Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate 010-02070150

A change of circumstances has been notified in relation to a student who is currently receiving the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY, which may affect their eligibility for the Away from Home rate. Determine whether the change in circumstance will affect the eligibility for the Away from Home rate.

If the student:

• is a secondary school student moving or has moved back home, go to Step 2
• is an Australian Apprentice whose parents have moved the family home closer to where the recipient is working, see Table 2 > Step 1
• has circumstances that now make the student not eligible for the Away from Home rate, go to Step 5
• has ceased the study, go to Step 6
• is moving or has moved back home and is not in the above groups, go to Step 3

If the move is:

• temporary, the student retains eligibility for the Away from Home rate whilst returning to the parental home for a short period for example, vacation period. Procedure ends here
• permanent:
• Do not code any change of circumstances on the student's file
• Send an ABSTUDY action request Fast Note with details to the relevant ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing for action. Select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Update > ABSTUDY Boarder action request. Include dates the student left the school, if the student completed the term/year, name of school/board provider and new school details
• Ensure student's contact details are correct
• Procedure ends here

When information is received at the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing site regarding a change in circumstances for these students, go to Step 6.

A student who returns permanently to the family home or returns temporarily and does not maintain their residence ceases eligibility to the Away from Home rate from the date they return home.

If the student has moved home:

• permanently, their eligibility for the Away from Home rate ceases from the date they return home. See Table 2 > Step 1
• temporarily, go to Step 4

A secondary non-schooling or tertiary student who returns to the permanent home on a temporary basis during their course of study (such as a study vacation period) must continue to maintain their residence at the study location for the period of their temporary return to continue to qualify for the Away from Home rate.

Note: there is no clear distinction between maintaining and not maintaining accommodation. Each case must be judged on its own merits.

If the student is in receipt of the Residential Cost Option (RCO), see Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Will the student continue to maintain their accommodation away from home whilst staying at the parental home temporarily?

• Yes, the student is still entitled to the Away from Home rate. Procedure ends here
• No, see Table 2 > Step 1

See Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers to determine if the continuity of study provisions apply.

Does the student meet continuity of study provisions?

• Yes, see Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 6

The end date of Away from Home rate for a student depends on the student's circumstances. If the student:

• returns permanently to the family home, the student ceases to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date they return home. See Table 2 > Step 1
• has discontinued the course of study before the course work is complete, they cease to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date the student discontinued. See Table 2 > Step 1
• has completed the term of secondary study, go to Step 7
• has a change in the circumstances that made the student not eligible for Away from Home rate, the student ceases to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date of the change in circumstances. See Table 2 > Step 1

If the student has completed the term of study, the student's circumstances determine the end date to be applied.

A secondary student:

• who boards at a boarding school, in an approved ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, or at a hostel which is a signatory to an ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement and:
• whose entitlements are paid to the boarding school or Hostels as an ABSTUDY boarding instalment, and
• who completes a term of study is eligible to the Away from Home rate until the last date of the term entitlement period
• who boards privately, and who completes a term of study is eligible for the Away from Home rate up until the last day of the school term
• who is a non-schooling or tertiary student who completes study is eligible for the Away from Home rate until the last formal day of the course

Note: a student who completes all course work earlier than the formal completion date is still considered to have completed the course and is eligible for the full entitlement period. This often occurs for students in Year 11 or 12 who complete course work earlier than the official study end date and are released from school early.

See Table 2 > Step 2.

Apprentice:

• whose parents have moved the family home closer to where the recipient is working. The recipient is no longer eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date of the change in circumstances. Go to Step 3

Tertiary student:

• returns to the family home permanently, or returns temporarily and does not maintain their residence, they cease to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date they return home
• discontinues study in a course before the course work is complete, they cease to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date the student discontinues study:
• a tertiary or secondary non-schooling student is not considered to have completed a course of study at the end of each year of study in a multiple year course
• completion of a course occurs at the end of the total course period. For example, a 3-year course is completed at the end of the third year. Note: a student who completes all coursework earlier than the formal completion date of a course is still considered to have completed the course and is eligible for the full entitlement period
• Go to Step 3

Secondary student:

• discontinues study in a course before the course work is complete, they cease to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date the student discontinues study, go to Step 2

A secondary school boarding student who discontinues study before the completion of a school term is only eligible for Away from Home rate up to the date of discontinuation.

Update the following on the student record:

• Correct the Student End Date on the Education Details (EDC) screen. If the student is ceasing in the current academic year, delete the following academic year if it has been inserted on EDC
• Insert a new screen on the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen and update the following fields:
• Event Date, key the day after the board arrangement ceased
• Annual Fees/Tuition Amount, leave blank
• Boarding School/Hostel Action, key 'NPB' - No longer boarding at the school or hostel
• Annual Boarding School/Hostel Amount, leave blank
• Actual Term Start Date, leave blank
• Weekly Private Board Amount, leave blank
• Scholarship Contribution Amount, leave blank
• If the student is ceasing in the current year any EYSB coding for the following year must be deleted
• If coded, end the term address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• Insert a new screen on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and update:
• Event Date, key the day after the student stopped paying board or rent
• Address Type, key 'HOM' - Home
• Home Ownership, key 'NHO' - Non homeowner
• Type of Rent, key 'NRP' - No Rent Paid
• Sharer Status, key 'LWP' - Lives With Parents
• Correct away from home details on the Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen by keying an End Reason and End Date. The End Date is the date confirmed for the last day of attendance
• End Payee/Debtor details on ABSTUDY Payee/Debtor Details (EYPY) screen. For students residing in:
• a boarding school, a hostel that is a signatory to an ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement or ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, use the last day of the term entitlement period of the last payment released
• a private board arrangement, use the EPED of the last payment released

Note: the EYPY screen does not need to be end dated if new study details are to be coded for Schooling B Award.

Record details on a DOC on the student's record detailing the reason for the cessation of Away from Home rate.

Note: if a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP).

Go to Step 4.

For students or apprentices who return permanently to the family home or return temporarily and do not maintain their term residence:

• correct away from home details on the Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen by coding an End Reason and End Date
• if coded, end term address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• update accommodation details by inserting a new screen on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen. In the following fields:
• Address Type, key 'HOM' - Home
• Event Date, key the day student stopped paying rent
• Home Ownership, key 'NHO' - Non homeowner
• Sharer Status, key this mandatory field as appropriate, record the known details for example, Lives With Parents ('LWP') or Not A Sharer ('NAS')
• Rent verification, leave blank

For students also:

• update education details on the Education Details (EDC) screen by keying the student end date if they have ceased study

Advise the student they are not entitled to RA, but they should advise if their circumstances change and they commence to pay rent.

For further information, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA).

Record details on a DOC on the student's record detailing the reason for the cessation of Away from Home rate.

If the student has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students.

Note: if a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP).

Procedure ends here.

The reassessment of a student's last day of eligibility to the Away from Home rate may create an overpaid amount. The overpaid amount can be a:

• student residual boarding allowance
• ABSTUDY boarding instalment paid to the board institution

Student residual board allowance

If a debt activity occurs for any residual board allowance paid on behalf of the student, raise a debt against the responsible payee see the Resources page of Raising Fares Allowance (FAA) debts. Record details on a DOC on the student's record of action undertaken.

ABSTUDY boarding instalments

If a debt activity occurs for any portion of an instalment paid to a boarding institution on behalf of the student, a debt should be raised against the responsible organisation payee. The ABSTUDY Payee/Debtor Details (EYPY) screen will hold the organisation details and the debt activity will be automatically transferred to the debtor organisation.

The student cannot access alternate ABSTUDY allowances for any period the boarding institution, or Hostel, retains ABSTUDY Away from Home allowances.

If the student has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students.

Is the secondary student aged 16-19 years and a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) child?

• Yes, go to step 5
• No, procedure ends here

For customers to receive FTB for a child aged 16 years or over, the child must satisfy study requirements. If an ABSTUDY student ceases full-time secondary studies, their parent/guardian may no longer be entitled to FTB.

For secondary students aged 16-19 years of age inclusive, who are an FTB child and who return home, if they:

• commence full-time studies at a local school. No action is required. Procedure ends here
• commence studies at a local school with a reduced study load or the customer wants to claim an exemption:
• Complete a referral to an appropriately trained Service Officer
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > 16-19 Assessment Required
• Procedure ends here
• do not commence full-time studies at a local school:
• Complete a referral to an appropriately trained Service Officer
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > ABSTUDY child ceased study
• Procedure ends here