HEP bulletin - October 2026

You should submit registration confirmations as soon as your students have completed enrolment.

If you know they're no longer pursuing higher education, please submit a not registered confirmation. This should be submitted within 28 days of the course start date. This gives them time to register at a different university or college.

You can find guidance on registration in the Student Information Service (SIS) user guide.

Late changes to course information can impact students should they receive a new entitlement letter. This can increase contact to our helplines. For this reason, we ask you wherever possible to ensure your courses are correct first time.

If you need to amend a course you've already saved, email our Partners Support Desk at SSIN_queries@slc.co.uk. Send the details of the change as soon as you can and before you make any changes to CMS. You may also need to discuss actions with your Account Manager. This can include you writing to students to explain the change.

Transfer In process

We've updated SIS to allow providers to complete a Transfer In using the Customer Reference Number (CRN). This will allow greater flexibility when processing transfer requests. If you know the CRN, you no longer need to contact HEP Services to get the student's SSN before submitting the Transfer In Change of Circumstance (CoC).

We've introduced this change to:

• streamline the transfer process
• reduce administration
• help providers complete transfers more efficiently

Further information is available in the Transfer In CoC guidance within the SIS User Guide.

Welsh course designation changes for AY 2027/28

You should be aware of upcoming changes to Welsh higher education course designation arrangements for AY 2027/28 and AY 2028/29. The reforms will introduce a simpler designation framework. This will better align eligibility for Welsh student support with provider regulatory status. This includes:

• expanding automatic designation to most courses delivered by providers registered with Medr or the Office for Students (OfS)
• extending automatic designation to accredited English SCITT providers
• simplifying arrangements for franchised and partnership provision
• reducing the need for separate designation applications

These changes aim to reduce administrative burden. They should also provide more clarity and consistency across the sector.

These changes may affect providers across the UK where students receive Welsh student support. You should familiarise yourself with the new arrangements ahead of implementation. We'll go into further detail on the changes and their implications for providers during the upcoming webinar.

Bursary Administration Service (BAS) Levy 2 invoices

We'll shortly be issuing Levy 2 invoices for the BAS uplift. Invoices are scheduled for issue at the end of October. If your organisation requires a purchase order (PO) number to be quoted on invoices, you should ensure that you raise these in advance. You should email these to bursary_admin@slc.co.uk as soon as possible to avoid any delays in processing and payment.

Check SIS before contacting us

During peak periods, processing times can change. Please check SIS and the latest processing times before contacting HEP Services for an update.

We’re committed to giving providers a helpful and professional service. We recognise that queries can sometimes involve complex or challenging circumstances. We ask that you show the same professional courtesy to our colleagues when contacting us.

Thank you for helping us maintain positive and constructive conversations so that we can focus on resolving your queries effectively.