The Agriculture (Student fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Section 5 of the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949 (“the Act”) enables the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (“the Department”) to provide instruction in agricultural and related matters. Section 5A, which was added to the Act by way of amendment through the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, provides that the Department may through regulations charge fees for or in connection with the provision of the aforementioned instruction.

These Regulations makes provision about fees payable by persons in higher education delivered by the Department through the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to the Department and replaces the Agriculture (Student fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

Regulation 1 and regulation 2 refer to the citation, commencement and interpretation of these regulations.

Regulation 3 provides the meaning of higher education courses delivered at CAFRE.

Regulation 4 and regulation 5 provides meaning for the various higher education course modes of study a student can undertake at CAFRE. These modes of study are on a full-time or part-time basis.

Regulation 6 provides meaning for a sandwich higher education course.

Regulation 7 provides meaning for intensity of study that is used in calculating the appropriate fee a student is charged.

Regulation 8 and regulation 10 provides for currently enrolled students at CAFRE who commenced their current course at CAFRE prior to 1st September 2022; are a gap year student who will commence their current course at CAFRE on or after 1st September 2022 but before 1st September 2023; and who have not withdrawn from or suspended their studies on their current course prior to 1st September 2022 and who are permitted by CAFRE to resume their studies on that higher education course within three academic years.

Regulation 9 provides the meaning of the current fee framework that is to be applied to students commencing the first academic year of a higher education course from September 2022.

Regulation 11 provides the meaning of ‘home student’ that encompasses students ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland, Irish citizens ordinarily resident in the Republic of Ireland, and currently enrolled ordinarily resident EU students (including students from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) with ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’ status under the EU Settlement Scheme contained in Appendix EU to the immigration rules.

Regulation 12 and regulation 13 provides the appropriate fee code to be used in calculating the fee to be charged by the Department to students at CAFRE who fall within the definition of a home student.

Regulation 14 provides the meaning of student from Great Britain that encompasses students ordinarily resident in England, Scotland, Wales, and the Islands and territories.

Regulation 15 and regulation 16 provides the appropriate fee code to be used in calculating the fee to be charged by the Department to students at CAFRE who fall within the definition of a student from Great Britain.

Regulation 17 provides the meaning of an ‘international student’ who is a person that requires a student visa to study in the UK for a course lasting 6 months or more. This will encompass persons ordinarily resident in the EU (including persons from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) who have not obtained ‘pre-settled’ or ‘settled’ status under the EU Settlement Scheme contained in Appendix EU to the immigration rules.

Regulation 18 provides the appropriate fee code to be used in calculating the fee to be charged by the Department to students at CAFRE who fall within the definition of an international student.

Regulation 19 provides for the fee to be charged by the Department to full-time students at CAFRE.

Regulation 20 provides for the mechanism in calculating the fee to be charged by the Department to part-time students at CAFRE.

Regulation 21 provides the meaning of a reduced fee to be charged to students where the final year of their current course would ordinarily be completed over a period not less than 15 weeks, is a sandwich higher education course or where a course is provided in conjunction with an overseas institution. This regulation also provides the appropriate fee code to be used in calculating the fee to be charged by the Department to students at CAFRE who qualify for a reduced fee.

Regulation 22 repeals the Agriculture (Student fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and all amendments made to those regulations.