Cut-off dates for paying bursaries
Students may want to claim a bursary retrospectively, sometimes even after they have left an institution. What should you do in this situation?
OFFA guidance
We have always been clear that it is for individual institutions to devise their own rules regarding the administration of bursaries and scholarships. 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.
Your liability to pay the minimum bursary
However, we think your liability to pay the mandatory minimum bursary should continue at least up to the end of the academic year, regardless of any earlier cut-off dates you may have set for bursary payments above the minimum.
Your liability to pay bursaries above the minimum level
If you have underspent against your access agreement budgets or have a take-up issue, we strongly encourage you to take a favourable view of any late bursary claimants up to the end of the academic year.
How to minimise retrospective claims
The best way to minimise retrospective claims is to make sure that students know exactly when and how to apply for a bursary. This means making sure that your rules are reasonable and that your bursary information is clear and well publicised to students as early as possible.
We also recommend that you are flexible where a student can demonstrate exceptional circumstances for not complying with your requirements.