The Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

Support for distance learning courses

112.—(1) For the purposes of this regulation, the support available is—

(a) a grant in respect of fees not exceeding the lesser of the following amounts—

(i) £1,210; and

(ii) the “actual fees”, being the amount of fees charged to the student in respect of an academic year of the designated distance learning course; and

(b) a grant not exceeding £260 for books, travel and other expenditure in connection with the designated distance learning course.

(2) An eligible distance learning student does not qualify for support under paragraph (1)(b) if the only paragraph in Part 2 of Schedule 2 into which the student falls is paragraph 9.

(3) An eligible distance learning student does not qualify for support under this regulation if—

(a) the student is a disabled student; and

(b) there has been made to, or paid to the student in connection with the designated distance learning course a healthcare bursary the amount of which is calculated by reference to the student’s income;

(4) An eligible distance learning student does not qualify for support under this regulation unless the Department considers that the student is undertaking the designated distance learning course in Northern Ireland.

(5) An eligible distance learning student does not qualify for support under this regulation if the student has undertaken one or more distance learning courses for eight academic years in aggregate and the student has received in respect of each of those academic years a loan or a grant of the kind described in paragraph (6).

(6) The loans and grants are—

(a) a loan, a grant in respect of fees or a grant for books, travel and other expenditure each made in respect of an academic year of a distance learning course pursuant to regulations made under Article 3 of the Order;

(b) a loan, a grant in respect of fees or a grant for books, travel and other expenditure each made in respect of an academic year of a distance learning course by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to regulations made under section 22 of the 1998 Act; or

(c) a loan in respect of an academic year of a distance learning course made pursuant to regulations made under sections 73(f), 73B and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980(1).

(7) An eligible distance learning student does not qualify for support under this regulation if—

(a) the distance learning course leads to an equivalent or lower qualification;

(b) the student holds a first degree from an educational institution in the United Kingdom and the student began the course before 1st September 2009; or

(c) the student holds a first degree from a relevant institution of higher education in the Republic of Ireland and the student began his course before 1st September 2009.

(8) For the purposes of paragraph (7)(b) and (c), a degree is not to be treated as a first degree where—

(a) it is a degree (other than an honours degree) that has been awarded to an eligible distance learning student who has completed the required modules, examinations or other forms of assessment for the student’s first degree course; and

(b) the eligible distance learning student is registered to continue the course at the same educational institution after the award of the student’s degree so as to obtain an honours degree on completion of the required modules, examinations or other form of assessment.

(1)

1980 c.44; section 73(f) was amended by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c. 30), section 29(1) and the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 (asp 6), section 3(2). Section 73B was inserted by section 29(2) of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 and was amended by section 34(1) of the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3). The functions of the Secretary of State were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46)