Sybil
Following the AMOSSHE Conference, I did indeed forward to Nina Curley the
letter we had received in the past from the DfEE saying that we could certify
students as eligible for a student loan if they were registered on a full time
course, regardless of the fact that their current attendance was part time. I
have, to date, received no reply.
The line which the DfEE are now taking about such students would suggest that
the previous guidance was wrong but I imagine they are reluctant to admit that!
I will try to contact Nina again and will, of course, let people know if and
when I receive a response.
Pam
On Thu, 16 Dec 1999 17:10:13 GMT0BST Sybil Green <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> We have been told by various sources in the DfEE that students
> repeating all or part of their first year for the first time are eligible for
> assistance with tuition fees and this has been construed by several
> LEAs as applying to students studying less than the usual quota of
> modules. When the University was in a position to certify eligibility
> for Student Loans, then on guidance from SLC and DfEE they
> confirmed that the student was in attendance on a full-time course
> of study, albeit for part of it, and thus eligible for a Student Loan.
> At the AMOSSHE Conference, Nina Curley said that such
> students were not eligible for a Student Loan. She said that they
> were eligible for benefits as they were part-time students. It was
> pointed out that this was not the case - they were ineligible for
> benefits as they had not abandoned, terminated or been excluded
> from the course. She was going to look into it further.
>
> Today I have spoken to Elsie Sellick DfEE who tells me that the
> DfEE has taken legal advice on Regulation (8) (a) Student Support
> Regulations and the opinion is that this regulation means that the
> student must be in full-time attendance, even if this is for part of the
> year, to be eligible for tuition fee support and Student Loan. So
> "part of the first year" specifically refers to a period of time rather
> than part of the full course requirements.
>
> So, what are these students supposed to do??
>
> Please enlighten me and if Pamela Bell-Ashe has received
> anything definitive from Nina Curley, I'd be very pleased to know the
> outcome.
>
> Sybil Green
> ------------------------------------
> Sybil Green
> Senior Adviser
> Dean of Students Office
> Cardiff University
> 01222-874179
> [log in to unmask]
----------------------
Pamela Bell-Ashe
Senior Assistant Registrar (Student Services)
The University of Liverpool
Senate House
Abercromby Square
Liverpool L69 3BX
Tel: 0151 794 2243
Fax: 0151 794 2249
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|