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I know that it will be all change in 2006 for students with previous study but am I correct in saying that 2005 entrants will benefit from a more generous interpretation of false start than previously? Previously, if a student had attended more than one course, even if within the same academic year and the periods of attendance before withdrawal did not exceed a year, they would not be entitled to support for any subsequent course. ( I am of course talking about withdrawal without a transfer being arranged so we'd be considering false start regs rather than transfer regs.) However, under the 2005 Regs, Part 4, 11(6)(b) and Notes of Guidance Page 29, Para 127, it makes it clear that two attempts within the same academic year will be treated as a single course. "LEAs should note that where a student starts one course, transfers directly to another course and then drops out all within one year this should be treated as a single course for purposes of the false start provision. The student will therefore benefit from the false start provision if he later commences a 'second' course". Looking back through the previous regs and notes of guidance I cannot see any reference to two courses attended within the same academic year being regarded as a single course so is there indeed a bit more generosity?!! Looking at the proposals for 2006, I was concerned to read in Appendix 2 under "compelling personal reasons" that "it would not be our intention to fund a different degree course should a student withdraw from their course due to 'compelling personal reasons', but rather to allow the support for their original course to be extended in recognition of the need for extra time to complete their studies." At present, such a student would not be restricted to the same course. For example, a student could attend for 2 years, withdraw for compelling personal reasons and subsequently embark on a different course and be funded throughout. In some way, the original course may have compounded the compelling personal reasons and the student would not wish to continue on it. Also, in some cases, there is a long gap of several years before the withdrawal and the decision to return to study and it would not be feasible to rejoin the original course. I hope that Keith Houghton who co-ordinated the NASMA response can enlighten us on the thinking behind this Departmental response. Sybil Sybil Green Student Support Officer Cardiff Business School Cardiff University (029) 208 76856