Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Education (Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loans) Regulations 2016 (“the 2016 Regulations”) which make provision for the making and repayment of loans to eligible individuals undertaking certain postgraduate courses of study.

These Regulations amend the 2016 Regulations to provide that a person who is entitled to a travel allowance under the Care Standards Act 2000 is not for that reason alone ineligible for a loan under these Regulations (regulation 2(2)(b)). This change applies to individuals who are part way through a course at the time these Regulations come into force, as well as those who apply for a loan in respect of a subsequent academic year.

These Regulations also make provision in respect of those who are serving members of the armed forces posted overseas, or certain members of their families (regulation 2(2)(d)). The effect of that provision is to enable those individuals to undertake certain distance learning courses which otherwise would need to be undertaken in England to be eligible for a loan. This change applies only in relation to the provision of support to students in respect of an academic year which begins on or after 1st August 2017.

These Regulations also render a person who has previously received a loan (other than under the 2016 Regulations) in respect of a postgraduate master’s degree course from a government authority in the United Kingdom, ineligible for support under the 2016 Regulations (regulation 2(2)(c)). The Secretary of State may, however, in certain limited circumstances deem such a person to be eligible for support under the 2016 Regulations (regulation 2(2)(e)).

These Regulations also, by way of the substitution of Regulation 10 of the 2016 Regulations, enable a person who starts an eligible course of longer than two academic years’ duration on or after 1st August 2017 to apply for a loan and to apply to vary the amount of the loan during any year of their course (regulation 2(3)). Regulation 10 of the 2016 Regulations as in force before the coming into force of these Regulations will continue to apply to those whose courses began before 1st August 2017.

These Regulations also raise the maximum amount of a postgraduate loan from £10,000 to £10,280 in respect of a course beginning on or after 1st August 2017 (regulation 2(4)).

The remainder of the amendments made by these Regulations are of a minor and technical nature.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as it has no impact on businesses and civil society organisations. The instrument has a minimal impact on the public sector. A full impact assessment in respect of the 2016 Regulations, which this instrument amends, was published when those Regulations were laid before Parliament and is accessible at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2016/194/pdfs/ukia_20160194_en.pdf.