JobSeeker Payment (JSP) customers returning to (or continuing in) part-time study 001-19051532

Students studying part-time may be eligible for JSP in certain circumstances. Customers must:

• meet all normal qualifications
• be studying a course that is
• deemed to be 'part-time' by the educational institution they are enrolled with, and
• less than 20 hours per week study time including both contact and non-contact hours

Customers undertaking part-time study will be required to undertake additional activities to meet their requirements.

For customers receiving JSP, approval of part-time study outside the short course policy can continue as long as they continue to meet all of their requirements, including attending appointments and accepting offers of employment. For example, a customer may be studying at night and willing to look for work during the day. The customer will remain qualified for JSP, if they are:

• seeking and willing to undertake suitable work, and
• their studies do not restrict their ability to satisfy their requirements

This applies even when the course cannot be approved as fully meeting or counting towards their requirements. Part-time study can only be included as a compulsory requirement in the customer's Job Plan by their Employment Services Provider.

Principal carer parents and customers with a Partial Capacity to Work or Temporary Reduced Work Capacity of 15-29 hours are the only customers who can fully meet their requirements by undertaking part-time study of 15 hours or more per week or a combination of study and other approved requirements.

While other customers may undertake part-time study, the requirement will be approved by their Employment Services Provider.

When the customer is managed by an Employment Services Provider, the provider will approve the part-time study and negotiate their Job Plan.

Customers can undertake part-time study or training at any time.

Before referring a customer to training, the provider will determine whether training is in their best interests and identify a suitable course.

Principal carers on JSP can participate in approved study of at least 15 hours per week (30 hours per fortnight) in any combination of contact and non-contact hours to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements. Single principal carers must first apply and qualify for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) before study can be approved. If they are not participating in suitable requirements at claim they will be referred to an Employment Services Provider.

If the study is less than 15 hours per week the principal carer must participate in another requirement to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements. This could be a combination of paid work and study, or self-employment and study. See Mutual obligation requirements for principal carers for information on combinations of approved requirements for principal carers.

If no other requirement can be approved to fully meet the customer's requirements, they must be referred to an Employment Services Provider and will have job search requirements in addition to their hours of study. The Provider will determine if the part-time study can be approved.

Customers assessed as having a PCW or TRWC of 15 hours or more per week are able to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements if participating in part-time study up to their assessed work capacity.

If their study is less than 15 hours per week they must participate in another activity to fully meet their requirements. This could be a combination of paid work and study, or self-employment and study. See Approved activities for customers assessed as having a partial capacity to work (PCW) for information on combinations of approved requirements for customers with a PCW.

If their study, or combination of approved requirements is for fewer hours than their assessed work capacity, they must be referred to an Employment Services Provider and will be required to undertake other activities to satisfy their requirements.

PCW or TRWC customers with an assessed capacity of 0-7 or 8-14 hours per week will only be able to undertake study as a voluntary requirement. These customers will still be required to attend quarterly participation interviews with Services Australia.

JSP (single principal carers) qualifies as a PES attracting income support payment. This means Parenting Payment Single (PPS) customers who transfer to JSP (single principal carer) will continue to be able to qualify for PES at any point in time (where all other qualifications are met). These customers will no longer be required to be continuing in the same course of study to retain access to PES.

If the requirement is a part-time course, and the customer is Indigenous, they may be eligible for assistance. For example, Incidentals Allowance, under the ABSTUDY scheme.