PART 3APPLYING FOR SUPPORT
Applications for a postgraduate doctoral degree loan
9.—(1) A person does not qualify for a postgraduate doctoral degree loan as an eligible student in relation to a designated course unless the person makes an application for that loan.
(2) An application under paragraph (1) must—
(a)be in such form and contain such information as the Welsh Ministers may specify;
(b)be accompanied by such documentation as the Welsh Ministers may require; and
(c)reach the Welsh Ministers within the time limit specified in regulation 11.
Welsh Ministers’ decision on an application
10.—(1) The Welsh Ministers may take such steps and make such inquiries as they think necessary to make a decision on an application under regulation 9.
(2) Those steps may include requiring the applicant to provide such further information or documentation as the Welsh Ministers may require.
(3) The Welsh Ministers must notify the applicant of a decision on an application under regulation 9.
Time limits
11.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3), an application under regulation 9 must reach the Welsh Ministers no later than the end of the ninth month of the academic year of the course in which the ordinary period of registration ends.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), an application to amend the amount of the postgraduate doctoral degree loan under regulation 13(3) must reach the Welsh Ministers no later than the end of the ninth month of the academic year of the course in which the ordinary period of registration ends.
(3) Paragraphs (1) or (2) do not apply where the Welsh Ministers consider that having regard to the circumstances of the particular case the time limit should not apply, in which case the application must reach the Welsh Ministers not later than such date as they specify in writing.
Requirement to enter into a contract for a loan
12.—(1) An eligible student may not receive a postgraduate doctoral degree loan unless the student enters into a contract for the loan with the Welsh Ministers.
(2) The contract—
(a)must be in such form and on such terms, and
(b)may be required to be signed in such manner (including electronically),
as the Welsh Ministers specify.
(3) The contract may require the eligible student to repay a postgraduate doctoral degree loan by a particular method.
(4) Where the Welsh Ministers have required the student’s agreement as to the method of repayment, they may withhold any payment of postgraduate doctoral degree loan until the student provides what has been requested.