Citation, commencement and application

1.  (1)  These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 and come into operation on 18th April 2014.

(2) These Regulations apply in relation to the provision of support to students in relation to an academic year which begins on or after 1st September 2014 whether anything done under these Regulations is done before, on or after 1st September 2014.

Amendment of the Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

2.  The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009(4) are amended as provided by regulation 3.

3.  In regulation 20-

(a)after paragraph (8) insert-

"(8A) In addition to the standard entitlement, a current system student to whom regulation 24(2) applies qualifies for a fee loan or relevant institution charge loan in respect of the first academic year that the student takes of the designated course that is not a bursary year or an Erasmus year of a course provided by an institution in Northern Ireland or Scotland where-

(a)the current course begins on or after 1st September 2014; and

(b)the preliminary course was a part-time course.";

(b)after paragraph (9) insert-

"(9A) Where a current system student qualifies for a fee loan or relevant institution charge loan under paragraph (8A), the Department must not allocate a fee loan or relevant institution charge loan under paragraph (6) to the first academic year that the student takes of the designated course that is not a bursary year or an Erasmus year of a course provided by an institution in Northern Ireland or Scotland.";

(c)in paragraph (12) after the words "paragraph (8)" insert "(or 8A)";

(d)in paragraph (13) omit the words "or relevant institution charge loan".

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Employment and Learning on 24th March 2014.

Mrs Nuala Kerr

A senior officer of the Department for Employment and Learning

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 ("the 2009 Regulations"). The 2009 Regulations provide for financial support for students taking designated higher education courses in respect of an academic year beginning on or after 1st September 2010.

Regulation 3(a) inserts a new paragraph into regulation 20 of the 2009 Regulations so that from 1st September 2014 students entering the first year of a full-time first degree course who have undertaken a preliminary course on a part-time basis are eligible to receive a fee loan or relevant institution charge loan provided that it is not a bursary year or an Erasmus year of a course provided at an institution in Northern Ireland or Scotland. Regulation 3(b) and (c) make consequential amendments. Regulation 3(d) corrects a drafting error.

An impact assessment has not been prepared in respect of this instrument as it has no impact on the cost of business, charities or voluntary bodies.