27. In regulation 126 (Assistance for part-time courses)—
(a)in paragraph (1)—
(i)in sub-paragraph (a)(ii), omit the “and”;
(ii)after sub-paragraph (a), insert the following sub-paragraph—
“(aa)a part-time fee loan, where—
(i)the fees charged by the academic authority in respect of an academic year of the designated part-time course exceed the grant mentioned in sub-paragraph (a), the amount of which has been determined in accordance with regulation 127; or
(ii)it has been determined in accordance with regulation 127 that no grant is payable under sub-paragraph (a); or
(iii)the eligible part-time student does not apply for the grant mentioned in sub-paragraph (a); and”;
(b)after paragraph (1), insert—
“(1A) A part-time fee loan is administered in accordance with regulation 127A.”.
(c)after paragraph (2), insert—
“(2A) An eligible part-time student does not qualify for assistance under paragraph (1)(a) or (b) unless it is ordinarily possible to complete the designated part-time course in no more than twice the period ordinarily required to complete the full-time equivalent.”;
(d)for paragraph (3), substitute—
“(3) An eligible part-time student qualifies for assistance under paragraph (1) in respect of a course (other than a distance learning course) if the Department considers that the student is undertaking the designated part-time course in the United Kingdom.”.
(e)in paragraph (4), for “under this regulation”, substitute “under paragraphs (1)(a) or (b)”;
(f)after paragraph (5), insert—
“(5A) An eligible part-time student does not qualify for a part-time fee loan under paragraph (1)(aa) if—
(a)the student has undertaken one or more part-time courses for sixteen years in aggregate; and
(b)the student received in respect of each of those academic years a loan or a grant of the kind described in paragraph (5).
(5B) An eligible part-time student does not qualify for a part-time fee loan if the intensity of study during the academic year for which support is claimed is less than 25% of a full-time equivalent course.”; and
(g)after paragraph (8), add—
“(9) For the purposes of this regulation “full-time equivalent” and “period ordinarily required to complete the full time equivalent” is to be interpreted in accordance with regulation 124(6).”.