Explanatory note

These Regulations, which apply in England only, amend various instruments relating to financial support for students.

Part 2 amends the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/1986) (“the Student Support Regulations”).

Part 3 amends the following related Regulations (“the related Regulations”)—

• the Education (Fees and Awards) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/779),

• the Education (Student Support) (European University Institute) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/447),

• the Further Education Loans Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/1818),

• the Education (Postgraduate Master’s Degree Loans) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/606) (“the Master’s Degree Loans Regulations”),

• the Higher Education (Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1189),

• the Education (Postgraduate Doctoral Degree Loans and the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) (No. 2) etc.) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/599) (“the Doctoral Degree Loans Regulations”), and

• the Higher Education Short Course Loans Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/349).

Regulation 4 and Schedule 1 amend the Student Support Regulations for academic years which begin on or after 1st August 2025 to introduce new maximum amounts for fee loans in relation to lower-fee foundation years.

Regulation 5 amends the Student Support Regulations so that bereaved partners of Gurkha and Hong Kong military unit veterans discharged before 1st July 1997 and their children become eligible for support for academic years which begin on or after 1st August 2025. Part 3 makes corresponding amendments to the related Regulations where relevant.

Regulation 6 amends the Student Support Regulations to enable students undertaking a work placement year of a sandwich course to access technical support for, repairs to or replacement of equipment or software, where that equipment or software was paid for, in whole or in part, by the disabled students’ allowance (“DSA-funded equipment or software”). The amendment also provides that, where a student was eligible to be provided with DSA-funded equipment or software, but instead sourced or used their own equipment or software, that student’s equipment or software is treated as DSA-funded equipment or software. Regulation 6 also amends the definition of “unpaid service” in the Student Support Regulations in relation to general qualifying conditions for grants for living and other costs to reflect the dissolution of Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland and the transfer of their functions to various bodies.

Regulation 7 amends the Student Support Regulations to enable students undertaking an overseas work placement in an Erasmus year to claim certain travel expenses.

Regulation 8 amends the definition of “overseas territories” in the Student Support Regulations to reflect the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. Part 3 makes corresponding amendments to the related Regulations.

Regulation 9 and Schedule 2 amend the Student Support Regulations to update the payment rates for financial support for students in relation to academic years which begin on or after 1st August 2025.

Regulation 20 amends the Master’s Degree Loans Regulations to update the maximum amount of the postgraduate master’s degree loan in relation to courses which begin on or after 1st August 2025.

Regulation 27 amends the Doctoral Degree Loans Regulations to update the maximum amount of the doctoral degree loan, and the maximum individual payment of that loan, in relation to courses which begin on or after 1st August 2025.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.