Student Grants

Summary

The request sought the number of student grant recipients without 80 UCAS points between 2016 and 2022 and the reasons for their eligibility. The Department of Education disclosed that only nine applicants met this criteria across the period, citing specific regulatory modifications for continuing education and the Coronavirus emergency.

Key Facts

• Zero applicants received tuition fee grants without 80 UCAS points in the years 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19.
• One applicant in 2019/20 was eligible under the Continuing Education Scheme to study at UCM.
• Eight applicants in 2020/21 were eligible due to a temporary reduction of the UCAS requirement to 72 points caused by the Coronavirus emergency.
• The response was issued by the Policy, Strategy and Governance Division of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.
• The request was fully satisfied with all information sent on 31 May 2022.

Data Disclosed

• 2016-17 Total: 0
• 2017-18 Total: 0
• 2018-19 Total: 0
• 2019-20 Total: 1
• 2020-21 Total: 8
• 80 UCAS points
• 72 UCAS points
• 2022-05-09
• 2022-05-31
• 2436533

Original Request

How many applicants were awarded student award grants in the years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 that did not have at least 80 UCAS points and the reason why they received the grant despite not having achieved 80 or more UCAS points? Tuition fee grants

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road, St John’s Isle of Man IM4 3AS Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 2436533 31 May 2022

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 9 May 2022 and which states:

"How many applicants were awarded student award grants in the years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 that did not have at least 80 UCAS points and the reason why they received the grant despite not having achieved 80 or more UCAS points?”

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you. The number of applicants that did not obtain 80 UCAS points that were awarded student award tuition fee grants is as follows: 2016-17 Total: 0 2017-18 Total: 0 2018-19 Total: 0 2019-20 Total: 1 2020-21 Total: 8 In 2019 one applicant was eligible to receive a tuition fee grant to study at UCM subject to the Continuing Education Scheme which states: Provisional and final awards where applicable will follow the procedures in place for the Education (Student Awards) Regulations 2019. This is for those circumstances where a student is continuing their education with a view to ultimately achieving a higher level of attainment than previously studied. This ‘continuing education’ funding will be in place for one year only at UCM for those students not achieving 80 UCAS points.

In 2020 eight applicants were eligible to receive a tuition fee grant due to a modification to the Education (Student Awards) Regulations in response to the Coronavirus emergency whereby the Department reduced the requirement from 80 UCAS points to 72 UCAS points. A copy of the Education (Student Awards) (Modifications) Regulations 2020 is attached.

Please quote the reference number 2436533 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date. Yours sincerely

Nikki Sharpe Corporate Services Manager