The Education (Student Support) (Wales) Regulations 2017

Conversion of status – eligible distance learning students transferring to designated courses

77.—(1) Where an eligible distance learning student ceases to undertake a designated distance learning course and transfers to a designated course at the same or at another institution, the Welsh Ministers must convert the student’s status as an eligible distance learning student to that of an eligible student in connection with the course to which the eligible distance learning student is transferring where—

(a) they receive a request from the eligible distance learning student to do so; and

(b) the period of eligibility has not terminated.

(2) The following applies to an eligible distance learning student who transfers under paragraph (1)—

(a) where the Welsh Ministers have determined to pay an amount of grant for disabled distance learning students’ living costs to that student in periodic instalments no payment in respect of that amount of grant must be made in respect of any instalment period beginning after the date on which that student becomes an eligible student;

(b) any support to which that student is entitled under this Part in respect of the academic year in which that student transfers is ignored in determining the amount of support to which that student may be entitled in respect of that year under Parts 4 to 6;

(c) the maximum amount of any support under Part 5 or 6 to which that student would, apart from this regulation, be entitled in connection with a designated course in respect of the academic year is reduced by one third where that student became an eligible student during the second quarter of that academic year and by two thirds where that student became an eligible student in a later quarter of that year; and

(d) where an amount of grant for disabled distance learning students’ living costs for any purpose has been paid to that student in a single instalment, the maximum amount of grant for disabled students’ living costs payable to that student under Part 5 for that purpose is reduced (or, where sub-paragraph (c) applies, further reduced) by the amount of grant for disabled distance learning students’ living costs paid to that student for that purpose and where the resulting amount is nil or a negative amount that amount is nil.