Period of eligibility
65.—(1) A student retains his or her status as an eligible distance learning student in connection with a designated distance learning course until the status terminates in accordance with this regulation and regulation 62.
(2) The period for which an eligible distance learning student retains his or her status is the “period of eligibility”.
(3) Subject to the following paragraphs and regulation 62, the period of eligibility terminates at the end of the academic year in which the eligible distance learning student completes the designated distance learning course.
(4) The period of eligibility terminates when the eligible distance learning student—
(a)withdraws from his or her designated distance learning course in circumstances where the Welsh Ministers have not transferred or converted or will not transfer or convert his or her status under regulation 73, 74, 75, or 98; or
(b)abandons or is expelled from his or her designated distance learning course.
(5) The Welsh Ministers may terminate the period of eligibility where the eligible distance learning student has shown himself or herself by his or her conduct to be unfitted to receive support.
(6) If the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that an eligible distance learning 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 Welsh Ministers may take such of the following actions as they consider 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 78.
(7) Where the period of eligibility terminates before the end of the academic year in which the eligible distance learning student completes the designated distance learning course the Welsh Ministers may, at any time, renew or extend the period of eligibility for such period as they determine.