The Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

PART 9 FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT

Calculation of contribution

90.—(1) An eligible student’s contribution in respect of an academic year is the amount, if any, calculated under Schedule 5.

(2) For the purposes of the exercise of the Department’s functions under the Order and regulations made under it, it may require an eligible student to provide from time to time such information as it considers necessary as to the income of any person whose means are relevant to the assessment of the student’s contribution.

Application of contribution – current system students

91.  In the case of a current system student, the Department must apply the contribution in accordance with regulation 93.

Application of contribution – old system students

92.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), where the basic amount of the grant for fees has been calculated in accordance with regulation 30(1) or 31(1), to determine the actual amount of grant for fees that is payable, the Department must first apply the contribution to reduce the basic amount of the grant for fees.

(2) If the contribution is not extinguished under paragraph (1), the Department must apply the remainder in accordance with regulation 93.

(3) Where the course is a course for the initial training of teachers (other than a course for a first degree), there is no deduction from the basic amount of the grant for fees under this regulation and the contribution is applied in accordance with regulation 93.

(4) Where the basic amount of the grant for fees has been calculated in accordance with regulation 30(2) or regulation 31(2) and one of the cases set out in regulation 23(3)(b) or (d) applies, to determine the actual amount of the grant for fees that is payable, the Department must—

(a) first, apply the contribution to reduce the basic amount of the grant for fees;

(b) second, if the contribution is not extinguished, deduct an amount equal to the basic amount of the grant for fees from what is left of the contribution reducing the remainder of the contribution to no less than nil; and

(c) third, if the contribution is still not extinguished, apply the remainder in accordance with regulation 93.

(5) In the case of an Erasmus year, the Department must apply the amount by which the contribution exceeds £1,255 in accordance with regulation 93.

(6) Where none of the circumstances in paragraphs (1) to (5) apply, the contribution is applied in accordance with regulation 93.

Order of application

93.  The contribution or the remainder of the contribution, as the case may be, is to be applied as follows—

(a) first, to reduce the amount of adult dependants’ grant calculated in accordance with regulation 48;

(b) second, to reduce the childcare grant calculated in accordance with regulation 48;

(c) third, to reduce the parents’ learning allowance calculated in accordance with regulation 48 (except the first £50 of the allowance);

(d) fourth, to reduce the loan for living costs for which the eligible student (other than a student with reduced entitlement) qualifies under Part 6 to no less than the minimum level for the academic year specified in regulation 94;

(e) fifth, to reduce the grant for travel calculated in accordance with Chapter 5 of Part 5.

Minimum level of loan for living costs

94.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (5), the “minimum level for the academic year” in regulation 93(d) is—

(a) £2,685, in the case of a student in category A;

(b) £4,855, in the case of a student in category B;

(c) £4,135, in the case of a student in category C;

(d) £3,470, in the case of a student in category D.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), where the academic year in question is the final year of a course other than an intensive course, the “minimum level for the academic year” is—

(a) £2,425, in the case of a student in category A;

(b) £4,420, in the case of a student in category B;

(c) £3,595, in the case of a student in category C;

(d) £3,210, in the case of a student in category D.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the “minimum level for the academic year” for an old system student is—

(a) £2,050, in the case of a student in category A;

(b) £4,945, in the case of a student in category B;

(c) £3,980, in the case of a student in category C;

(d) £3,095, in the case of a student in category D.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), where the academic year in question is the final year of a course other than an intensive course, the “minimum level for the academic year” for an old system student is—

(a) £1,705 in the case of a student in category A;

(b) £4,365, in the case of a student in category B;

(c) £3,260, in the case of a student in category C;

(d) £2,750, in the case of a student in category D.

(5) Where different categories apply for different quarters of the academic year, the minimum levels in paragraphs (1) and (2) are the aggregate of the amounts determined under paragraph (6) for each of the quarters in respect of which a loan is payable.

(6) The amount determined for each quarter is one third of the amount in paragraph (1), (2), (3) or (4) which corresponds to the rate applicable for the quarter.

(7) The rate applicable for a quarter is determined in accordance with regulation 72.

(8) Categories A to D have the meaning given in regulation 78.

Amount of loan for living costs payable to certain type 1 and type 2 teacher training students

95.—(1) This regulation applies to type 1 and type 2 teacher training students who qualify for a maintenance grant and whose contribution exceeds nil.

(2) The loan for living costs payable in respect of an academic year to a student to whom this regulation applies is calculated as follows—

where

• A is the amount of loan for living costs left after applying the contribution in accordance with this Part; and

• B is the amount of maintenance grant payable to the student.