Thursday 5 July
To: Principal contact for OFFA / Managers responsible for access agreements
Dear colleague
The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham, today announced major changes to the system of student support in higher education. The full press notice can be found on the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills website.
OFFA’s response
The Government’s announcement will have an impact on bursary schemes and access agreements more widely.
We recognise that institutions will want to review their bursary schemes in light of these changes and may wish to amend their access agreements. We will shortly be providing written guidance for institutions on the process and timetable for doing this, recognising the urgency in agreeing revisions in order to promote new arrangements to applicants for 2008-09.
We will be taking a flexible and common-sense approach to the revision of bursary schemes, and will discuss the arrangements with other HE sector bodies before providing our guidance.
In the meantime any further enquiries should be directed to Chris Scrase, Operations and Research Manager, enquiries@offa.org.uk or tel. 0117 931 7171.
OFFA press release: ‘OFFA welcomes Government announcement on student support package’