1st degree self funded 15 yrs ago. Eligible for tuition fees loan for 2nd Degree?

MrsManda

TmTb wrote: »

This seems to be counter to the 'previous study' rule as I understand it. For example, 'previous study' rules suggest the 4 years of the 5 year course I attended allows me a further 2 years of funding, i.e. 5 + 1 = 6 - 4 = 2 or in other words 2nd and final year.

I think you're getting confused about the previous study rules. It's the length of the new course + 1 minus any funding you've already had. At least thats how I understand from the information on this forum and the description of previous study on the NUS website HERE

Part-Time students can get a fee grant and course grant to top up an ordinary degree to an honours degree - see direct.gov.uk HERE

Taiko

The NUS, as per usual, have got previous study wrong. It's attending the course that counts, and not whether you were funded. Regulation 22(1) states:

The standard entitlement of a current system student who has studied on a previous course and who does not fall within regulation 23 is calculated as follows—

• where
• OD is the number of academic years that make up the ordinary duration of the course

PC is the number of academic years that the student has spent on previous courses.

There is no mention of receiving funding, it just states years spent on a previous course.

TmTb

I understand MrsManda and Taiko,

Thanks to the two of you for clarifying that point.

For the purposes of these calculations, are the differences in full-time and part-time student attendance at university similarly ignored?

If this is correct, then it suggests I'll not be eligible for any support other than a student maintenance loan. As I've previously studied for 4 years on my earlier part-time degree and the new degree would be three years in length, i.e. 4 years studied would use up the 3 + 1 = 4 years supported study allowance.

I suspect not, but I'm really hoping someone replies back to tell me I have this wrong.

TmTb

MrsManda, many thanks for your part-time students link. It has triggered another useful avenue of exploration.

Does all the discussions and conclusions already made to date around student funding eligibility for full-time students also apply to student attending part-time courses, i.e. elq and 'previous years'? What I mean to say is, if I undertook the same course part-time, averaging 50% intensity over 6 years instead of 3 years, would I be eligible for Fee and Course grants for the whole course or just some proportion representing the top up from ordinary to honours degree?

If it's the latter, I suspect this would be challenging to acurately define what units are what given the courses flexible approach to units studied per year.