Tynwald is to be asked to agree changes to student grants which will see students take on more debt for their further education.
The Education (Student Awards) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 were not on the order paper and members will have to agree to allow the supplementary order paper to be moved.
The regulations, issued by the DESC propose a mixed package of financial changes.
While the tuition fee grant drops from £6,750 to £6,000 with students left needing to borrow to cover the rest. The department says this change “creates a large proportion of the savings required to make the other beneficial changes”.
Income
Those changes include raising the household income threshold for a full maintenance grant from £21,547 to £30,388, meaning families earning up to £90,000 could qualify for more help.
However, the means test will no longer make allowances for multiple students from one household.
Maintenance grants for off-island study will rise from £8,100 to £8,500, and undergraduate disability allowances will see substantial increases.
Support for distance learners has also been expanded, with tuition fee grant limits rising from £46,500 to £112,000.
The department said the proposals aim “to make the system simpler, fairer, and easier to access, especially for lower income families”.
The policy intentions are to reflect modern study patterns and increased living costs, ensuring “Island students can get the support they need to reach their goals.”
The cost of the 2025 Regulations will be contained within the department’s existing budget. Transitional arrangements will protect existing students from being financially disadvantaged.