ABSTUDY eligibility and requirements 010-02000000

To be eligible for any ABSTUDY assistance, a student or Australian Apprentice must meet the primary eligibility criteria:

• an Australian citizen, who normally lives in Australia, and
• an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and
• studying an approved course at an approved education provider, or
• an Australian Apprentice, or
• planning to study and undertaking an approved Testing and Assessment activity, and
• not receiving or will not receive any other government assistance to study

If the applicant is aged 16-19 years, dependent, living at home and in full-time secondary study, check if Family Tax Benefit (FTB) may be more beneficial for the applicant's family.

Students aged 16-19 years receiving a means tested ABSTUDY payment (such as Living Allowance and/or School Fees Allowance (Group 2)) can still be considered an FTB child if they are:

• a full time secondary student
• approved to live away from home to study, and
• boarding to attend secondary school

There are 7 Awards available under the ABSTUDY scheme. The eligibility of a student or Australian Apprentice for a particular Award will depend on their study, training and personal circumstances:

• Schooling A Award (students only)
• Schooling B Award (students only)
• Tertiary Award (students and Australian Apprentices)
• Part-time Award (students only)
• Testing and Assessment Award (students only)
• Masters and Doctorate Award (students only)
• Lawful Custody Award (students and Australian Apprentices)

Students and Australian Apprentices approved for an ABSTUDY Award may be entitled to one or more of the ABSTUDY allowances. The Resources page contains a table of allowances and benefits payable under specific ABSTUDY Awards.

Identifying the appropriate Award

A customer is not required to know which Award they may qualify for, but they (or a person enquiring on their behalf) should be able to answer basic eligibility questions such as their age and study details.

Service Officers should ask the applicant relevant eligibility questions and work through the process to their answers.

The following assistance is available for students and/or Australian Apprentices:

Students and Australian Apprentices:

• Additional Assistance - available when experiencing severe financial difficulties
• Advance payment - an optional advance of future Living Allowance payments
• Crisis Payment (CrP) - available when experiencing severe financial hardship due to an extreme circumstance
• Energy Supplement - a fortnightly supplement to assist with the cost of energy
• Incidentals Allowance - assistance for study expenses
• Lawful Custody Allowance - assistance for study and course costs while in lawful custody
• Living Allowance - assist in meeting the day-to-day living costs
• Low Income Health Care Card (LIC) - a concession card to help with health care
• Lump Sum Bereavement Payment - a lump sum payment when a partner dies
• Pharmaceutical Allowance (PhA) - a regular payment to help with prescription medicines
• Remote Area Allowance (RAA) - a regular payment to assist with the costs of living in a remote area
• Rent Assistance (RA) - a regular payment to assist with rent, board and/or lodging costs
• Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) - a regular payment to assist those with a partial capacity to work

Students:

• Additional Incidentals Allowance - assistance for essential tertiary, Masters and Doctorate course costs
• Away from Base assistance - covers the costs of travel, meals and accommodation to participate in compulsory activities away from the home or study location
• Fares Allowance (FAA) - covers the cost of travel to live away from home to attend study or to participate in an Away from Base activity
• Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) - assist with the ongoing costs associated with study
• Pension Supplement - help with bills and medicines when of Age Pension age
• Relocation Allowance - assistance with the cost of moving to another location to commence Masters and Doctorate study
• Relocation Scholarship - annual payment to assist with the cost of establishing and maintaining accommodation away from home to attend a higher education course
• Residential Costs Option - an option to help pay residential costs while living away from home to study
• School Fees Allowance Group 1 - an annual payment to assist with school fees when living at home
• School Fees Allowance Group 2 - an annual payment to assist with school fees when living away from home
• School Term Allowance - assistance with school expenses
• Student contribution or tuition fees for Masters and Doctorate study - assistance to pay student contributions or tuition fees
• Student Start-up Loan (SSL) - a voluntary loan for higher education students
• Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) - the TAP assists eligible students with the cost of relocating to undertake tertiary study immediately following the completion of year 12 or equivalent
• Thesis Allowance - assist with costs of presenting a thesis or similar course requirement
• Assistance to pay Commonwealth Supported Places commitment (previously known as HECS), or compulsory course fees

Note: there are no additional payments available solely for Australian Apprentices.

For information relating to a student or Australian Apprentice claiming ABSTUDY, see Claiming ABSTUDY.

ABSTUDY claims and supporting documents can be lodged by using any of the following options:

• Online - using the Upload documents service
• Fax - see Processing Service details for: ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES
• Post - via a reply paid envelope or by posting to Services Australia. See Processing Service details for: ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES
• In person - at a service centre, or in remote areas, with a Centrelink field officer