Postgraduate repeated study

Postgraduate students who are repeating learning are not eligible for funding. This chapter will tell you how to avoid payment to students for a period of repeated study.

What is repeated study?

A repeat in learning is when a student needs to retake a course or part of it. This could be because they've failed modules.

Students who switch courses may also need to repeat learning. For example, let's say a student completes the first 2 terms of their first year but then switches to another course. They'll need to begin their first year again. This means they'll be repeating learning for the first 2 terms of the new course.

Suspending payments while not in study

Students may be eligible for financial assistance while they're engaging in learning. However, it is important that they do not receive payments while they're not progressing with learning.

You'll need to use the Suspension CoC to ensure that a student is not paid during a period of repeat learning. This will block the student's payments and will let you use a Resumption CoC later. The Resumption CoC will allow payments to begin after the student has completed the repeat learning.

There are different scenarios where a student can be in repeat study. You'll need to understand and handle each of these in the correct way.

Progressing while repeating learning

Sometimes, a student needs to repeat some learning but can do so without interrupting their original learning programme.

For example, let's say that a student has failed a module and needs to take a few extra classes. They can fit these in alongside their original timetable. While they're repeating some study, they're also undertaking new learning at the same time. They can therefore continue to receive funding as planned.

You will not need to submit a Suspension CoC as the student is eligible to receive payment while engaged in new learning.

Learning not progressing

Let’s look at a student who must repeat a module but cannot do it alongside any new learning. They've already received funding for this module. This means they're not eligible for further funding while repeating it.

You should submit a Suspension CoC to stop the payments over the period of repeat learning. The effective date should be the point when the repeat in learning started.

Once the student finishes the repeat learning or begins new learning again, you should submit a Resumption CoC.

Transferring to a new course with a repeat in learning

Students may need to repeat some study after transferring course or provider. They will not be eligible for funding during this period of repeat study.

If this happens, you must submit a Transfer CoC as normal and wait for us to process this. Once we've processed the Transfer CoC, you must submit a Suspension CoC for the student from the date the period of repetition began. This will ensure the student does not receive funding for the repeat study. Once the period of repetition is over you can submit a Resumption CoC.

Welsh Grant funding

There is an exception in place for students who are receiving Welsh Grant funding.

If these students are repeating learning they've already received funding for, you should use the Suspension CoC as normal.

However, when you submit the Resumption CoC for these students, you should use the suspension date as the effective date.

This will ensure that they do not miss out on grant funding. Any funding they've missed will be paid to them after we process the Resumption CoC.

This is not normal practice for a Resumption CoC and you should only use it for Welsh Grant funded students.

Doctoral repeat in learning

For doctoral courses, it is less clear when repetition of learning is taking place. For example, the student may need to perform a similar test or survey more than once. This would not be classed as a repeat in learning.

You'll need to assess doctoral students individually to see if they're repeating learning.

Payments after resumption

After we've processed a Resumption CoC, the student will be eligible for payments again.

For master’s students, we'll reschedule their outstanding student loan across the remaining payment dates. If the course has finished, we'll make all missed payments to the student on the next payment date.

For doctoral students, we'll make all missed payments to the student on the next payment date.