Processing end of course reviews for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and PES students 110-07040010

8 weeks before the ABSTUDY Student End Date and 4 weeks before the ABSTUDY PES or PES Student End Date, an end of course review (SY075) form is sent. For continuation of PES or ABSTUDY, details need to be provided on the (SY075).

ABSTUDY PES students who transferred to JobSeeker Payment (JSP) from Parenting Payment Single (PPS) due to their youngest child turning 16 years of age will no longer qualify for ABSTUDY PES on completion of their current course. They will be eligible to attract PES while a single principal carer on JSP until their child turns 16.

For PES students, if the new course is a short course (less than 30 weeks full-time) they must reclaim unless:

• the course is part of an articulated short course sequence, or
• the student's previous course was a long course

The SY075 can be accepted as a new claim if it is lodged:

• using the manage their study details online service
• at a service centre
• by Upload documents service, or
• by post or by fax, and
• no earlier than 13 weeks before the qualification start date for the new course

In certain circumstances, the SY075 can be used as an abridged claim if lodged within 52 weeks of last receiving PES.

How has the End of Course review (SY075) form been returned?

• ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES student has contacted a smart centre, go to Step 2
• SY075 has been received at the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing team or PES Smart Centre, go to Step 4

Is the student able to give full details of the new course?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, tell them that once they have all the details they can:
• view and manage their study details online if they are registered for Online Accounts and are authenticated
• lodge the completed SY075 form using Upload documents service
• attend a service centre
• phone the agency
• post or fax the details

If the student needs to reclaim (for example, PES student going from 1 short course to another short course) they must return the SY075. Details from the SY075 taken over the telephone does not constitute a claim.

Complex issues for example start dates, allowable time calculation and course pending approval etc. should be referred to specialist teams:

• For ABSTUDY PES:
• refer to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing team
• send a Fast Note - ABSTUDY action request to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Service team
• include details of the complex issue
• select Auto text > Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Update > ABSTUDY Study Update Required > Confirm, or
• For PES:
• refer to the PES Smart Centre
• send a Fast Note - PES action request to the PES Smart Centre Processing Service team. \
• include details of the complex issue.
• select Auto text > Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Pensioner Education Supplement > PES Study Update Action DOC > Confirm

Procedure ends here.

The customer is able to verbally give the full details of the new course.

Has the student indicated they intend to continue study in the next available study period?

• Yes, see Table 2, Step 1
• No, see Table 2, Step 3

Has the student completed all necessary details on the form correctly, including the full details of the new course?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

Try to call the student on the phone, confirm their identity, and collect the necessary details over the phone. If the contact is:

• successful, go to Step 6
• unsuccessful, ask for the necessary details – see Requesting information (CLK). Then, if the SY075 has not been signed, and is needed to be used as a reclaim, either:
• include a copy of the SY075, asking the customer to sign and return
• tell the student to use the Manage study details option online if they are registered for Online Accounts and are authenticated

Note: if the course end date is reached within the 21 day review period, the payment will automatically cancel. It can be restored when the details are received. See Restoration of ABSTUDY payments, or Restoration of PES and ABSTUDY PES payments.

Record action taken on a Note/DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Has the student indicated they intend to continue study in the available study period?

Note: the SY075 is approved as an abridged claim form for the purposes of PES students moving between courses where there is a gap in entitlement of no more than 52 weeks.

• Yes, see Table 2, Step 1
• No, see Table 2, Step 3

Starting a 'new course' includes:

• starting a course of the same name at a different institution, or
• starting a course at a different study level

Note: if the previous course was a short course (unless articulated short course rules apply), the student cannot be considered a continuing student. The student will have to reclaim PES. If the customer completed their SY075 using the manage their study details online service or completed and signed their SY075, it can be considered an abridged claim, see Assessing claim for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

If the student is:

• starting a new course, go to Step 2
• continuing in the same course, go to Step 6

PES students who will not start the new course within 13 weeks of the current Student End Date must lodge a new PES claim. The new PES claim must be lodged within 13 weeks of the new course start date.

Tell the student that they are able to claim:

• online using Online Services
• verbally using Assisted Customer Claim (ACC)
• by submitting a Pensioner Education Supplement paper claim form (SY004):
• customers can download the form from the Services Australia website
• staff can issue the form using the Mail Forms workflow (first select the qualifying payment for PES, then search for SY004 form)

Decide if the student has continued entitlement to payments for their new course.

Students who intend on studying a Startup Year course, to be considered a continuing student must:

• be enrolled in the course
• have been selected for a STARTUP-HELP loan, and
• have their START-HELP loan verified

See Startup Year Courses for more information.

If a student has not enrolled in a Startup Year Course as they are waiting approval for a STARTUP-HELP loan, they may wish to provide advice on another course they intend to enrol in, if not approved.

Note: if there is a gap in entitlement of less than 52 weeks, assess the SY075 as an abridged claim, see Assessing claim for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

For ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES, see:

• Study requirements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES
• Determining progress and duration of assistance for ABSTUDY
• Calculating the start day for PES and ABSTUDY PES

For PES, see:

• Qualifying study for PES
• Determining allowable time/reasonable time for a course of study
• Calculating the start day for PES and ABSTUDY PES

If a student advises of studying by either distance education or flexible learning, make sure the minimum workload criteria have been met.

Note: a PES new claim cannot be actioned while PES is still current. If the SY075 has been returned before the end date of entitlement of the current course, hold the PES new claim activity until the end of the entitlement period + one day, and record a DOC, then use the Fast Note – select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Pensioner Education Supplement > PES Study Update Action Doc.

Is the student entitled to payments for their new course?

• Yes, and they are or were receiving:
• PES, go to Step 4
• ABSTUDY or ABSTUDY PES, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 7

If a student is not continuing their study, their payment will automatically cancel when the course end date is reached.

A letter is automatically sent telling the student their payment has been cancelled and about their right to review and appeal.

If the student says they will stop studying on a different date from the course end date on SY075, update this detail in either Process Direct or Customer First, as shown below.

Note: for the appropriate date for coding the cancellation, see Deferring or discontinuing study before end of course for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Process Direct:

• Go to the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen
• Select Edit. On the Change Education Details screen, update the Course End Date and Student End Date fields. Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Change the following fields on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen
• Inst Course End Date
• Student End Date

Procedure ends here.

Student is entitled to payments and receiving or was receiving PES.

For help in processing the review, see:

• Coding education details
• Coding ABSTUDY education details
• Calculating the start day for PES and ABSTUDY PES
• Qualifying study for PES

Note: refer complex issues (for example allowable time discrepancies, course pending approval etc.) to the PES Smart Centre, send a Fast Note - ABSTUDY action request to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Service team. Include details of the complex issue. Select Auto text > Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Pensioner Education Supplement > PES Study Update Action Doc > Confirm.

If the student indicated they are studying by distance education or flexible learning, ensure the Mode of Study: field on the EDC screen is coded as 'EXT'.

Key the new study details in either:

Process Direct:

• Key START in the Super Key and select the Study and Scholarship Details workflow from the Task Selector
• Select Customer Study Details. Select Start
• Select Add. On the Create Education Details screen key the new study details
• Code appropriate Mode of Study from the drop-down list
• Select INT – Internal,
• DIS-Distant Education
• FLX-Flexible Learning
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Code the new study details on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen
• See Coding education details and Coding ABSTUDY education details

Note: If the customer has a benefit status of CAN/EDR, on the Benefit Action (BA) screen restore ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES. Do this in either:

Process Direct:

• Go to the BA screen within the transaction
• Select Add and update the fields below on the Create Benefit Action screen
• Benefit Type Code: select from the dropdown menu
• Benefit Action: RES – Restore
• Date of Effect: key the date
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Go to the BA screen
• see Restoration of Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and ABSTUDY PES

Procedure ends here.

Student is entitled to payments and receiving or was receiving ABSTUDY or ABSTUDY PES. Key new study details in either:

Process Direct:

• Go to the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen
• Select Add. On the Create Education Details screen, key the new study details
• See Coding ABSTUDY education details for help
• for ABSTUDY students, there are specific coding requirements for paying ABSTUDY students over a vacation break
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Key new study details on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen
• See Coding education details and Coding ABSTUDY education details if necessary
• for ABSTUDY students, there are specific coding requirements for paying ABSTUDY students over a vacation break

For ABSTUDY Living Allowance students only, once the script has updated the study details it will identify if the student qualifies for Relocation Scholarship (RS). If so, the script will need the Service Officer to key family home address details for the student to decide the correct rate of RS.

• To code the Regional Location Details (RLD) screen see Relocation Scholarship (RS) - payment and coding
• Consider the impact of the change in study details upon other aspects of their entitlement

For example:

• Does the Away from home rate for ABSTUDY start/stop/continue being payable?
• Does an ABSTUDY secondary school boarding student need the board and tuition charges at the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen to be end dated?
• Does the student start/stop/continue being entitled to Fares Allowance?
• Does the payment destination have to be updated? For example, if the student is now a tertiary student, payments must be made to their own bank account

Take any appropriate action and record details on a Note/DOC.

Note: If the customer has a benefit status of CAN/EDR, on the Benefit Action (BA) screen restore ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES. Do this in either:

Process Direct:

• Go to the BA screen within the transaction
• Select Add and update the fields below on the Create Benefit Action screen
• Benefit Type Code: select from the dropdown menu
• Benefit Action: RES – Restore
• Date of Effect: key the date
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Go to the BA screen
• see Restoration of Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and ABSTUDY PES

Procedure ends here.

If the student is extending or continuing the same course make sure they meet the study load requirements before updating.

Consider if the student will exceed the ABSTUDY Reasonable Time and Limits of Assistance or Social Security allowable time payable for that course or level of study.

For ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES, see Determining progress and duration of assistance for ABSTUDY and Study requirements for ABSTUDY.

For PES, see Determining allowable time/reasonable time for a course of study and Assessing study load requirements.

If the customer has a benefit status of CAN/EDR, on the Benefit Action (BA) screen restore ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES. Do this in either system:

In Process Direct, if the student remains eligible:

• Key START in the Super Key and select the Study and Scholarship Details workflow from the Task Selector
• Select Customer Study Details. Select Start
• Select Edit. On the Change Education Details screen, update the Course End Date and Student End Date fields
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Go to the BA screen within the transaction
• Select Add and update the fields below on the Benefit Action screen
• Benefit Type Code: select from the dropdown menu
• Benefit Action: RES – Restore
• Date of Effect: key the date
• Select Save
• Select Assess. Address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• Go to the BA screen and restore ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES
• If the student remains eligible, update the Inst Course End Date and Student End Date fields on the EDC screen
• Record details on a DOC

Procedure ends here.

The student's record needs to reflect the outcome of the SY075 even if not entitled to payments for the new course.

Advise the student in writing:

• why they are no longer entitled to payment, and
• their review and appeal rights

If the student is not entitled to payments for their new course because:

• the new course is not an approved course or not an approved institution for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES purposes, go to Step 8
• the student will no longer be undertaking a sufficient study load to be eligible for their payment, go to Step 9
• the student is an ABSTUDY PES student whose qualifying payment is JSP or YA (job seeker), go to Step 10

If the new course is not an approved course or the institution is not approved for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY PES or PES purposes, the unapproved course should not be coded on the EDC screen. See Coding education details and Coding ABSTUDY education details.

ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES:

Manually cancel from the last day the student studied in the current course. Go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen, then cancel the payment from the appropriate date for Reason: Not an Approved Course (NAC) or for Not an Approved Institution (NAI)

PES:

Ensure 2 working days have passed since the current course payment eligibility end date on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) in Customer First. This is to allow the cancellation letter to be issued

If 2 working days have not passed since the most recent course payment eligibility end date on the EDC screen:

• Complete the scanned SY075 activity
• Create a PES SY075 to be actioned Fast Note
• Place the Fast Note activity on hold with an expiry date of 2 days after the current course payment eligibility end date on the EDC screen
• If in Process Direct:
• Create a Social Online Application (SOA)
• The Date of Receipt is the date of processing (system limitation)
• Go to the BA screen., Key the Reason: Not an Approved Course (NAC) or Not an Approved Institution (NAI)
• Select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise
• If in Customer First:
• Index the SY075 as a NCL activity from the date of processing (system limitation)
• Go to the BA screen. Key the Reason Not an Approved Course (NAC) or Not an Approved Institution (NAI)

The system will generate a letter telling the student why their payments have been cancelled, and advising their review and appeal rights.

Procedure ends here.

The student will no longer be undertaking a sufficient study load to be eligible for their payment. Code this in either:

Process Direct:

• Key START in the Super Key and select the Study and Scholarship Details workflow from the Task Selector
• Select Customer Study Details. Select Start
• Select Edit on the education line that requires updating. Update the Student End Date to be the date the customer stopped their studies. If this date is:
• Later than the date previously recorded, edit the Course End Date field to match the Student End Date
• Earlier than the date previously recorded, do not change the Course End Date, unless it needs to be updated after taking into account the Course End Date field coding rules
• Select Save
• Key the Receipt Date and Channel. Select Save
• Select Assess. Address any errors/warnings
• Select Assess
• Select Finish. Record details of the update. Select Finalise

Customer First:

• code the new study details on the EDC screen. See Coding education details and Coding ABSTUDY education details

ABSTUDY PES and PES students

On the Customer Study Details (EDC) in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) screen in Customer First , code the Participation Status field as either:

• U25 (less than 25% of full-time study load)
• U50 (25-49% of full-time study load)
• O50 (50-74% of full-time study load)

The system will automatically decide if the PES student is not undertaking a sufficient study load, and will cancel the payment accordingly.

Note: institutions have their own study load requirements. For example, number of hours for what they consider to be full-time. These requirements may differ between institutions and states.

For ABSTUDY students, code the Participation Status field on the EDC screen as PTS (part-time study load).

The system will cease ABSTUDY Living Allowance payments from the date the student last undertook full-time studies.

Note: under the ABSTUDY Part-time Award, students undertaking part-time studies are entitled to Incidentals Allowance. This means that the student will remain current on ABSTUDY, but will only be paid Incidentals Allowance.

An automatic letter will tell the student when and why their payments will be cancelled and advise their review and appeal rights.

Procedure ends here.

The student is an ABSTUDY PES student whose qualifying payment is JSP or YA (job seeker).

The new course details must be coded as a new claim activity to ensure the system correctly rejects the ABSTUDY PES payment due to JSP or YA no longer constituting a qualifying payment for ABSTUDY PES.

If the student will be undertaking a full time course load investigate if the student will qualify for ABSTUDY Living Allowance.