Extension of payment period

Payments are generally made for the length of the student's enrolment on an approved course of study.

Courses of study, programmes or qualifications are assessed and approved by Tertiary Education Commission using both gross weeks and teaching weeks per year.

Gross weeks include semester breaks or time spent on research, field work, or practical work that are requirements of the course or programme. The teaching weeks are the weeks of the course or programme where teaching occurs.

For example, a course may be approved for 40 gross weeks and 37 teaching weeks; this is to allow for the 3 week break between semesters.

Education Providers advise the study start and end dates and any breaks for individual students using the Verification of Study (VoS) process.

An enrolment can be extended beyond the gross weeks initially advised. An education provider will advise any changes using the Verification of Study (VoS) process.

MSD are only able to extend the payment period if the LET calculation for the extended study period confirms it is full-time study.

For example, if the course has 0.5 EFTS, the maximum period that Student Allowances and living costs will be paid for is 20 weeks from the beginning of the course.

Students who are approved for limited full-time study are also treated as being full-time for any approved extension.