12 June 2007
To: Principal contact for OFFA / Managers responsible for access agreements
Dear colleague
We have received a number of enquiries from institutions asking about cut off dates for bursaries and scholarships. The guidance note below provides some advice on this issue.
OFFA guidance
We have always been clear that it is for institutions to devise their own rules regarding the administration of bursaries and scholarships (hereafter referred to as bursaries). This includes payment dates and any cut off dates by which students need to either apply or consent to share financial information to be eligible for a bursary.
The Secretary of State, in his guidance letter to OFFA, expects that where the fee charged exceeds the maximum grant (£2,700 in 2006-07), a mandatory bursary (of up to £300 in 2006-07) must be paid to the lowest income students. In light of this we think the liability to pay the mandatory bursary should continue up to the end of the academic year, regardless of any earlier cut off dates institutions may have set for any bursary payments they may have offered in excess of this minimum. We would not expect institutions to make retrospective bursary payments to students beyond the end of the academic year, although they may choose to do so.
Information for students
Any rules on the administration of bursaries should be reasonable, clear and well publicised to students as early as possible to avoid the possibility of complaints. Institutions should also be flexible where a student can demonstrate exceptional circumstances for not complying with their requirements.
Bursary take-up
In the first year of operation, there have been some students or sponsors who have not yet consented to share family income information which will enable them to collect an institutional bursary. Also, some institutions might be in a position where they have inadvertently under spent against their access agreement budgets. We would strongly encourage institutions to consider viewing any late bursary claimants favourably up to the end of this academic year.
Enquiries about cut off dates should be directed to Chris Scrase, Operations and Research Manager, enquiries@offa.org.uk or tel. 0117 931 7171