Eligibility

To be eligible for a QAA Access to HE Diploma loan write-off, a learner must meet the following criteria.

1. The learner must have taken out an Advanced Learner Loan (ALL) for a QAA Access to HE Diploma course that they have completed.
   
   A learner will be close to completing their learning aim when you make the final attendance confirmation. Also, the QAA Access to HE account Diploma application must not have withdrawn or suspended status on the course end date.
   
   The learner does not have to achieve a specific outcome such as passing exams. However, to progress to higher education, they would normally need to meet the requirements of the awarding body.
   
   If the learner completed one QAA Access to HE Diploma course, they will be entitled to write off of any incomplete QAA Access to HE Diploma loans. For example, this includes courses where they withdrew due to compelling personal reasons.

2. The learner must not have any outstanding loan accounts with arrears or charges. If they do, they can become eligible for write-off once they clear the arrears.

4. The learner must be eligible to apply for tuition fee support towards a Student Finance England (SFE) funded course of higher education. This must be true on the first day of the first academic year of their higher education course.
   
   
5. The learner must have completed a higher education qualification that was eligible for SFE funding.

All higher education qualifications designated for SFE funding count. This includes:

• Higher National Certificates
• Higher National Diplomas
• foundation degrees
• NHS funded courses
• the higher education element of a Higher Apprenticeship

The learner does not have to achieve a specific outcome, such as passing exams or gaining a specific class of degree.

There does not need to be a relationship between the QAA Access to HE Diploma course and the higher education qualification.

Learners will still be eligible for a write-off if they self-funded their higher education qualification, as long as they:

• were eligible for SFE funding
• completed a higher education course that was eligible for SFE funding

This includes students who were not eligible for SFE tuition fee support due to previous higher education study or because they already had an equivalent level qualification (ELQ).

A learner's entitlement to a write-off will not be affected if they suspend, repeat or transfer their higher education qualification. Only a withdrawal will affect entitlement.

In AY 2018/19, the Department of Health and Social Care stopped funding new students on postgraduate healthcare courses in England. Since then, the Department for Education (DfE) has provided support through us to eligible English domiciled students starting designated postgraduate healthcare courses.

Therefore, students with an ALL who complete a designated postgraduate healthcare course will now be eligible to have their ALL written off.