The Education (Student Loans) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Part II Eligibility for loans

Conditions of eligibility

4.—(1) A student attending a course of higher education of at least one academic year’s duration shall be eligible for a loan in relation to an academic year which begins on or after 1st August 1997 if—

(a) his course of study during that academic year forms part or all of—

(i) a full-time course; or

(ii) a course (whether or not full-time) for the initial training of teachers for the time being so designated; and

(b) (i) he satisfies the conditions prescribed in the Schedule; or

(ii) before the commencement of or at any time during that academic year he is a person, or the spouse or child of a person, who has been recognised as a refugee and who from the time of such recognition has been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man; and

(c) the loans administrator has received the certified eligibility form referred to in regulation 13(4)(g) or (6)(d) in connection with his application for the loan; and

(d) he has agreed with the loans administrator to notify the latter promptly in writing if he ceases to attend his course—

(i) because he has completed it on a date earlier than that specified by him in the eligibility form referred to in regulation 13(4)(d) or (6)(a); or

(ii) otherwise than because he has completed it; and

(e) he has agreed with the loans administrator to accept payment of the loan by direct credit to his bank or building society account and has provided the loans administrator with a signed direct debiting instruction in favour of the loans administrator in respect of repayments of the loan from that account; and

(f) he has entered into an agreement for the loan not later than the end of the period of 12 months beginning on 1st August in which that academic year begins; and

(g) he is not a person to whom paragraph (2) applies.

(2) This paragraph applies to a person who—

(a) before the date on which the course begins has attained the age of fifty years; or

(b) in respect of the academic year in question is eligible to receive any payment in pursuance of any bursary or award of similar description bestowed on him in pursuance of Article 44 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972(1) the amount of which is not calculated by reference to his income; or

(c) is in breach of any obligation contained in any agreement for a loan; or

(d) was under the age of 18 when any agreement for a loan was made with him and who has not ratified that agreement after attaining that age.

(3) A student shall not be eligible for more than one loan in relation to any one academic year.

(4) A student shall not be eligible for a loan in relation to—

(a) more than one academic year; or

(b) more than one course,

beginning in any period of twelve months beginning on 1st August in any year.

(1)

S.I. 1972/1265 (N.I. 14)