48.—(1) An eligible postgraduate student shall retain his status as an eligible postgraduate student for the duration of the period of eligibility.
(2) Subject to the following paragraphs, the “period of eligibility” in paragraph (1) is equal to the period ordinarily required for the completion of the designated postgraduate course.
(3) The Secretary of State may, at any time, renew or extend the period of eligibility for such further period as she determines.
(4) The period of eligibility shall terminate when the eligible postgraduate student—
(a)withdraws from his designated postgraduate course in circumstances where the Secretary of State has not transferred or will not transfer his status as an eligible postgraduate student to another course under regulation 49; or
(b)abandons or is expelled from his designated postgraduate course.
(5) The Secretary of State may terminate the period of eligibility where the eligible postgraduate student has shown himself by his conduct to be unfitted to receive support.
(6) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that an eligible postgraduate 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 Secretary of State may take such of the following actions as she considers appropriate in the circumstances—
(a)terminate the period of eligibility;
(b)determine that the student no longer qualifies for a grant or any particular amount of grant;
(c)treat any support paid to the student as an overpayment which may be recovered under regulation 54.