Source of Funding codes

This is a technical change that will help manage eligibility to Student Allowances and Loans for students completing Youth Guarantee programmes and fees-free level 1 and 2 qualifications.

This requirement follows the decision made by Cabinet in August 2013 to extend eligibility for the Youth Guarantee programme to include students aged 18 and 19 years old.

All education providers, electronic VoS and SMS Vendors have now been advised of the changes and requirements. We have also presented these changes at the recent TEC Roadshows in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland where we had the opportunity to further discuss the changes with attendees.

We will continue working with education providers and SMS vendors on the technical changes and will be communicating testing requirements shortly.

What you need to know:

• The SoF code must be provided with all VoS responses for study starting on or after 1 January 2015.
• Study starting 2014 does not require SoF code.
• Testing of these changes with SMS vendors or education providers is scheduled to commence from early August 2014.
• Education providers need to be ready to provide SoF codes to StudyLink by 19 November 2014, when the six-week VoS lead period for 2015 study begins.

The VoS Rules and Processes document, as well as the VoS Technical Guide will also be updated as part of this project. All education providers will receive the updated versions when they are available.

If you need more information about the SoF change or have any questions, please email the project team at StudyLink_ChangeSupport@msd.govt.nz.