Returning to the permanent home when in receipt of the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY 102-03010130

The customer is currently in receipt of the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY and they have returned to their permanent home.

For students or Australian Apprentices who have independent status, see Reviews of independence for ABSTUDY.

The customer has returned to the permanent home:

• Temporarily, go to Step 2
• Permanently, go to Step 7

ABSTUDY customers can return home to complete a part of their course (for example, practical training) for up to one term or semester (depending on the structure of the course) or during vacation periods.

Short visits home (for example, return for a weekend visit) do not affect the payment of the Away from Home rate if residence at the study or Australian Apprenticeship location is maintained during temporary breaks.

For ABSTUDY students in receipt of Residential Cost Option see Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Customers may return home:

• to undertake part of their course/training, or undertake part of their full-time Australian Apprenticeship
• during their scheduled vacation period (secondary student)
• during their scheduled vacation period and continue to maintain their study location residence (secondary non-schooling, tertiary student, or Australian Apprentice), or
• for a short visit (for example, for a weekend visit)

Has the customer returned home for any of the above?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 7

Will the customer continue to maintain their accommodation away from home whilst staying at the permanent home temporarily?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 4

If the student is:

• a secondary boarder and lives on campus for a few days during the week, then at home for the rest of the time each week throughout the term, go to Step 5
• required to undertake part of their course at home, for example, work placement or practical training, go to Step 6

None of the above, go to Step 7.

A secondary boarding student may reside at their permanent home for a few days each week. Away from Home entitlements can continue to be paid as long as the student boards for a minimum of 4 days per week.

Is the student living on campus for 4 or more days per week?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 7

Students who return home, to undertake part of their course, for less than one term, may not continue to qualify for Away from Home entitlements.

Note: DSS has given approval for students attending Tec-NQ who return home for one term to undertake part of their course at home and remain enrolled with Tec-NQ, to remain eligible to continue to receive Away from Home entitlements.

Students may still qualify if they meet one of the following:

• They are undertaking part of their course at the permanent home for less than 1 term, and are enrolled at the same education institution that they were granted the Away from Home rate to attend
• They attend Tec-NQ and return home for one term to undertake part of their course at home and remain enrolled with Tec-NQ

Does the student meet either of the above?

• Yes, they may still qualify for Away from Home rate, go to Step 8
• No, go to step 7

The customer's eligibility for payment must also be reassessed as they may no longer be entitled to the Away from Home rate or Rent Assistance (RA). See Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate.

Is the customer still entitled to ABSTUDY?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, cancel their ABSTUDY payment and record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

• Tell the customer they must notify Services Australia within 14 days of any changes in their circumstances including if they:
• cease their course/training or Australian Apprenticeship
• change their rent details, or
• return to their permanent home permanently
• Update the customer’s postal address if they want to receive correspondence at the permanent home for the duration of their stay
• If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home and they continue to have a rent liability, then Rent Assistance (RA) can continue. No change to the AC screen will be required
• If the customer is maintaining accommodation away from home but not paying rent, update the customer's AC screen for the Term/Semester address:
• type of rent field: No rent paid - NRP
• Sharer Status field: Does not live in Shared Accommodation - NAS

See Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) to finalise the AC screen update. Note: if this procedure was accessed from that page, it will have opened in a new window. Close this procedure and return there.

Record details on a DOC of decision/discussion.

Procedure ends here.

• Run the Change in Contact Details workflow to update the customer's address and accommodation details
• Ensure the customer's:
• Term/Semester address is end dated
• AC screen is updated for their home address and
• sharer status is recorded as Lives with parents - LWP
• Tell the customer of their new rate of payment and record details on a DOC of decision/discussion with customer