Pre-2005 PELS students

• you incurred a PELS debt for that course; and
• you have not discontinued your enrolment (What does it mean to discontinue my enrolment?); and
• you have not completed the requirements of your course.

You may also be a pre-2005 PELS student if you incurred a PELS debt for a different course to your current course. You must not have discontinued your enrolment for this to be the case. See What does it mean to discontinue my enrolment?.

If you accepted an offer to commence a postgraduate course of study in 2004, but deferred your studies without incurring a PELS debt on a census date in 2004, you are not a pre-2005 PELS student for that course. You will commence your studies under the new FEE-HELP arrangements.

If you began your course of study before 2005, for example in 2004, and incurred a PELS debt but then deferred your studies for 2005, you are a pre-2005 PELS student for the purposes of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA).