SFE Assessing Eligibility Guidance 2013/14 - Practitioners - Student ...

2013/14 HE Student Finance
Assessing Eligibility Guidance
course over the duration of the part-time course and in each year.
These courses attract the part-time support package only, regardless
of whether or not the course leads to a first degree.
Student Support for ITT students
191. All new students commencing full-time PGCE and equivalent ITT
courses from 2010/11 (formerly known as „Type 2‟ ITT students) are
eligible for a fully means-tested Maintenance Grant or special
support grant as per new undergraduate full-time students from AY
2010/11.
All new students commencing part-time undergraduate courses
(formerly known as „Type 3‟ ITT students) or part-time ITT courses
that do not lead to a first degree (formerly known as „Type 1‟ ITT
students) will be eligible for the part-time support package. The
support that all new eligible part-time ITT students receive from AY
2010/11 is therefore aligned with all eligible part-time
undergraduate students on non ITT courses.
Flexible PGCE Courses (Old and Current System Students who started their
course before 1 September 2010)
192. In 2007/08, the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
paid the tuition fees directly to HEIs for all students on flexible PGCE
courses which were recognised and funded as meeting the TDA‟s
flexible modular criteria. Old and existing current system students on
these courses are therefore not eligible for any fee support
(regulations (19(1)(d), 25(3), 26(5), 28(2)(b) and 29(2)(b)).
Since Academic Year 2008/09, students starting flexible PGCE
courses of at least one academic year in length have been eligible
to receive tuition fee support in addition to living costs support.
Students who started flexible PGCE courses in either 2008/09 or
2009/10, where the course lasts between six weeks and less than
one academic year in length, are eligible for tuition fee support as
these courses are designated under the Regulations. They remain
ineligible for living cost support. (Students starting flexible PGCE
courses of less than one year in length from 2010/11 are not
eligible for any support under the Regulations as these courses are
no longer designated.)
Flexible PGCE courses are designed for students who choose not
to follow the traditional 1 year PGCE course (the course may be
less than one year in length provided that it starts on or after 1
September 2010). At the start of the training there will be an initial
assessment of the candidate‟s training needs. That assessment
will last several weeks. It will be used to design a training
programme to meet the individual‟s needs. In cases where
candidates already have appropriate teaching experience, no
further training may be necessary for the award of Qualified
Teacher Status (QTS) for school teachers. Other candidates will be
told how much longer they need to study to gain QTS.
Most students on flexible PGCE courses will be employed, or be in
receipt of a training salary, or both. It is likely therefore that few
students, if any, will apply to SFE for support. However, such
students on courses of at least one academic year in duration will
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