STUDENTS MAINTENANCE GRANTS REGULATIONS

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 605.06

STUDENTS MAINTENANCE GRANTS

REGULATIONS

20th September, 2016

LEGAL NOTICE 308 of 2016, as amended by Legal Notices 320 of 2021

5 of 2022 and 159 and 228 of 2023.

The title of these regulations is the Students Maintenance

Grants Regulations.

Amended by

L.N. 320 of 2021;

L.N. 159 of 2023.

Part I - Students in Post-Secondary and Vocational Education Training Courses

1. A fixed rate of €86.85 per four weeks payable between the 1st October and

the 30th June of the scholastic/academic year is deemed as the normal stipend

Provided that stipend rates are revised every calendar year according to the COLA

increase.

2. In the case of students attending courses at the Malta College of Arts,

Science and Technology, a fixed rate of €86.85 per four weeks is payable between

the 1st October and the 30th June.

3. €232.94 are made available every year to partly cover expenses related to

educational material and equipment.

4. An additional supplementary maintenance grant of €74.50 every four weeks

shall be paid in terms of regulation 6

Provided that students who progress to a top-up degree course at the Malta

College of Arts, Science and Technology will have €465.87 made available every

year in which they follow a top-up degree course, instead of €232.94, to partly cover

expenses related to educational material and equipment and a one time grant of

€465.87.

For the purpose of this Part of the Schedule, the approved Post-Secondary,

Vocational Education & Training Institutions are the following

De La Salle College (Sixth form)

Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School

Junior College, University of Malta

St Aloysius College (Sixth Form)

Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology

Mikiel Ang Refalo Upper Lyceum Gozo

Verdala International School

St. Martin’s College, Swatar

St. Edward’s College, Cottonera

Seminarju Maġġuri, Gozo

Malta Youth Ballet Foundation ("Diploma in Professional Dance")

Jobsplus

GEM 16+ Educational Programme

Aġenzija Żgħażagħ

Provided that students attending the ETC Job Bridge shall be automatically

eligible for the normal stipend and the supplementary grant but shall not be eligible

for the one time grant for the time established by the ETC as approved by the Board.

Part II - Students in University of Malta Courses

A.

General Degree Courses (Level 5 upwards)

1. Except for students following prescribed courses listed hereunder, a fixed

rate of €86.85 as normal stipend every four weeks payable between the 1st October

and the 30th of June.

2. A sum of €465.87 per academic year to partly cover expenses related to

educational material and equipment.

3. A one-time grant of €465.87.

B.

Certificate and Diploma Courses (Level 5)

Students who, under the terms of these regulations, are following a full-time day

certificate or diploma course at the University of Malta, qualify for the following

maintenance grant for the duration of the course of their studies

1. A fixed rate of €86.85 every four weeks between the 1st October and the

30th of June as normal stipend.

2. A sum of €465.87 per academic year to partly cover expenses related to

educational material and equipment.

Students following a level 4 certificate course may be entitled to the same grants as

those indicated in Part I of this Schedule, as determined by the Board.

C.

Preparatory Programmes

Students who follow preparatory programmes shall only be eligible to the stipend

rates and yearly grant indicated in the respective sections mentioned above, unless the

Board determines otherwise.

D.

Supplementary Maintenance Grant

University students who become entitled to a supplementary maintenance grant in

terms of regulation 6 shall be paid the following, instead of the amounts provided for

in Sections A and B of this Part

(a) students attending general degree, diploma and certificate courses

(i) €291.62 every four weeks;

(ii) €582.34 per annum;

(iii) a one-time grant of €582.34;

(b) students attending prescribed courses

(i) €291.62 every four weeks;

(ii) €698.81 per annum;

(iii) a one-time grant of €698.81.

Part III - Prescribed Courses

Students who, under the terms established in these regulations, are following a full-

time course leading to a full qualification at Level 4 or higher of the Malta Qualification

Framework at the University of Malta or at MCAST as prescribed shall qualify for

the following maintenance grant for the duration of the course of their studies

1. A fixed rate of €151.99 every four weeks payable from the commencement

till the end of the academic year is deemed as the normal stipend.

2. A sum of €698.81 per academic year to partly cover expenses related to

educational material and equipment.

3. A one-time grant of €698.81.

The prescribed courses are those published by the Board on a yearly basis.

Part IV - Single Parents in receipt of Social Assistance

Course leading to qualification leading Maximum Amount of Grant Payable in

to accreditation level

Euro

1,000

Part V - Rates

All rates listed under this Schedule are updated, following approval by the

Minister for Education and the Minister for Finance, and are published by the Board

on a yearly basis.

Part VI - Apprenticeship

Stu de nt s fo l lo wi n g co ur s e s w h ic h in vo l ve a co m p ul s or y a pp r e n ti ces hip

component are to receive a total amount, when including maintenance grants (any

type of grant) and the employer’s grant, in line with article 15(1) of the Work-Based

Learning and Apprenticeship Act.

The Board shall publish the workings of how the amount is worked out.

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires -

"the Board" means the Students’ Maintenance Grants Board set

up in terms of Part III;

"educational institutions" means the institutions referred to in

Parts I and II of the Schedule;

"educational level" means the Malta Qualification Framework

level as determined by the National Commission for Further and

Higher Education or any other authorised body;

"further and higher education" means courses followed in post

s e c o n d a r y, v o c a t i o n a l a n d t e r t i a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s i n c l u d i n g

apprenticeship courses;

"maintenance grants" means the financial benefits rewarded to

full-time post secondary, vocational and tertiary students including

students following an apprenticeship course, as outlined in the

Schedule;

"the Minister" means the Minister responsible for Education.

(1) Save as provided hereunder, these regulations shall

apply to full-time post secondary, vocational and tertiary courses

including apprenticeship courses.

(2) Full-time students who follow a course of further and, or

higher education in accordance with these regulations after

finishing their obligatory secondary education and who progress in

their level of studies in any educational institution shall be entitled

to receive the students’ maintenance grants as provided that they

apply on their first year of studies at every institution or course for

the students’ maintenance grants and are considered to be eligible

in accordance with these regulations

Provided that the Students Maintenance Grants Board may

issue guidelines on the application process.

Part I - Eligibility for the Students’ Maintenance Grants by students

following a higher educational course

(1) The students’ maintenance grants shall be awarded to

full-time students who are registered and accepted to follow a full-

time course as regular students for a day course in higher education

institutions as approved by the Minister, after application on a

yearly basis and acceptance, and comprising students admitted

through the maturity clause in accordance with educational

institutions’ regulations, and who

(a) are Maltese citizens, or have at least one parent being a

Maltese citizen; or are nationals of a European Union

and, or European Economic Area State or a family

member of such European Union and, or European

Economic Area national (as defined in the Free

Movement of European Union Nationals and their

Family Members Order and in the Immigration

Regulations, respectively for a European Union and

European Economic Area nationals) (provided that

such person has obtained permanent residence in

Malta in accordance with the Free Movement of

European Union Nationals and their Family Members

Order and with the Immigration Regulations

respectively for European Union and European

Economic Area nationals); or be a national of a

European Union and, or European Economic Area

State who is in Malta exercising his Treaty rights as a

worker, self-employed person or person retaining such

status in accordance with the Free Movement of

European Union Nationals and their Family Members

Order; or be a third country national that has been

granted refugee and, or long term residence status

under the Status of Long-term Residents (Third

Country Nationals) Regulations or a person having the

same rights as a European Union national under the

agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European

Union and the European Atomic Energy Community;

and

(b) have resided in Malta for a period of not less than five

consecutive years immediately prior to the

commencement of the relative course of studies

Provided that for the sole purpose of calculating the

five consecutive years requirement under these

regulations, any period of time during which the

student would have been residing outside Malta due to

medical treatment or any other purpose that the Board

may consider acceptable shall not be considered as

residing outside Malta

Provided further that for any period of time for any

other purpose not considered acceptable, the Board shall

consider a trip outside Malta of more than six (6) months

absence in a year or an aggregate of ten (10) months

absence in the whole five (5) years as having interrupted

the five (5) year residency requirement; and

(c) have completed their term of compulsory education;

and

(d) are attending the higher education course regularly and

making satisfactory progress; and

(e) are not in full-time employment or in part-time

employment working more than thirty (30) hours a

week; and

(f)

are progressing in their level of studies.

Progression of level of studies shall be determined

according to the Malta Qualification Framework levels

as established by the National Commission for Further

and Higher Education or any other competent body.

(2) Non-Maltese and, or Non-EU citizen students applying for

maintenance grants shall, upon application for a programme or

course of study within their institution, apply for an exemption of

fees at the Ministry, following approval of which they may be

considered eligible for the students’ maintenance grants.

(1) Students who qualify and continue to be eligible for the

students’ maintenance grants under these regulations shall received

the maintenance grant as prescribed in Part I of the Schedule. The

yearly grant and the one time grant for degree courses shall be

remunerated at the beginning of the scholastic year. There shall

also be ten four weekly consecutive pays for each academic year

which includes the Christmas and Easter recesses but excludes the

Summer recess.

(2) Where the structure of a particular course so warrants, such as

in the case of students following an apprenticeship course, or a course

having a summer semester, the Board may approve the payment of the

four (4) weekly students’ maintenance grant, and where applicable, the

supplementary grant, and, or the apprenticeship special stipend, during

the summer recess.

(1) Students who qualify for the students’ maintenance

grants under regulation 4 and who, due to proven hardship and, or

humanitarian situations, are deemed by the Board to qualify for the

supplementary maintenance grant, shall receive an additional grant

to the four weekly stipend in accordance with the rates indicated in

Part I of the Schedule.

(2) The Board shall determine the eligibility of the application

for the supplementary maintenance grants by means testing, on an

academic yearly basis. Due consideration shall also be given to the

number of persons in the same household who are still pursuing

their education.

(3) The Board shall have the right to waive the means testing

with respect to

(a) students with physical and, or intellectual disability,

after ascertaining the level of disability through

documentation issued by authorised bodies; and, or

(b) students who are residing in residential care.

The Minister may, in concurrence with the Minister for

Finance, determine those courses at Further and Higher Education

level as prescribed courses and for which a special rate of students’

maintenance grant is to be paid as published by the Board.

The Minister may, in concurrence with the Minister for

Finance, determine which courses at higher education level are to

be regarded as high priority courses and for which a special rate of

students’ maintenance grant is to be paid as published by the

Board.

A student who qualifies for the students’ maintenance

grants under regulation 4 and is a single parent in receipt of social

assistance in accordance with the Social Security Act shall be also

eligible for a grant in accordance with the rates established in Part

IV of the Schedule.

Part II - General Provisions for Eligibility for the Students’

Maintenance Grants and the forfeiture including

reimbursement thereof

Students who are in full-time employment, part-time self-

employed or part-time employment of more than thirty (30) hours a

week or on paid leave by their respective employer, or who accept

an offer to enter into a contract with an employer whereby they

bind themselves to work for that employer following the

completion of their course, and who would therefore benefit from a

pay or an agreed remuneration whilst following the course of

studies, will not be considered eligible for the students’

maintenance grants

Provided that the Board may request students to present

acceptable evidence for the above, such as a contract of work, a pay

slip, a declaration from an employer or an affidavit.

(1)

Students who are required to repeat one year of the

course of studies they are following or who are accepted by the

relative educational institution to pursue an extension year or an

additional year in which they are required to attend for the course

of studies regularly, are to receive during the repeat year, the

extension year or the additional year, the four (4) weekly stipend or

part thereof in accordance with categories established by the Board

according to the hours of attendance

Provided that students who repeat a year of their chosen

course of studies or pursue an extension year or an additional year

may still apply for the supplementary grant

Provided further that students who repeat a year of their

chosen course of studies or pursue an extension year or an additional

year shall not be eligible for the annual grant.

(2) Students following a revision course at any post-secondary

educational institution shall be considered as repeaters for the

purpose of these regulations and shall receive, apart from the four (4)

weekly stipend, the initial grant or part thereof if any refund due has

been effected.

(1) Students whose progression in their course of studies,

as assessed through periodical assessment procedures established

by the relative educational institution, is deemed to be

unsatisfactory, or who are not attending their course regularly, shall

forfeit the right to receive the students’ maintenance grants or part

thereof until such time the relative educational institution certifies

that the students have resumed attending regularly and are making

satisfactory progress.

(2) Students who resign, fail or do not abide by the course

regulations shall be obliged to refund the initial yearly grant

received for that course of studies and the one time grant received

for degree courses if it be the case, or part thereof, in accordance

with determined criteria established by the Board.

(3) Students who abandon the course without officially resigning

shall be bound to reimburse to the Government all of the initial yearly

grant, the one time grant received for that course of studies in case of

degree courses and all the four (4) weekly payments, unless it is

proved to the satisfaction of the Board that the student had

discontinued to attend the course of studies at a determined date.

(4) Students who receive any amount which was not due to

them as students’ maintenance grants shall be bound to repay the

Government of Malta that amount as may be determined by the

respective authorities

Provided that the Board shall have the right to withhold any

future maintenance grants for students who have pending

established overpayments and who have not sought an agreement

regarding reimbursement of overpayments with the Ministry for

Education.

(5) Any action to be taken under this regulation shall be barred

by a prescriptive period of five years.

Students pursuing a second or subsequent course at a lower

recognised level or after having completed or partially followed

another course of studies at the same level shall not be entitled to

receive the students’ maintenance grants for that period of time that

is equivalent to the period spent in the previous course of studies, if

for that previous course of studies they were in receipt of the

students’ maintenance grants. These students shall during their

second or subsequent course only be entitled to the students’

maintenance grants for the remaining period of time after

term in at ion of th e period of the prev ious co urse or for th e

difference in the amount of students’ maintenance grants if, for the

second or subsequent course, the amount of students’ maintenance

grants due is higher

Provided that the following instances shall not be deemed

to fall within the ambit of this regulation, namely

(a) a one time shift from one educational course to another

STUDENTS MAINTENANCE GRANTS

for every student who fails to complete a course of

studies and opts to start another course at the same level

or lower;

(b) progression for a course of a recognized higher level

than that previously completed or partially followed;

(c) a postgraduate course required as a pre-requisite for the

purpose of obtaining a warrant to practise a profession,

which may include, as part of it, an unrated preparatory

programme, if the student was not in receipt of the

students’ maintenance grants at the same level;

(d) students who pursue the Doctor of Medicine course

after having completed or partially followed a degree

course

Provided also that students who pursue the Bachelor

of Science (Honours) in Medical Sciences (Intercalated

Year) and students who, after following this course,

continue their studies as third year students in the Doctor

of Medicine course shall be eligible to receive the

maintenance grant

Provided further that students pursuing a second

course, determined as a vocational course, at the Malta

College of Arts, Science and Technology and which

course is classified up to Level 4, after having

completed or partially completed another course at

that same level or higher at any other education

institution, and thus going down the level, will be

considered eligible for the initial grant only

Provided further that the Minister may, after

recommendation by the Board, order the remuneration

of the students’ maintenance grants to a student who

is, according to these regulations, not eligible to

receive the students’ maintenance grants due to special

exceptional circumstances.

Part III - Establishment of the Students’ Maintenance Grants

Board.

There shall be a Students’ Maintenance Grants Board which

shall manage the allocation of the students’ maintenance grants and

to advise the Minister on policy issues related to these grants.

(1) The Board shall be appointed by the Minister for a

duration of three (3) years, which may be further extended, and

shall be composed of

(a) a Chairperson;

(b) a member nominated by the Minister;

(c) a member nominated by the Minister for Finance;

(d) a member nominated by Jobsplus;

(e) a member nominated by the Rector of the University

of Malta;

(f)

a member nominated by the Principal of the Malta

College of Arts, Science and Technology;

(g) a member nominated

by

the

Kunsill

Studenti

Universitarji; and

(h) a member nominated by the Kunsill Studenti MCAST.

(2) The Minister shall also appoint a person to act as Secretary

to the Board and shall ensure the necessary levels of administrative

personnel that will enable the Board to fulfil its duties effectively

and efficiently.

(3)

Members of the Board shall be eligible for re-appointment.

(4) (a) The Board shall meet as often as may be necessary or

expedient, but in no case less frequently than once every month.

(b) The Board shall not act unless a quorum consisting of

not less than half the number of members is present.

(c) The meetings of the Board shall be chaired by the

chairperson or, in his absence, by another member delegated by the

chairperson.

(d) Decisions where no consensus is reached shall be taken

by a majority of the votes of the members present and voting and in

the case of an equality of votes the chairperson shall have and

exercise a second or casting vote.

(e) Where a member is absent, without justification, for three

(3) consecutive meetings, the Board shall inform the Minister who

may proceed to replace the said member.

The functions of the Board shall be to

(a) manage and monitor the effective allocation and

payment of students’ maintenance grants;

(b) formulate and regularly review procedures regarding

the assessment, allocation, payment and entitlements

for the receipt of maintenance grants;

(c) establish the criteria and assess, decide and review

applications for the supplementary maintenance

grants;

(d) establish the criteria and assess, decide and review

applications under any other scheme as may be

assigned by the Minister from time to time;

(e) consider reports received from the competent

educational authorities regarding the students’

academic progress and apply sanctions when the

minimum requirements are not achieved;

(f)

oversee the management and payments of the students’

maintenance grants and take all necessary actions to

recover any overpaid grants;

(g) plan and implement in a cost effective manner any

students’ work experience scheme that the Minister

may, from time to time, decide to provide;

(h) recommend changes to the national policy on further

and higher education financial support;

(i)

conduct checks with other authorities on the

documents and the veracity of information supplied by

applicants; and

(j)

issue and publish guidelines on the application and

administration of these regulations.