MS, Minister for Further and
Higher Education: I am today setting out the Welsh Government's
position regarding the temporary designation of performing arts
and related courses delivered by unregulated providers in England
for the 2026/27 academic year.
Under the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, Welsh Ministers
designate courses for student support where appropriate
regulatory assurance can be demonstrated. This protects both
students and public funding. The Welsh Government has a
longstanding policy that unregulated providers may seek specific
designation through due‑diligence undertaken by Medr.
In 2025/26, administrative weaknesses at some English providers
and in the wider franchising system led to Welsh students being
admitted onto non‑designated courses in error. Those students
required urgent intervention. In response, the Student Loans
Company has strengthened administrative processes, and
unregulated providers now understand that their franchised
courses are not designated for Welsh Government support.
However, I have heard very clearly how this is impacting on Welsh
learners and the opportunities available to them. The Welsh
Government has received significant representations from students
and providers in the performing arts sector, alongside a Senedd
petition exceeding 10,000 signatures. Many students have also
attended auditions or received conditional offers for academic
year 2026/27, unaware of the designation position.
In light of these circumstances and recognising the importance of
enabling students to access specialist provision where
appropriate, I have decided to adopt a temporary, specific
designation of identified performing arts and related courses at
unregulated providers in England for 2026/27.
This decision will:
- Assist students who may otherwise have to seek alternative
provision at a late stage in the audition and recruitment cycle.
- Allow temporary access to specialist or niche courses ahead
of the wider review of designation policy.
- Maintain parity with students at other specifically
designated providers, who receive support capped at the lower fee
rate (£6,525 in 2026/27).
- Limit public‑funding risk by adhering to the established
tuition‑fee cap applied to unregulated providers.
However, I must be clear that:
- This is an exceptional, one‑year, temporary measure.
- It does not replace or undermine the Medr due‑diligence
process, which remains the appropriate route for long‑term
designation.
- While the relevant providers remain unregulated and courses
undesignated, the Welsh Government will not be able to cover any
fee shortfall between the lower fee loan and the tuition fee
charged by the provider.
- This approach cannot be extended indefinitely.
For the longer term, we will need to make sure that this
situation does not arise again and are continuing to work with
Medr, SLC and stakeholders to avoid this situation in the
future. The UK Government is also planning to make changes
to designation policy, and we will need to take that into
account.
Students should apply for their student finance in the usual way
with support available from SLC.
