The Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Period of eligibility

36.—(1) An eligible part-time student shall retain his status as an eligible part-time student for the duration of the period of eligibility.

(2) Subject to the following paragraphs, the “period of eligibility” in paragraph (1) runs until the end of the academic year in which the eligible part-time student completes his designated part-time course.

(3) The Department may, at any time, renew or extend the period of eligibility for such further period as it determines.

(4) The period of eligibility shall terminate when the eligible part-time student—

(a)withdraws from his designated part-time course in circumstances where the Department has not transferred or converted or will not transfer or convert his status under regulation 41 or 42; or

(b)abandons or is expelled from his designated part-time course.

(5) The Department may terminate the period of eligibility where the eligible part-time student has shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support.

(6) If the Department is satisfied that an eligible part-time student has failed to comply with any requirement to provide information under this Part or has provided information which is inaccurate in a material particular, the Department may take such of the following actions as it considers appropriate in the circumstances—

(a)terminate the period of eligibility;

(b)determine that the student no longer qualifies for any particular support or particular amount of support;

(c)treat any support paid to the student as an overpayment which may be recovered under regulation 45.