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Equivalent or Lower Level Qualifications (ELQ)

The Government has announced that it will no longer provide funding for students who wish to study a qualification that is equivalent to, or at a lower level than one they have already achieved.

The University continues to welcome applicants that may wish to return to university for a further university level qualification, either to enhance their skills or improve their employment prospects, as we believe that re-skilling is important both to individuals as part of their personal and professional development as well as to the economic growth of the country.

However, in response to the Government’s decision to change the funding model for higher education the University is required charge a higher rate fee to all Undergraduate (full-time and part-time) , Postgraduate (full-time and part-time) students who hold an equivalent or HIGHER level qualification than the one to which they are applying. The ‘ELQ’ fee will be the same as that currently charged to ‘Island’* students (pro-rata for part-time students).

Applicants are required to disclose details of all qualifications they hold at the point of application in order that a proper assessment of fee status can be made. The University will take action to reclaim fees retrospectively from registered students who are undercharged, if such undercharging was the result of the applicant failing to provide complete or accurate qualifications data on which their fee status was based, or as a result of a failure of the applicant to disclose their ELQ status when asked to do so.

The Government has agreed to a number of exemptions to this new policy, including students on Foundation Degrees and those in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance for which it will continue to provide public funding.

The University expects the number of students affected by this change to be minimal but it will monitor the impact of this Fee policy change has on the admission and recruitment of ELQ students.

2012 entry

The ELQ fees for 2012 entry are currently not available but please check back soon, or contact the Finance Office for further information.