S.L. 605.6 Art. 4Eligibility for the students’ maintenancegrants 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.