I recently saw an innovative approach to a tight funding cap. I won’t name the TEO in case they get investigated for some obscure procedural breach, but it seemed reasonable to me.

Since they’ve reached their funding cap, they are now going to enrol people in a similar, non-TEC-approved programme, with no access to funding, loans or allowances. As the students come close to completing the larger, recognised qual, they will be transferred into that programme (and will presumably be eligible for funding and student support for those last courses). It seems like a practical solution to me if students are willing to bear the cost and it should also help the organisation with its qualification completion rate, as only completing students are treated as a TEC-enrolled student. As long as they keep on meeting their financial targets (ie they don’t run a loss on the extra students), then it seems like a good idea.