The Education (Student Support) (No. 2) Regulations 2002

Applications for support

31.—(1) A person shall apply for support in respect of an academic year of a part-time course (other than a course for the initial training of teachers) by completing and submitting to the Secretary of State an application in such form as he may require; and regulation 6 shall not apply to him in connection with his undertaking that course.

(2) The completed application form shall include among other things the following particulars:

(a) the applicant’s United Kingdom national insurance number, unless he does not have one;

(b) his most recent student loan account number, if any; and

(c) the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two persons who know the applicant.

(3) The applicant shall sign a declaration on the application form that—

(a) the particulars given in the application form are correct to the best of his knowledge and belief;

(b) he will notify the Secretary of State (or if a local education authority or any other person is exercising functions in relation to his application by virtue of a determination under section 23(1)(a) or 23(4) of the Act he will notify that authority or person) of any change in them;

(c) in the case of an application for a loan, he shall repay the amount lent to him, together with interest and applicable charges and penalties, in accordance with the Act and regulations made thereunder from time to time; and

(d) in the case of an application for a grant pursuant to regulation 32, he will if required to do so repay to the Secretary of State any amount paid to him which for whatever reason exceeds the amount of grant to which he is entitled under that regulation.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5) the application form must reach the Secretary of State not later than 6 months after the first day of the academic year of the course in which it is submitted, but where—

(a) the course becomes a designated part-time course after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Secretary of State not later than 6 months after the date on which the course was designated;

(b) the student, or his spouse or parent, is recognised as a refugee or has been granted leave to enter or remain as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1 after the first day of that academic year, the application must reach the Secretary of State not later than 6 months after the date of recognition or the date leave was granted respectively; or

(c) the Secretary of State considers that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should be relaxed, the application must reach the Secretary of State not later than such date as he specifies.

(5) Where an eligible part-time student is applying for support under regulation 32 the application form must reach the Secretary of State as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(6) An applicant shall demonstrate his eligibility for support by providing such evidence as the Secretary of State may require; and the Secretary of State may take such steps and make such inquiries as he considers necessary to determine whether the applicant is eligible for support.

(7) If the Secretary of State considers that the applicant is eligible for the support for which he has applied under this Part he shall—

(a) where the application is the first to be made in connection with the applicant’s undertaking the part-time course, notify him of the fact that the applicant is an “eligible part-time student” and is eligible for the support for which he has applied; and

(b) in respect of any subsequent application notify him that he is eligible for the support for which he has applied.