STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE - Study · PDF fileSTUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE ... Refer to the table on page 2 to get an overview of Youth Allowance, ... CASE STUDIES 17. 2 Q

STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE{ FOR YOU THE CAREER ADVISOR TO ASSIST STUDENTS UNDERSTAND STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT PAYMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY }
WANT TO REFER YOUR STUDENT TO AN ONLINE SOURCE?
Send them to
www.studyassist.gov.au/sites/StudyAssist/StudentIncomeSupport
where they can use the
Student Income Support Eligibility Information Tool
that helps them understand what student income
support payments they may be eligible for.
http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/studentincomesupport/studentincomesupportsearch/pages/student-income-support-search

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STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE
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WHAT IS THIS GUIDE ABOUT?This guide aims to provide you with detailed information on student payments administered by the Department of Human Services (Human Services previously known as Centrelink) and to help you inform students who are, or who may be considering, undertaking tertiary study or an Australian Apprenticeship.
HOW DO I USE THIS GUIDE?Refer to the table on page 2 to get an overview of Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY payments and the main factors that impact on eligibility for each payment. [click here to see the overview table]
More detailed information can be found on each topic throughout the guide. To find out more information on a particular topic, click on the relevant links in the contents page.
This is to be used as a guide only and does not guarantee a students eligibility for a student payment.
WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION? Visit www.humanservices.gov.au
Call the Human Services Youth and Students Line on 132 490 (for Youth Allowance and Austudy) or 132 317 (for ABSTUDY)
TTY users telephone 1800 810 586 and request the phone number you wish to contact
Speak and listen users (speech-to-speech relay) telephone 1300 555 727 and request the phone number you wish to contact
Internet relay users visit the National Relay Service Website at http://www.relayservice.com.au/ and enter the phone number you wish to contact.
www.humanservices.gov.auhttp://www.relayservice.com.au

TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW 2
YOUTH ALLOWANCE 4
AUSTUDY 5
ABSTUDY 6
SCHOLARSHIPS 7
MORE INFORMATION 9
STUDY RULES 9
APPROVED COURSES 10
DETERMINING INDEPENDENCE 11
MEANS TESTING 12
EARNINGS AND THE STUDENT INCOME BANK 13
FAQS 14
CASE STUDIES 17

2
Q
OVERVIEW
YOUTH ALLOWANCE AUSTUDY ABSTUDY
DESCRIPTION Financial assistance for full-time students and Australian Apprentices aged 1624 years.
Financial assistance for full-time students or Australian Apprentices 25 years of age or older.
Financial assistance for Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and full-time Australian Apprentices.
STUDY RULES For tertiary students, full-time study is defined as at least of the standard full-time load.
Some concessional arrangements apply for certain students who do not meet the full-time study load criteria.
Students studying part-time may still be eligible for income support administered by Human Services. Part-time students are encouraged to talk to a Human Services Officer for more information on their eligibility.
For tertiary students, full-time study is defined as at least of the standard full-time load.
For tertiary students, full-time study is defined as at least of the standard full-time load.
Continued on next page
2
Q
WHAT STUDENT PAYMENTS ARE AVAILABLE?Full-time students and Australian Apprentices may be eligible for Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY
depending on their individual situation.
Please use the table below for more information on what a student may be eligible for.

3
YOUTH ALLOWANCE AUSTUDY ABSTUDY
DETERMINING INDEPENDENCE
Students under the age of 22 who do not meet the independent criteria will be deemed dependent.
Being dependent means that a students parents/guardians assets, income and expenditure may impact on their eligibility and rate of student payment.
There are many ways to demonstrate independence and different criteria apply for students in regional areas.
Not relevant.
All Austudy recipients are independent.
Students under the age of 22 who do not meet the independent criteria will be deemed dependent.
Being dependent means that a students parents/guardians assets, income and expenditure may impact on their eligibility and rate of student payment.
There are many ways to demonstrate independence and different criteria apply for students in regional, areas.
MEANS TESTING To determine eligibility or rate of payment, a students income and assets (and their partners if applicable) will be assessed.
Where a student is considered dependent, their parents/guardians income, assets and expenditure will be assessed to determine if they can financially support the student while they are studying.
Parental means testing generally does not apply to independent students.
To determine eligibility or rate of payment, a students income and assets (and their partners if applicable) will be assessed.
Parental means testing does not apply for Austudy.
To determine eligibility or rate of payment, a students income and assets (and their partners if applicable) will be assessed.
Where a student is considered dependent, their parents/guardians income, assets and expenditure will be assessed to determine if they can financially support the student while they are studying.
Parental means testing generally does not apply to independent students.
STUDENT START-UP SCHOLARSHIP
Eligible full-time higher education students undertaking an approved scholarship course may receive scholarship payments to help with the up-front costs of studying.
RELOCATION SCHOLARSHIP
Eligible full-time higher education students who are deemed as being dependent and who have to live away from home to study may be eligible for a Relocation Scholarship payment.
Also available to independent students under limited circumstances.
Does not apply. Eligible full-time higher education students who are deemed as being dependent and who have to live away from home to study may be eligible for a Relocation Scholarship payment.
Also available to independent students under limited circumstances.
EARNINGS AND THE STUDENT INCOME BANK
Full-time students can work and earn up to a fortnightly income free area of $400 before their student payment is reduced.
If any of the income free area is not used, it can be accumulated up to a maximum amount in a student income bank to offset times when income is earned above the income free area.

4
Full time students & Australian Apprentices
16 24 years
Fortnightly means-tested payment
YOUTH ALLOWANCE
Youth Allowance provides support for full-time students and Australian Apprentices aged 16-24 years who are in need of financial assistance to undertake secondary or tertiary education or training.
It is a means-tested, fortnightly payment administered by Human Services.
To lodge a Youth Allowance claim, the student must be an Australian resident and in Australia on the day on which they lodge their claim. To be paid Youth Allowance, they also need to have been in Australia as an Australian resident for at least two years (with some exceptions).
The amount of Youth Allowance the student receives depends on whether they are single, have a partner and/or child(ren), how much they (and their partner) earns, whether or not they are assessed as being dependent or independent or if they are living at or away from their parents home.
Assistance for students and Australian Apprentices aged 25 years or over is generally provided through Austudy. [click here to go to the Austudy page]
YOUTH ALLOWANCE FOR STUDENTS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE
If a student is under 18 years of age, they can only qualify for Youth Allowance under certain circumstances.
For example

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STUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE - Study · PDF fileSTUDENT INCOME SUPPORT GUIDE ... Refer to the table on page 2 to get an overview of Youth Allowance, ... CASE STUDIES 17. 2 Q