The Education (Postgraduate Student Support) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2022

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend:

(a) The Education (Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loans) (Wales) Regulations 2017 (“the 2017 Regulations”) (see Part 2 of the Regulations),

(b) The Education (Postgraduate Doctoral Degree Loans) (Wales) Regulations 2018 (“the 2018 Regulations”) (see Part 3 of the Regulations), and

(c) The Education (Student Support) (Postgraduate Master’s Degrees) (Wales) Regulations 2019 (“the 2019 Regulations”) (see Part 4 of the Regulations).

Chapter 2 of Parts 2, 3 and 4 of the Regulations amend the 2017 Regulations, the 2018 Regulations and the 2019 Regulations as regards eligibility arising from the EU Settlement Scheme. The amendments remove references to the “grace period” as a result of that period now having elapsed.

Chapter 3 of Parts 3 and 4 of the Regulations amend the 2018 Regulations and 2019 Regulations. The amendments provide for Afghan citizens who are granted indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy Scheme or the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme to be eligible for student support provided they satisfy all other criteria.

Chapter 4 of Parts 3 and 4 of the Regulations make amendments to the 2018 Regulations and the 2019 Regulations relating to the amount of financial support that an eligible student may receive for an academic year beginning on or after 1 August 2022.

Chapter 5 of Part 3 of the Regulations amends the 2018 Regulations. The amendment provides for a person undertaking a programme leading to a doctorate in educational psychology at Cardiff University, which starts on or after 1 August 2022, to be ineligible for financial support where a bursary or similar award funded by the Welsh Ministers has been bestowed on or paid to them.

Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the Regulations amends the 2019 Regulations to make students undertaking a postgraduate social work course, which starts on or after 1 August 2022, eligible to receive a contribution to costs loan.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Higher Education Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.