Calculating the commencement date of Away from Home rate for ABSTUDY 010-02060010

The commencement date for the Away from Home rate is determined by whether the customer is:

• an Australian Apprentice
• undertaking a tertiary or secondary non-schooling level course, or
• a secondary school student

The Away from Home rate is not payable before the customer is eligible for Living Allowance in a year, however a customer may be approved for Living Allowance at the at home rate before approval of the Away from Home rate.

To determine the last day of eligibility for the Away from Home rate, see Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate.

A secondary school student is entitled to the Away from Home rate from 1 January, provided the student starts study at the education provider by the third Friday of the school year. If the student does not start by the third Friday of the school year, and there are no circumstances beyond the student's control, the Away from Home rate is payable from the date the student starts living away from the permanent home.

There are separate rules for a secondary school student boarding at a school, an approved ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, or hostel which is a signatory to the ABSTUDY hostels agreement, and whose payments are delivered as ABSTUDY boarding instalments. A student is entitled to the Away from Home rate from the first day of the term entitlement period for the term in which the student starts living away from home, provided the student starts study at the education provider by the third Friday of the term. If the student does not start by the third Friday of term, the Away from Home rate is payable from the date the student starts living away from the permanent home.

Note: some schools may have term dates that differ from the standard state-based term dates. This should be taken into account when calculating the third Friday.

These customers are normally entitled to payment of the Away from Home rate from the later of:

• the date they move out of the permanent home
• the date they start the course or start working as an Australian Apprentice

Living away from home before the start date

Customers who start living away from the permanent home before the first day of study or work can be entitled to the Away from Home rate from the date they start living away from home. They must demonstrate a reasonable need to live away from home before the first day of study or work.

Reasons may include:

• to establish a residence
• take up a lease, or
• purchase necessary items for the course or work

Where they cannot demonstrate a reasonable need to start living away from home before the first day of study or work, the Away from Home rate starts from the first day of study or work.

Living away from home after the start date

Customers who start living away from the permanent home after the first day of study or work are normally entitled to the Away from Home rate from the date they start living away from home. If the customer has circumstances that prevent them from living away from home earlier, and they incurred accommodation costs, they are entitled to the Away from Home rate from the later of:

• the first day of the course or work
• the date the customer began incurring accommodation costs