To be entitled to redress under the scheme, a person must make an application for it. To be valid, the application must comply with the requirements set out in section   19 (e.g. it must include any information required by the Operator).

Once the application is made, the Operator can request the person and participating institutions to provide further information to the Operator for the purposes of determining the application (see sections   24 and 25).

A person can make only one application for redress under the scheme. Whether the application is successful or unsuccessful, the person will not be able to make another application for redress under the scheme (unless the person withdraws the application before the Operator makes a determination about whether or not to approve it). There are certain circumstances where a person cannot make an application for redress. These circumstances are set out in section   20.

The Operator must make a determination to approve, or not approve, the application as soon as practicable. If the Operator considers there is a reasonable likelihood that the person is eligible for redress, then the Operator must approve the application and make a number of other important determinations under subsection   29(2). For example, the Operator must make a determination about which participating institutions are responsible for the abuse and therefore liable for providing redress to the person. The Operator must also make a determination about the amount of the redress payment that is payable to the person, as well as the amount of the counselling and psychological component of redress for the person.

The Operator must give the person written notice of the Operator's determination on the application. The notice must state whether or not the application has been approved, the reasons for the determination and that the person may apply for review of the determination. The Operator must also give written notice of the determination to the participating institutions that are specified in the determination (such as the responsible institutions). If the application is approved, the Operator must also give written notice to any funders of last resort that are specified in the determination.

If the Operator has approved the application, the Operator must also give the person an offer of redress with the notice. (Offers and acceptance of redress are dealt with in Part   2 - 4.)