (10) of paragraph 5), references to the parent being construed as references to the eligible student’s partner.
- (2) Where the Welsh Ministers determine that the eligible student and his or her partner are separated for the duration of the relevant year, the partner’s income is not taken into account in determining the household income.
- (3) Where the Welsh Ministers determine that the eligible student and his or her partner have separated in the course of the relevant year, the partner’s income is determined by reference to his or her income under sub-paragraph (1) divided by fifty-two and multiplied by the number of complete weeks in the relevant year for which the Welsh Ministers determine that the eligible student and his or her partner are not separated.
- (4) Where an eligible student has more than one partner in any one academic year, the provisions of this paragraph apply in relation to each.
Calculation of parent’s partner’s residual income
7
The income of a new eligible student’s parent’s partner whose income is part of the household income by virtue of paragraph 3(2)(a) is determined in accordance with paragraph 6, references to the eligible student’s partner being construed as references to the new eligible student’s parent’s partner, and references to the eligible student being construed as references to the new eligible student’s parent.
Calculation of contribution — old system eligible students
8
- (1) The contribution payable in relation to an old system eligible student who is not an independent eligible student or is an independent eligible student with a partner is—
- (a) in any case where the household income is £23,680 or more, £45 with the addition of £1 for every complete £9.50 by which the household income exceeds £23,680; and
- (b) in any case where the household income is less than £23,680, nil.
- (2) The contribution payable in relation to an old system eligible student who is an independent eligible student without a partner is—
- (a) in any case where the household income is £11,025 or more, £45 with the addition of £1 for every complete £9.50 by which the household income exceeds £11,025; and
- (b) in any case where the household income is less than £11,025, nil.
- (3) The amount of the contribution payable under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) must in no case exceed £7,800.
- (4) The contribution may be adjusted in accordance with paragraph 10 or 11.
- (5) Where sub-paragraph (6) applies, the aggregate contributions must not exceed £7,800.
- (6) This sub-paragraph applies where—
- (a) a contribution is payable in relation to two or more eligible students (other than new system eligible students) in respect of the same income under paragraph 5 or, where the relevant parent’s partner’s residual income is taken into account, under paragraphs 5 and 7; or
- (b) the household income consists of the residual income of an independent eligible student and his or her partner where both hold a statutory award.
Calculation of contribution — new system eligible students
9
- (1) In relation to an eligible student who is a new system eligible student, the contribution payable is —
- (a) in any case where the household income exceeds £39,780, £1 for every complete £9.50 by which the household income exceeds £39,780; and
- (b) in any case where the household income is £39,780 or less, nil.
- (2) The contribution must not in any case exceed £6,060.
- (3) The contribution may be adjusted in accordance with paragraph 10 or 11.
- (4) Where sub-paragraph (5) applies, the aggregate contributions must not exceed £6,060.
- (5) This sub-paragraph applies where—
- (a) a contribution is payable in relation to two or more eligible students (other than old system eligible students) in respect of the same income under paragraph 5 or, where the relevant parent’s partner’s residual income is taken into account, under paragraphs 5 and 7; or
- (b) the household income consists of the residual income of an independent eligible student and his or her partner where both hold a statutory award.
Split contributions — eligible students who are not independent
10
- (1) This paragraph applies where a contribution is payable in relation to an eligible student who is not an independent eligible student.
- (2) Sub-paragraphs (3) to (7) apply where the children who are eligible students are either all old system eligible students or are all new system eligible students.
- (3) For any year in which a statutory award other than an award referred to in sub-paragraph (4) is held by—
- (i) more than one child of the eligible student’s parents;
- (ii) the eligible student’s parent; or
- (iii) the eligible student’s parent’s partner,
the contribution payable in respect of the eligible student is such proportion of any contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9 as the Welsh Ministers after consultation with any other authority involved consider just taking into account the application of paragraph 7 of this Schedule to new eligible students and existing students respectively.
- (4) Subject to the following sub-paragraphs, for any year in which an award payable under these Regulations, the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 2003[^f00085] or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 [^f00086] (and no other statutory award) is held by more than one child of the eligible student’s parents, the contribution payable in respect of the eligible student is an amount equal to the contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9 divided by the number of children who hold a relevant statutory award.
- (5) If, as a result of the apportionment under sub-paragraph (4), the contribution would not be extinguished by applying it in respect of the eligible student’s statutory award, the remainder of the contribution is instead applied—
- (i) first in relation to the smallest statutory award (or each such statutory award) to which the contribution may apply; and
- (ii) then, in increasing order of size, in relation to each remaining statutory award to which the contribution may apply, until the balance of the contribution can be apportioned equally without any part of it remaining or until there remains no part of any statutory award to which the contribution has not been applied.
- (6) Where—
- (a) the eligible student’s parent whose income is assessed under this Schedule has a partner;
- (b) a contribution taking into account the residual income of that parent is payable in relation to more than one eligible student who is the child of either that parent or his or her partner; and
- (c) the amount payable in relation to each eligible student is not the same in every case,
the contribution in respect of each eligible student is calculated under sub-paragraph (7).
- (7) Where sub-paragraph (6) applies, the contribution in respect of an eligible student is an amount equal to the contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9 divided by the number of eligible students referred to in paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (6) in relation to whom a contribution is payable and where the contribution is not extinguished by applying it in respect of the eligible student’s statutory award, the remainder of the contribution is applied in the same way as in sub-paragraph (5) to the relevant statutory award of the eligible students in his or her relevant household.
- (8) Where—
- (a) a contribution taking into account the residual income of the parent of an eligible student is payable in relation to more than one eligible student who is the child of that parent or of the parent’s partner; and
- (b) the amount payable in relation to each eligible student is not the same in every case because some of the eligible students are old system eligible students and some are new system eligible students,
the contribution in respect of an eligible student is calculated under sub-paragraph (9).
- (9) Where sub-paragraph (8) applies, the contribution in respect of an eligible student is an amount equal to the contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9 divided by the number of eligible students referred to in paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (8) in relation to whom a contribution is payable and where the contribution is not extinguished by applying it in respect of the eligible student’s statutory award, the remainder of the contribution is applied in the same way as in sub-paragraph (5) to the relevant statutory awards of the other old system eligible students where the eligible student is an old system eligible student and to the relevant statutory awards of the other new system eligible students where the eligible student is a new system eligible student.
- (10) Where a contribution taking into account the residual income of the eligible student’s parent is payable in respect of more than one child of that parent or that parent’s partner, if any, and the residual income of any such eligible student is greater than nil, the contribution in relation to each eligible student is calculated in accordance with the following sub-paragraphs—
- (a) the contribution in respect of the eligible student is calculated without reference to paragraph 4 but otherwise in accordance with this Schedule and is apportioned between each eligible student in accordance with this paragraph;
- (b) there is then applied in addition in respect of the eligible student a further contribution of £1 for every complete £9.50 by which the sum calculated in respect of the student under paragraph (c) of this sub paragraph exceeds £23,680 where the student is an old system eligible student or exceeds £39,780 where the student is a new system eligible student;
- (c) the sum referred to in paragraph (b) of this sub-paragraph is the aggregate of any amounts calculated under paragraphs 4, 5 and 7 (where appropriate) of this Schedule with the deduction of the amount (if any) by which the aggregate of the amounts calculated under paragraphs 5 and 7 exceeds £23,680 where the student is an old system eligible student or exceeds £39,780 where the student is a new system eligible student.
- (11) Subject to sub-paragraph (12), there is added to a parent student’s residual income for the purpose of calculating the contribution to his or her statutory award any sum remaining—
- (a) where the parent student is the parent of only one eligible student and the contribution payable in respect of that eligible student is greater than the statutory award in respect of that eligible student, the difference between that contribution and that statutory award; or
- (b) where a parent student is the parent of more than one eligible student, any sum remaining after the apportionment of the contribution to his or her children under this paragraph.
- (12) Where a parent student has a partner within paragraph 1(j) of this Schedule, the sums added to his or her residual income under sub-paragraph (11) of this paragraph are calculated as though the contribution in respect of his or her children had been assessed taking into account the income of the parent’s partner under paragraph 7, whether or not the contribution was actually calculated on that basis.
- (13) In this paragraph, “relevant household” (“aelwyd berthnasol”) means all those eligible students in respect of whom a contribution is calculated with reference to the same income under both paragraphs 5 and 7.
Split contributions — independent eligible students
11
- (1) Where a contribution is payable under paragraph 8 or 9 in relation to an independent eligible student with a partner, the contribution is payable in accordance with the following sub-paragraphs—
- (a) for any year in which a statutory award other than an award referred to in paragraph (b) of this sub-paragraph is held by the independent eligible student’s partner, the contribution payable in respect of the independent eligible student is such proportion of any contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9 as the Welsh Ministers after consultation with any other authority involved consider just;
- (b) subject to the following sub-paragraphs, for any year in which an award payable under these Regulations, the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 2003 or section 63 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 (and no other statutory award) is held by the independent eligible student’s partner, the contribution payable in respect of the independent eligible student is an amount equal to half the contribution calculated under paragraph 8 or 9;
- (c) if, as a result of the apportionment under paragraph (b) of this sub-paragraph, the contribution calculated would not be extinguished by applying it in respect of the independent eligible student’s statutory award, the remainder of the contribution is instead applied to the relevant statutory award of his or her partner if they are both old system students or if they are both new system eligible students.
- (2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), there is added to a parent student’s residual income for the purpose of calculating the contribution to his or her statutory award any sum remaining—
- (a) where the parent student is the parent of only one eligible student and the contribution payable in respect of that eligible student is greater than the statutory award in respect of that eligible student, the difference between that contribution and that statutory award; or
- (b) where a parent student is the parent of more than one eligible student, any sum remaining after the apportionment of the contribution to his or her children under this Schedule.
- (3) Where a parent student has a partner who is also an eligible student and whose income is taken into account in assessing the contribution in relation to the children in sub-paragraph (2), half of the sum calculated under sub-paragraph (2) is added to the parent student’s residual income.
Signed
Jane Hutt — Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, one of the Welsh Ministers — 7 May 2008
Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations provide for financial support for students who are ordinarily resident in Wales taking designated higher education courses in respect of academic years beginning on or after 1 September 2008. They consolidate, with some changes, the Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) Regulations 2007, as amended.
The Regulations revoke those 2007 Regulations. Regulation 3 sets out the extent of the revocation. Changes of substance made in these Regulations (other than rates of grants and loans) are highlighted below.
The distinction between old system eligible students and new system eligible students (introduced by the 2006 Regulations) in relation to financial support to students for full-time courses is retained (regulation 2(1)).
Old system eligible students are eligible students attending courses that started before 1 September 2006 and gap-year students starting courses before 1 September 2007, and certain other categories of student. The following grants and loans are available to old system eligible students subject to the specified conditions —
- grant for fees (Part 4);
- fee contribution loan (regulation 20);
- grant for disabled students' living costs (regulation 24);
- grant for dependants (regulations 25 to 30);
- grant for travel (regulations 31 to 33);
- higher education grant (regulation 35); and
- loans for living costs (Part 6).
A new system eligible student is an eligible student who starts their course on or after 1 September 2008 and who is not an old system eligible student. The following grants and loans are available to new system eligible students, subject to the specified conditions —
- new fee grant (regulation 18);
- fee loans (regulations 21 and 22);
- grant for disabled students' living costs (regulation 24);
- grant for dependants (regulations 25 to 30);
- grant for travel (regulations 31 to 33);
- maintenance grant (regulation 36);
- special support grant (regulation 37); and
- loans for living costs (Part 6).
To qualify for financial support a student must be an “eligible student”. Broadly, a person is an eligible student if he or she falls within one of the categories listed in Part 2 of Schedule 1 and the eligibility provisions in Part 2 of the Regulations. The Regulations apply to students ordinarily resident in Wales wherever they study on a designated course. For the purposes of these Regulations a person who is ordinarily resident in Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man as a result of having moved from one of those areas for the purpose of undertaking his or her course is considered ordinarily resident in the place from which that person moved (Schedule 1, paragraph 1(3)). An eligible student must also satisfy any requirements elsewhere in the Regulations; in particular the specific requirements applicable to each type of financial support.
Support is only available under the Regulations in respect of “designated” courses within the meaning of regulations 5, 64, 80, 93 and Schedule 2.
Part 3 of the Regulations makes provision for applications for support (regulation 9), time limits for applications (regulation 10) and regulation 11 and Schedule 3 specify the information that must be provided by applicants.
Part 4 of these Regulations provides for fee support, in the form of grants for fees and fee loans. Changes have been made to allow students on flexible post-graduate courses for the initial training of teachers starting on or after 1 September 2008 to qualify for fee support where the course is at least six weeks in length. This means that for the first time a designated course (one which meets the criteria in Regulation 5) may be of less than one academic year’s duration, providing that it is a flexible post-graduate course for the initial training of teachers.
Part 5 makes provision for grants for living costs which includes grants for travel for certain categories of eligible students. Regulations 31 and 32 have been amended to clarify the types of expenses in respect of which the travel grant for students studying overseas is payable, and the way in which the amount of that grant is calculated.
Part 6 makes provision for loans for living costs.
Part 7 sets out general provisions relating to loans made under the Regulations.
Part 8 and Schedule 4 make provision for “college fee loans”. These are loans in respect of the college fees payable by a qualifying student to a college or permanent private hall of the University of Oxford or to a college of the University of Cambridge in connection with attendance of a qualifying student on a qualifying course.
Part 9 and Schedule 5 continue to make provision for the means-testing of students taking designated full-time courses. A contribution from the student is calculated on the basis of household income. The contribution is to be applied to specified grants and loans until it is extinguished against the amount of the particular grants and loans for which the student qualifies.
Part 10 makes provision for payment of grants and loans.
Part 11 makes provision for support to students who are undertaking designated distance learning courses.
Part 12 makes provision for support for part-time courses.
Part 13 makes provision for postgraduate students with disabilities.
Footnotes
[^f00001]: 1998 c. 30; section 22 was amended by the Learning and Skills Act 2000 (c. 21), section 146 and Schedule 11, the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1), Schedule 6, the Finance Act 2003 (c. 14), section 147 and the Higher Education Act 2004 (c. 8), sections 42 and 43 and Schedule 7.
[^f00002]: The functions of the Secretary of State under section 22 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (except so far as they relate to the making of any provision authorised by subsection (2)(a),(c)(j) or (k), (3)(e) or (f) or (5) of section 22) were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales by section 44 of the Higher Education Act 2004 and the Higher Education Act 2004 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) (Wales) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/1833 (W.149)(C.79)) as amended by the Higher Education Act 2004 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1660 (W.159)(C.56). The functions of the National Assembly for Wales were transferred to the Welsh Ministers by virtue of paragraphs 30(1) and 30(2)(a) of Schedule 11 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32).
[^f00003]: 1962 c. 12; sections 1 to 4 and Schedule 1 were substituted by the provisions set out in Schedule 5 to the Education Act 1980 (c. 20). Section 1(3)(d) was amended by the Education (Grants and Awards) Act 1984 (c. 11), section 4. Section 4 was amended by the Education Act 1994 (c. 30), Schedule 2, paragraph 2. The entire Act was repealed by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c. 30), section 44(2) and Schedule 4, subject to the transitional provisions and savings set out in the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/3237), article 3.
[^f00004]: S.I. 1998/2003.
[^f00005]: S.I. 1999/496, amended by S.I. 1999/2266 and S.I. 2000/1120.
[^f00006]: S.I. 2000/1121, amended by S.I. 2000/1490, S.I. 2000/2142 and S.I. 2000/2912.
[^f00007]: S.I. 2001/951, amended by S.I. 2001/1730, S.I. 2001/2355 and S.I. 2002/174.
[^f00008]: S.I. 2002/195, amended by S.I. 2002/1318, S.I. 2002/2088 and S.I. 2002/3059.
[^f00009]: S.I. 2002/3200.
[^f00010]: S.I. 2003/1065.
[^f00011]: S.I. 2003/3280.
[^f00012]: S.I. 2004/161.
[^f00013]: S.I. 2004/1602.
[^f00014]: S.I. 2004/2041.
[^f00015]: S.I. 2004/2598.
[^f00016]: S.I. 2005/5.
[^f00017]: S.I. 2005/1341.
[^f00018]: SI 2005/2084.
[^f00019]: S.I. 2005/52 as amended by S.I. 2005/1341, S.I. 2005/2084, S.I.2005/3482 and S.I. 2006/955.
[^f00020]: S.I.2006/126 (W.19).
[^f00021]: S.I. 2006/1863 (W.196).
[^f00022]: S.I. 2007/1045 (W.104).
[^f00023]: S.I. 2007/2312 (W.183).
[^f00024]: S.I. 2007/ 2851 (W.248).
[^f00025]: S.I.2007/3230 (W.282).
[^f00026]: OJ L158, 30.04.2004, p77 — 123.
[^f00027]: S.I. 2004/1729 (W.173).
[^f00028]: ERASMUS is part of the European Community action programme SOCRATES; OJ No L28, 3.2.2000,p1.
[^f00029]: This body was originally established under section 1 of the Education Act 1994 (c. 30) as the Teacher Training Agency. By virtue of section 74 of the Education Act 2005 (c. 18), it continues in existence but is to be known instead as the Training and Development Agency for Schools.
[^f00030]: See sections 85 — 90 of the Education Act 2005 for HEFCW’s function in relation to teacher training.
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