In-attendance definition

Q1: Can we have guidance on what proportion of weekday attendance is considered compliant under the Student Support Regulations?

A: This is referenced in the letter from the Department for Education (DfE). For the purposes of the Student Support Regulations, a course is considered “in-attendance” only where students are required to attend on a regular, timetabled, in-person basis during weekdays. To avoid any ambiguity: the DfE normally considers regular weekday attendance to mean at least once per week of required, scheduled attendance for learning or professional practice during Monday to Friday. Requirements to attend solely at weekends, during vacation periods, solely online, or on an occasional basis (including once-termly or fortnightly attendance) do not normally meet the regulatory threshold for in-attendance study. DfE typically considers a course to be full-time where students are engaged in study on most days and for the majority of weeks in the academic year. This will normally involve at least 24 weeks of structured activity and an average workload of around 21 hours per week across term time, including taught sessions, independent study and other forms of learning.

Q2: Could you provide the definition of “in-attendance”?

A: The definition of in-attendance for the purposes of the Student Support Regulations is a course is considered “in-attendance” only where students are required to attend on a regular, timetabled, in-person basis during weekdays. To avoid any ambiguity: the Department normally considers regular weekday attendance to mean at least once per week of required, scheduled attendance for learning or professional practice during Monday to Friday.’

Q3: Is there a minimum number of hours of weekday, face‑to‑face, in‑person attendance (including evenings) required for a course to be classified as “in‑attendance”?

A: Currently no, there’s no explicit minimum, but there is an expectation that weekday attendance is regular and structured and at least once per week. For a FT course this should also involve at least 24 weeks of activity with an average overall workload of at least 21 hours per week across term time.

Q4: Would in-person attendance at the weekend plus a weekly in-person or online evening session be classed an ‘in attendance’ and therefore eligible for a Maintenance Loan?

A: If the student is attending in-person Monday to Friday alongside weekend attendance, then yes this would be eligible. However, an online evening session plus weekend in-person attendance would not satisfy ‘in-attendance’, as they are not on an in-person basis during the week.

Q5: Going forward will attending 1 day a week and 1 weekend day continue to be eligible for maintenance funding?

A: Technically, yes but you need to consider the regulations in full. Requirements to attend solely at weekends, during vacation periods, solely online or on an occasional basis (including once-termly or fortnightly) do not normally meet the regulatory threshold for in-attendance study.