Version 1.0 - Last Updated: 25 Oct 2023
Creating a part-time undergraduate course - Course credits and intensity
Course intensity calculation for a Part-time Maintenance Loan
Students must be studying at a course intensity of at least 25% to qualify for a Maintenance Loan.
When they apply, they'll need to know the number of credits they'll gain in the academic year. We use this to calculate their course intensity. The intensity determines their entitlement.
The information on this page explains how we calculate it. It also explains how both the course duration and credits affect the end result.
How we calculate course intensity
Full-time equivalent (FTE) course credits divided by the number of FTE course years = full-time credit (for the year)
The number of credits the student will gain in this academic year = part-time credit (for the year)
(Part-time credit / full-time credit) X 100 = intensity of study (%)
Calculation scenarios
Scenario 1
Ryan is studying a part-time honours degree with a full-time equivalent duration of 3 years. The entire course gives 360 credits. In this academic year he'll get 80 credits. Ryan’s course intensity is calculated as:
360 / 3 = 120
80 / 120 x 100 = 67%
Scenario 2
Beth is studying a part-time HND with a full-time equivalent duration of 2 years. The entire course gives 240 credits. In this academic year Beth will get 60 credits. Beth’s course intensity is calculated as:
240 / 2 = 120
60 / 120 x 100 = 50%
Scenario 3
Jo is studying a part-time bachelor’s degree with a full-time equivalent duration of 3 years. The entire course gives 300 credits. In this academic year Jo will get 40 credits. Jo’s course intensity is calculated as:
300 / 3 = 100
40 / 100 x 100 = 40%
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