Further to our email communication on 26.03.26, we are developing this FAQ page. We will update these as necessary, so encourage you to check this page regularly for updates.
You can submit additional questions via qahe.enquiries@solent.ac.uk
FAQs are correct at the time of writing based on the information the University has received from DfE and SLC to date.
Last updated 29.03.26 12:00
On 23 March 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) wrote to the University and explained that 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. 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-Friday.
A requirement to attend solely at weekends, during vacation periods, solely online, or on an occasional basis (including once-termly or fortnightly attendance) does not normally meet the regulatory threshold for in-attendance study.
Under the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011, attendance on weekends only is classified as distance learning, and students on such courses do not qualify for maintenance support or targeted grants (with the exception of Disabled Students’ Allowances).
Therefore, your course cannot be classified as “in-attendance” and under the Regulations you were not and are not eligible for maintenance support or targeted grants.
The University is currently seeking legal advice on the decision by the DfE to require the reclassification of courses as distance learning.
The University was not aware of this issue for current and past students prior to the communication from the DfE on 23 March 2026 and we are investigating the position as a matter of urgency.
Since being informed by the Department for Education last Monday, 23 March, we have written to all students to make them aware of the situation, and further communications will be shared on a regular basis. It is our intention to continue to keep you informed as regularly as we can in the circumstances.
Yes. If you are studying on a course which is delivered in person on the weekend and online in the evenings on weekdays, you are still affected by this change. 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. 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-Friday.
If you are a current student on an impacted course, your maintenance loan and targeted grant payments will have been blocked by the SLC with immediate effect. The SLC will contact you to discuss recovery of any previous payments via a repayment plan.
The SLC will contact you to set up your repayment plan. Repayment plans are based on a student’s individual circumstances. An affordability exercise is undertaken with you when you contact the SLC and a repayment plan is developed as a result of that discussion. The following link provides more information: https://www.gov.uk/repay-student-loan-overpayment
Please note that the University does not have access to your maintenance loan or targeted grant information.
Option 1: Stay on your current course which is not eligible for maintenance support or targeted grants.
Option 2: Transfer to a course by 17th April that has the same content but is classified as in-attendance because it requires regular, timetabled, in person attendance during weekdays. Please note that the University has to evidence regular weekday in-person attendance and so will be required to monitor this carefully.
Option 3: Suspend your studies. This will enable you to take a break from your studies and then, depending on the circumstances when you wish to return, you could have the opportunity to rejoin your current course (option 1) or transfer to another course (option 2).
Option 4: Withdraw from your studies. This means that you have decided not to continue with your studies and wish to withdraw from your current course and not transfer to another course.
Please note that none of the above options negate the requirement to pay back any maintenance support or targeted grants to the SLC that have been paid to you to date. Option 2 would give you the option to claim maintenance support and/or targeted grants in the future. However, SLC have indicated that past maintenance support/targeted grants may be deducted from those future payments. Again, this will be based on your individual circumstances and will take into account affordability considerations.
We are working at pace with our delivery partner to provide you with draft timetables as soon as possible so you can understand what a changed delivery mode would look like.
If you have selected Option 2 on the form, we will be in contact with you in due course to process your transfer.
Universities are required by the DfE to submit the Change of Circumstances notification to the SLC between 6th and 17th April to move you from your current in-attendance mode to distance learning.
Should you choose to progress with Option 2 (course transfer), we want to ensure that we can submit the second Change of Circumstances notification to transfer you to an in-attendance course to the SLC before the cut-off date on 20th April so you become eligible for maintenance loan payments again. You will not need to submit a new application to SFE.
We also recognise that teaching commences again on 20th April and we want to ensure that you have the correct timetable before starting.
You can choose to transfer to the new mode of delivery from 15th June. However, please note that you will remain ineligible for maintenance loan and targeted grant payments until you have transferred to a course that is classified as in-attendance.
No, tuition fee loans are not impacted by this.
No. Both distance learning and in-attendance courses attract Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). Therefore, eligible students on distance learning courses will continue to receive DSA.
Yes. The SLC considers these to be an overpayment too and will seek to recover these through a repayment plan.
If you were actively studying this academic year and then withdrew from or completed the course, you are also affected by these changes.
The DfE and SLC will jointly review historic irregular payments linked to affected courses and will seek direction from Ministers on appropriate recovery action. Further guidance on this will follow.
We are working with our delivery partner to review options for emergency hardship support and will provide further information as soon as possible.
You can access support here:
On campus wellbeing support available via the QAHE Student Welfare team.
Wellbeing support also available through the Student Assistance Programme
Student access details:
Link to app: Wisdom
Code to use to register: MHA339939
We will be applying automatic extensions to assessments for all impacted students and will share further information shortly.
You can email your complaint to qahe.complaints@solent.ac.uk.
The Students’ Union can provide impartial, confidential and free advice and can be contacted at suadvice@solent.ac.uk
The Student Protection Plan is available here: https://www.solent.ac.uk/studying-at-solent/documents/student-protection-plan.pdf
We are currently awaiting approval from the Office for Students for the updated version of this plan which was submitted earlier this academic year.
You can contact us on qahe.enquiries@solent.ac.uk.
We will also be holding online information sessions during this period to answer your questions.
Our primary method of communication to you will be to your personal and student email address so we advise checking your inbox regularly.