(1) A person who receives a notice under section 12F stating that the person is an eligible student in respect of a year or part of a year, is entitled to apply for the whole or part of the financial supplement he or she is eligible to obtain in respect of the year or part of the year. To obtain financial supplement, the person must apply in accordance with this section.
(2) The person may obtain the financial supplement if the person applies for it while the person is an eligible student in respect of the year or part of the year, as the case requires.
(3) The person may also obtain the financial supplement if:
(a) the person was an eligible student during the year or part of the year, as the case requires; and
(b) the person applies for financial supplement before the end of the calendar year in respect of which, or a part of which, the person was eligible for financial supplement; and
(c) in the opinion of the Secretary, the person:
(i) had taken all reasonable steps to apply for the financial supplement while still an eligible student in respect of the year or part of the year and had been prevented from applying during the year or part of the year (as the case requires) only because of circumstances beyond his or her control; and
(ii) had taken steps to apply for financial supplement in respect of the year or part of the year as soon as practicable after ceasing to be an eligible student.
(4) An application for financial supplement must be made by lodging the form of application, duly completed, together with the notice issued under section 12F, at any office of a participating corporation.
(5) The Secretary must notify an applicant under subsection (3) and the corporation of a decision made under that subsection in respect of the applicant.