Applications for support
77.—(1) A person must apply for support in connection with each academic year of a designated distance learning course by completing and submitting to the Welsh Ministers an application in such form as the Welsh Ministers may require.
(2) The application must be accompanied by—
(a)a declaration completed by the academic authority; and
(b)such additional documentation as the Welsh Ministers may require.
(3) The Welsh Ministers may take such steps and make such inquiries as they consider necessary to determine whether the applicant is an eligible distance learning student, whether the applicant qualifies for support under this Part and the amount of support payable, if any.
(4) The Welsh Ministers must notify the applicant of whether the applicant qualifies for support under this Part and, if the applicant does qualify, the amount of support payable in respect of the academic year, if any.
(5) Subject to paragraph (6), the application must reach the Welsh Ministers within a period of six months beginning with the first day of the academic year of the designated distance learning course in respect of which it is submitted.
(6) Paragraph (5) does not apply where—
(a)one of the events listed in paragraph (4) of regulation 70 occurs after the first day of the academic year in respect of which the applicant is applying for support under this Part, in which case the application must reach the Welsh Ministers within a period of six months beginning with the day on which the relevant event occurred;
(b)the applicant is applying for the grant for disabled distance learning students’ living costs, in which case the application must reach the Welsh Ministers as soon as is reasonably practicable; or
(c)the Welsh Ministers consider that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should be relaxed, in which case the application must reach the Welsh Ministers not later than such date as they specify.