OFFA today welcomed Education Secretary Ruth Kelly’s announcement about an increase in statutory fee support for the poorest part-time students.
In 2006/07, the maximum annual fee grant available for low income part-time undergraduate students will increase to £1500 (per Full Time Equivalent) from £1180 (per FTE) in 2005/06; an increase of 27 per cent in cash terms.
Commenting on the announcement, Director of OFFA, Sir Martin Harris, said:
‘OFFA welcomes this announcement as an important step towards giving part-time students access to financial support on the same basis as their full-time colleagues. We have lobbied hard for changes to part-time support and this is a positive outcome which should help ensure that low income students are not deterred from applying to higher education.’
The full DfES press notice can be found on the DfES web site.