Applications

A student must make an application to be eligible and entitled to receive a Student Allowance. The application must be on a form approved for the purpose and submitted to MSD.

An application establishes the intent to apply for a Student Allowance. Seeking information about eligibility or entitlement, including completing the online eligibility tool, is not making an application.

MSD can require an applicant to provide information or evidence necessary to establish eligibility and entitlement. If an applicant does not provide any necessary information the application remains incomplete and then lapses at the end of the study period, or at the end of any further time granted to provide the information.

An application that lapses is not declined as no decisions have been made on the eligibility or entitlement of the applicant. There is no right of review or appeal in relation to an application that has lapsed.

When an application has lapsed or been declined, and the student subsequently wants to test their eligibility or entitlement for a period of study covered by the lapsed or declined application, or any later period of study, they must make a new application.

For more information see:

The date of application for a Student Allowance is the date the application is received by MSD.

Students are encouraged to submit their applications well before the start date of their course or when they would otherwise become eligible and/or entitled, even if they do not have all the required information or evidence available.

The date entitlement begins is the Monday of the week that a student's course starts when an application has been received in that week or before that week.

When an application is received after that week, entitlement begins from the Monday of the week in which it is received.

The date of entitlement for a change in circumstances begins from the Monday of the week in which the students' circumstances change.

The date entitlement ends (if not lost earlier) is either:

• on the Sunday of the last week in which the last examination of that course is held or
• on the Sunday of the week during which the study ends, if that study ends without an examination

A late application is generally only paid from the Monday of the week it was received.

However, payment may be made from an earlier date provided there are special circumstances that warrant an extension of time for making an application.

If special circumstances exist, the revised entitlement date will be the Monday of the week that the application would have been received.

This date cannot be any earlier than the Monday of the week in which the course of study commenced.

The special circumstances exception is an exercise of discretion.

Special circumstances may include:

• Did MSD significantly contribute to the delay or the reason for not making an application?

Do notes or correspondence indicate that the student was misinformed, or was there an unacceptable delay in providing information, advice or material to the student.

Has the student been on a benefit or Student Loan living costs and not been advised that they should have been on Student Allowance?

• Was there a significant event that has contributed to the delay in not making an application?

Medical - accident or health issues

Family - family breakdown or illness in the family

Civil Emergency

• Does the student have a significant psychological, physical or intellectual impairment that has contributed to the delay?
• Does the student have a significant language barrier that has contributed to the delay?

Special circumstances are situations that are beyond the student's control. Each case must be considered on its merits.

For more information see:

• Payments
• Obligations, offences and penalties

Any information or evidence required as part of an application must be provided before the end date of the course of study to which the application relates, unless there are special circumstances that justify a delay in providing the information. A later date must be specified and advised to the student.

A decision to allow further time to provide information or evidence must include a new deadline for providing the information or evidence.

Agreeing that special circumstances exist is an exercise of discretion.

An applicant must not be awarded a Student Allowance if they do not provide the required information or evidence, or they provide it after the required date.

The requirement for an applicant to sign their application fulfils two purposes:

• it assists in ensuring MSD can identify who is making the application and
• it is part of the declaration by the applicant that they have read and understood the information on the form, including any obligations they have agreed to, and the information they have provided is to the best of their knowledge, true and correct

In some cases MSD also requires signatures from partners, parents and/or witnesses.

When a student submits an application online, they are undertaking an electronic transaction using an electronic signature.

RealMe is a digital signature. It is a type of electronic signature that provides MSD with certainty the person using the digital signature is who they say they are.

It is also part of the declaration by the applicant that they have read and understood the information on the form, including any obligations they have agreed to, and the information they have provided is to the best of their knowledge, true and correct.