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Statutory Instruments of the Scottish Parliament


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SCOTTISH STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS


2007 No. 154

EDUCATION

The Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2007

  Made 6th March 2007 
  Laid before the Scottish Parliament 6th March 2007 
  Coming into force 1st August 2007 

The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 73(f), 73B and 74(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980[1], and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations:



PART I

GENERAL

Citation and commencement
     1. These Regulations may be cited as the Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 and shall come into force on 1st August 2007.

Interpretation
    
2. —(1) In these Regulations–

in each case the relevant date being in the year of commencement of the appropriate academic year of the course;

    (2) For the purposes of these Regulations a person who is resident in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales, or the Islands as a result of having moved from another of those areas for the purpose of undertaking–

shall be considered to be ordinarily resident in the place from which that person moved.

    (3) For the purposes of paragraph 1(a) and 8(b) of Schedule 1, a person shall be treated as ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that that person was not actually resident only because–

was temporarily either employed or studying outside Scotland.

    (4) For the purposes of paragraphs 1(b), 2(1)(b), 3(1)(b), 4(1)(d), 8(c) and 9(b) of Schedule 1, a person shall be treated as having been ordinarily resident in the area specified and for the period specified in those paragraphs if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that the person was not actually ordinarily resident in the relevant area for the specified period only because–

was for the time being temporarily either employed or studying outside the relevant area.

    (5) For the purposes of paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 1 and subject to paragraph (6), a person shall not be treated as being ordinarily resident in Scotland on the first day of the first academic year of the course if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that their residence there on that day is in any sense attributable to, or connected with, any period of residence in Scotland within 3 years immediately preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course as respects any part of which its purpose was wholly or mainly that of receiving full-time education.

    (6) Paragraph (5) shall not apply to a person who has acquired settled status in the United Kingdom under the Immigration Act 1971[12] as a result of residence for full-time education which has led to a right of permanent residence arising under Directive 2004/38.

    (7) For the purposes of paragraph 1(b) of Schedule 1, a person shall not be treated as having been ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom and Islands for the 3 year period, if the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that that person was resident there for any part of that period wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education, unless–



PART II

ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS

Eligible students
     3. —(1) The Scottish Ministers may pay a loan, in accordance with the provisions of section 73(f) of the Act and these Regulations, to or in respect of an eligible student.

    (2) Subject to and in accordance with these Regulations a person shall be eligible for a loan in connection with their undertaking a designated course if that person–

    (3) Notwithstanding that a person satisfies the requirements specified in paragraph (2), a person shall not be eligible for a loan if–

    (4) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(e) and (f) "loan" means a loan made under the Act, the Education (Student Loans) Act 1990, the Education (Student Loans) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, the Education (Student Support) (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 or under any regulations made under any of the foregoing.

    (5) A person in respect of whom the first day of the first academic year of the course is on or after 1st August 2007 shall not, at any one time, be eligible for support for more than one designated course.

Designated courses
     4. —(1) A course shall be designated for the purposes of regulation 3(2) if it is–

    (2) For the purposes of this regulation a "sandwich course" is a course, other than a course for the initial training of teachers referred to in paragraph 4 of Schedule 2, consisting of alternate periods of full-time study in an institution and periods of work experience so organised that, taking the course as a whole, the student attends the periods of full-time study for an average of not less than 18 weeks in each year; and for the purposes of calculating their attendance the course shall be treated as beginning with the first period of full-time study and ending with the last such period.

    (3) For the purposes of paragraph (2), where periods of both full-time study and work experience occur within any week of the course, the days of full-time study shall be aggregated with any weeks of full-time study in determining the number of weeks full-time study in each year.

    (4) For the purposes of this regulation "periods of work experience" means–

    (5) For the purposes of this regulation a course is provided by an institution if it provides the teaching and supervision which comprise the course, whether or not it has entered into an agreement with the student to provide the course.

    (6) For the purposes of paragraph (1) a university and any constituent college or institution in the nature of a college of a university shall be regarded as maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds if either the university or the constituent college or institution is so maintained or assisted.

    (7) For the purposes of paragraph (1) an institution shall not be regarded as maintained or assisted by recurrent grants out of public funds by reason only that it receives public funds from the governing body of a higher education institution in accordance with section 65(3A) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992[
15].

    (8) For the purposes of these Regulations, a course, the standard of which is not higher than a first degree course, which leads to a qualification as a medical doctor, a dentist, a veterinary surgeon, an architect, a landscape architect, a landscape designer, a landscape manager, a town planner or a town and country planner, shall be considered to be a single course for a first degree or for an equivalent qualification notwithstanding that the course may lead to another degree or qualification being conferred before the degree or equivalent qualification, and notwithstanding that part of the course may be optional.

    (9) For the purposes of regulation 3(2) the Scottish Ministers may designate courses of higher education which are not designated under paragraph (1).

Applications for loans
     5. —(1) A student shall apply for a loan, not exceeding the maximum amount applicable in that student's case, in connection with undertaking a course by completing and submitting to the Scottish Ministers an application in such form as the Scottish Ministers may require.

    (2) The completed application shall include such information as the Scottish Ministers require, including the following particulars:–

    (3) The completed application shall also include a declaration by the student that–

    (4) The application form must reach the Scottish Ministers by such date as they may determine from time to time (and different dates may be determined by them in respect of loans for different courses) unless the Scottish Ministers consider that, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case, the time limit should be relaxed, in which case the application must reach the Scottish Ministers not later than such date as they specify.

    (5) A student shall demonstrate eligibility for a loan by providing such evidence as the Scottish Ministers may require.

    (6) The Scottish Ministers may take such steps and make such inquiries as they consider necessary to determine whether the student is eligible for a loan.

    (7) If the Scottish Ministers determine that a student is eligible for a loan they shall notify that student of that fact and of the maximum amount of loan applicable in their case, and thenceforth the student shall be an "eligible student" for the purposes of these Regulations.

    (8) In any case where the Scottish Ministers–

    (9) Where an eligible student who has submitted an application for a loan in accordance with paragraph (1) has not applied for the maximum amount of loan to which they are entitled in relation to an academic year under the preceding paragraphs that student may apply to borrow an additional amount, which when added to the amount already applied for shall not exceed the maximum applicable in their case.

    (10) An application under paragraphs (8) or (9) shall be made by completing and submitting to the Scottish Ministers an application in such form as they may require by such date as they may determine from time to time (and different dates may be determined by them in respect of loans for different courses) and shall contain a declaration by the eligible student in the terms set out in paragraph (3).

Transfers of eligibility
    
6. —(1) An eligible student may request that the Scottish Ministers transfer their eligibility in any case where–

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3) the Scottish Ministers, on being satisfied of the matters referred to in paragraph (1) and that the second course is a designated course, shall transfer the eligible student's eligibility, and thenceforth the eligible student shall for all purposes be an eligible student in connection with undertaking the second course, whether or not they might have been eligible for a loan if they had applied under regulation 5.

    (3) The Scottish Ministers may, after consulting the academic authority concerned, refuse to transfer eligibility where paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) applies if they are satisfied that when the student applied for a loan they did not intend to complete the course to which their application related.

    (4) For the purposes of the duty of the Scottish Ministers to transfer eligibility where paragraph (1)(d) or (e) applies it shall be immaterial whether or not the two courses are provided by the same institution.

    (5) Where the Scottish Ministers have transferred an eligible student's eligibility from a course which is a full-time course to a course which is a part-time course, or from a course which is a part-time course to a course which is a full-time course, in either case during an academic year, then notwithstanding any other provision of these Regulations, the maximum amount of loan applicable in the case of the eligible student in respect of that academic year shall be the amount determined from time to time by the Scottish Ministers under regulation 10 as being applicable in respect of students whose eligibility is so transferred.

    (6) The Scottish Ministers shall notify the eligible student of any change in the maximum amount of loan applicable in their case as a result of the transfer of their eligibility.

    (7) An eligible student's eligibility for a loan may not be transferred after it has expired or been terminated under regulation 7.

Termination of eligibility
    
7. —(1) Subject to paragraph (2) an eligible student shall cease to be eligible for a loan on the expiry of the period ordinarily required for the completion of the course, and accordingly that person shall then cease to be an eligible student.

    (2) The Scottish Ministers may before or after an eligible student ceases to be an eligible student under paragraph (1) determine that that person shall continue to be eligible for a loan for such further period after the expiry of the period referred to in that paragraph as they specify, and accordingly that person shall be, or be considered to have been, an eligible student throughout that further period until its expiry.

    (3) Where an eligible student has withdrawn from a course in circumstances where the Scottish Ministers have not transferred or will not transfer that person's eligibility to another course under regulation 6, or has abandoned or been expelled from their course, the Scottish Ministers shall determine that that person is no longer eligible for a loan, and on such determination that person shall then cease to be an eligible student.

    (4) Where the conduct of an eligible student has shown the eligible student to be unfitted to receive a loan the Scottish Ministers may determine that that person is no longer eligible for a loan, and on such determination that person shall then cease to be an eligible student.

Provision of United Kingdom national insurance number
    
8. —(1) The Scottish Ministers may make it a condition of entitlement to payment of any loan that the applicant or eligible student must provide them with that applicant or eligible student's United Kingdom national insurance number.

    (2) Where the Scottish Ministers have imposed a condition under paragraph (1), they must not make any payment of the loan to the applicant or eligible student before they are satisfied that the applicant or eligible student has complied with that condition.

    (3) Despite paragraph (2), the Scottish Ministers may make a payment of loan to an applicant or eligible student if they are satisfied that owing to exceptional circumstances it would be appropriate to make such a payment without the applicant or eligible student having complied with the condition imposed under paragraph (1).

Information
    
9. —(1) Every applicant and every eligible student shall as soon as reasonably practicable after being requested to do so provide the Scottish Ministers with such information as they consider necessary for the exercise of their functions under these Regulations.

    (2) Every applicant and every eligible student shall forthwith inform the Scottish Ministers if any of the following occurs, and provide them with particulars–

    (3) If the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that an eligible student has wilfully failed to comply with any requirement to provide information, or has provided information that the student knows to be false in a material particular, or has recklessly provided information which is false in a material particular, they may determine that the student shall–

    (4) The Scottish Ministers may at any time require an applicant or eligible student to enter into an agreement to repay a loan by a particular method.

    (5) The Scottish Ministers may at any time request from an applicant or eligible student sight of their valid national identity card, their valid passport issued by the state of which they are a national or their birth certificate.

    (6) The Scottish Ministers may at any time verify with the Department for Work and Pensions the United Kingdom national insurance number that an applicant or eligible student has provided or may check with the Department for Work and Pensions whether that applicant or eligible student has such a number with a view to obtaining it if that applicant or eligible student does.

    (7) Where the Scottish Ministers have requested information or documents under this regulation, they may withhold any payment of a loan until the applicant or eligible student provides what has been requested or provides a satisfactory explanation for not complying with the request.

    (8) Where the Scottish Ministers have requested an agreement as to the method of repayment under this regulation, they may withhold any payment of a loan until the applicant or eligible student provides what has been requested.



PART III

LOANS

Maximum amounts of loans
    
10. The maximum amount of loan in respect of each academic year shall not exceed such amount as may be determined from time to time by the Scottish Ministers and different maximum amounts may be determined for different categories of student.

Means test
    
11. —(1) In determining the amount of a loan payable under these Regulations, the Scottish Ministers shall take account of the sums, if any, which–

the eligible student, the eligible student's parents and the eligible student's spouse or civil partner can reasonably be expected to contribute towards the eligible student's expenses.

    (2) For the purpose of the exercise of their functions under this regulation the Scottish Ministers may require an eligible student to provide from time to time such information as the Scottish Ministers consider necessary as to the income of any person whose means are relevant to the assessment of a contribution under this regulation.



PART IV

PAYMENTS

Payment of loans
     12. —(1) Subject to the following paragraphs the Scottish Ministers may pay loans for which an eligible student has applied under these Regulations at such times and in such number of instalments (which need not be of equal amounts) as they consider appropriate; and in the exercise of their functions under this paragraph they may, in particular, make provisional payments pending the final calculation of the amount of loan for which the student is eligible.

    (2) No instalment of a loan shall be paid in respect of the period of the academic year during which, in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers, the longest of any vacations is taken.

    (3) Payments may be made in such manner as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate, and they may make it a condition of entitlement to payment that the eligible student shall provide them with particulars of a bank or building society account in the United Kingdom into which payments may be made by electronic transfer.

    (4) Subject to regulation 6, no instalment shall be paid after an eligible student has withdrawn from, abandoned or been expelled from their course.

    (5) No instalment shall be paid in respect of a period during any part of which an eligible student is absent from their course if attendance at the course is a requirement of it, unless in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers in all the circumstances it would be appropriate to pay all or part of the loan.

    (6) In deciding whether it would be appropriate to pay all or part of the loan when an eligible student is absent from their course, the circumstances which the Scottish Ministers shall have regard to include the reasons for the student's absence, the length of the absence and the financial hardship which not paying all or part of the instalment of loan would cause.

    (7) An eligible student shall not be considered to be absent from their course if that student is unable to attend due to illness and their absence has not exceeded 60 days.

    (8) If the payment of instalments has been suspended and before the end of the academic year the eligible student commences undertaking their course again the Scottish Ministers may pay further instalments but so that the amount lent in relation to that year does not exceed such amount as the Scottish Ministers in all the circumstances consider appropriate.

    (9) Where the Scottish Ministers have paid any instalment of loan and the eligible student applies for an additional loan in respect of an academic year, the Scottish Ministers shall pay the first instalment as soon as is reasonably practicable after a satisfactory application has been received and any subsequent instalments with instalments already payable.

    (10) Where the Scottish Ministers have paid an instalment of loan for which a student is eligible in respect of an academic year and they make a determination that the amount of loan for which the student is eligible is less than the amount previously determined, either by way of revision of a provisional determination or otherwise–

Overpayments
    
13. —(1) Any overpayment of a loan in respect of any academic year may be recovered by the Scottish Ministers if, in their opinion–

but otherwise it shall be treated as a loan properly made under these Regulations which shall be repayable in accordance with the Act and any regulations made under it.

    (2) Where an overpayment of loan is treated, by virtue of paragraph (1), as a loan properly made, the Scottish Ministers may subtract the overpayment from the amount of loan for which the student is eligible in respect of any other academic year.

    (3) Where an overpayment of loan is recoverable in accordance with paragraph (1) it shall be recovered in such one or more of the following ways as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate in all the circumstances–



PART V

INTEREST AND INSOLVENCY

Interest
    
14. —(1) Subject to paragraph (2), loans made in each 12 month period commencing on each 1st September shall bear interest at a rate which will result in an annual percentage rate of charge determined in accordance with the Consumer Credit (Total Charge for Credit) Regulations 1980[17] equal to the percentage by which the retail prices all items index published by the Office for National Statistics for the month of March immediately preceding the commencement of that period has increased compared with that for the previous March.

    (2) If the rate referred to in paragraph (1) exceeds the rate for the time being specified for the purposes of any exemption conferred by virtue of section 16(5)(b) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974[18] loans shall bear interest at the rate so specified.

    (3) Interest shall be calculated on the principal outstanding daily, and shall be added to the principal monthly.

    (4) The index of prices that the Scottish Ministers shall have regard to in prescribing the rate of interest which loans shall bear shall be the retail prices all items index mentioned in paragraph (1).

Insolvency
     15. Where after the date of sequestration of an eligible student's estate, that student receives, or is entitled to receive, sums by way of loan–


NICOL STEPHEN
A member of the Scottish Executive

St Andrew's House, Edinburgh
6th March 2007



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 3(2)


ELIGIBLE STUDENTS


     1. A person who–

     2. —(1) A person who–

    (2) Sub-paragraph (1)(c) does not apply where the person applying for support falls within sub paragraph (1)(a)(iii) or (iv).

     3. —(1) A person who–

    (2) Sub-paragraph (1)(c) does not apply where the person applying for support is a family member of a person falling within paragraph 2(1)(a)(iii) or (iv).

     4. —(1) A person who–

    (2) For the purposes of this paragraph, a person has utilised a right of residence if that person–

     5. A person who–

     6. A person who–

     7. A person who–

     8. A person who–

     9. A person who–



SCHEDULE 2
Regulation 4(1)(a)


DESIGNATED COURSES


     1. A first degree course other than a course referred to in paragraph 4.

     2. A course for the Diploma of Higher Education.

     3. A course for the Higher National Diploma or Higher National Certificate of–

     4. A course for the initial training for teachers, including such a course leading to a first degree.

     5. A course for the further training of teachers or youth and community workers.

     6. A course in preparation for a professional examination of a standard higher than that of–

not being a course for entry to which a first degree (or equivalent qualification) is normally required.

     7. A course providing education (whether or not in preparation for an examination) the standard of which is–

and for entry to which a first degree (or equivalent qualification) is not normally required.



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These Regulations consolidate the Education (Student Loans) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (S.S.I. 2000/200) and certain amending instruments which are revoked with transitional provisions by the Education (Graduate Endowment, Student Fees and Support) (Scotland) Revocation Regulations 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/148).

In addition to minor and drafting alterations, these Regulations provide definitions of "EEA state", "employment" (including "employed") and "parent" (including "child"). Regulation 8 allows the Scottish Ministers to impose a condition on a student to provide them with that student's United Kingdom national insurance number and regulation 9 also sets out in more detail the information to be provided to the Scottish Ministers.

Tables of Derivations and Destinations have been prepared identifying individual regulations in these Regulations with the equivalent provisions in the superseded Regulations and vice versa. Copies of the Tables may be obtained from the Scottish Executive, Higher Education and Learner Support Division, Europa Building, 450 Argyle Street Glasgow, G2 8LG. The Tables have been prepared to assist readers of the Regulations and do not have any legal effect.


Notes:

[1] 1980 c.44; section 73(f) was amended by the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c.30) ("the 1998 Act"), section 29(1) and by the Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001 (asp 6) ("the 2001 Act"), section 3(2); section 73B was inserted by the 1998 Act, section 29(2) and amended by the 2001 Act, section 3(3) and by the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c.1), Schedule 6, paragraph 149; section 74(1) was amended by the Self Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989 (c.39), Schedule 10, paragraph 8(17). The functions of the Secretary of State were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (c.46).back

[2] O.J. No. L 158, 30.04.04, p.77.back

[3] Cm. 9171.back

[4] Cm. 3906 (Out of print: photocopies are available, free of charge, from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, Gyleview House, 3 Redheughs Rigg, South Gyle, Edinburgh EH12 9HH).back

[5] S.S.I. 2000/110.back

[6] 1990 c.6, amended by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (c.13), Schedule 8, paragraph 67; by the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 (c.37), Schedule 9, paragraphs 12(2) and (3); by the Education Act 1994 (c.30), Schedule 2, paragraph 9; by the Education (Student Loans) Act 1996 (c.9), section 1(1) and the Schedule; by the Education Act 1996 (c.56), Schedule 37, paragraph 98 and Schedule 38, and by the Education (Student Loans) Act 1998 (c.1), sections 1 to 3.back

[7] S.I. 1990/1506 (N.I. 11).back

[8] 1998 c.30.back

[9] S.I. 1998/1760 (N.I. 14).back

[10] Cm. 5639.back

[11] HC 395; relevant amending instrument is HC 164.back

[12] 1971 c.77.back

[13] 1968 c.46; section 63 was amended by the National Health Services Reorganisation Act 1973 (c.32), Schedule 4, paragraph 124 and Schedule 5, the National Health Service Act 1977 (c.49), Schedule 15, paragraph 45 and Schedule 16, the National Health Services (Scotland) Act 1978 (c.29), Schedule 16, paragraph 26(2) and Schedule 17, the Health Services Act 1980 (c.53), sections 1, 2 and Schedule 1, Part I, paragraph 19(3), the Local Government Act 1985 (c.51), Schedule 17, the Family Practitioner Committees (Consequential Modifications) Order 1985 (S.I. 1985/39), article 6(1), the Health and Medicines Act 1988 (c.49), section 20, section 25(2) and Schedule 3, the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (c.39), Schedule 13, paragraph 74(1) and (2), the Health Authorities Act 1995 (c.17), Schedule 1, paragraph 95(1) and (2), the Local Government Reorganisation (Wales) (Consequential amendments) (No. 2) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1008), the Schedule, paragraph 1, and the National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997 (c.46), Schedule 2, paragraph 1(4).back

[14] S.I. 2007/151.back

[15] 1992 c.13; section 65(3A) was inserted by section 27 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c.30).back

[16] S.S.I. 2007/153.back

[17] S.I. 1980/51; amended by S.I. 1983/1562 and 1989/596.back

[18] 1974 c.39.back

[19] 1985 c.66; section 32 was amended by the Child Support Act 1991 (c.48), Schedule 5, paragraph 6, the Pensions Act 1995 (c.26), Schedule 3, paragraph 14 and prospectively by the Bankruptcy and Diligence etc. (Scotland) Act 2007 (asp 3), sections 17, 18 and 19 and schedule 1.back

[20] 1971 c.77; section 33(2A) was inserted by paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to the British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61).back

[21] O.J. No. L 257, 19.10.68, p.2 (O.J./S.E. 1968(II) p.475), amended by Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2434/92 (O.J. No. L 245, 26.8.92, p.1).back

[22] O.J. No. L 158, 30.04.04, p.77.back

[23] Cm. 5639.back



ISBN 978 0 11 076539 6


 © Crown copyright 2007

Prepared 2 April 2007


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/scot/legis/num_reg/2007/20070154.html