Eligibility periods for full year courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and PES 010-02080110

For ABSTUDY PES and PES, see Item 2

ABSTUDY Eligibility period commencement

Note: this procedure is not applicable for Australian Apprentice customers.

An ABSTUDY student doing a full time course (including secondary school students) would be eligible for payment in a year from 1 January or 1 July (depending on the semester of commencement) unless:

• the student did not lodge a claim by 31 December in the year of study (and the delegate decides the claimant had circumstances beyond the control of the student preventing lodgement by the required date), or
• the student is doing tertiary or secondary non-schooling studies and had a break in full-time (or concessional work load) study of more than 1 semester (except that a break in study of up to a year can be allowed if it was due to circumstances beyond the control of the student). or
• the student did not start study by the third Friday of the term/semester (unless this was due to circumstances beyond the control of the student), or
• the student has been receiving another social security benefit or allowance, or another form of government assistance for study

If 1 or more of the above circumstances has occurred, eligibility starts at a date after 1 January or 1 July (depending on the semester of commencement).

To determine the commencement of ABSTUDY entitlements where 1 or more of the above circumstances has occurred, see Calculating the start date for ABSTUDY.

End of ABSTUDY eligibility period

The eligibility period end date for an ABSTUDY student doing a full year course depends on whether the student completes the study period. Eligibility end period is:

• for students who complete study requirements for the study period:
• 31 December for secondary school students
• the last day of the study period for a tertiary or non-schooling student who is not continuing study in the next semester, (or who is not recommencing study in another course within 28 days if recommencing within an existing semester period)
• for students who do not complete the study requirements for the study period:
• date of discontinuation

Customers moving from Family Tax Benefit (FTB) to ABSTUDY at the end of secondary school studies

In cases where FTB was paid (instead of ABSTUDY) for a customer to do secondary school studies and they complete the school year before November, their FTB will only be paid until the course end date.

Therefore to ensure there is no gap in payments, a customer can transfer to ABSTUDY and be paid from date paid to + 1 of FTB, as long as they:

• are intending to enrol in a full-time or concessional study load, in an approved course, in the next available study period, and
• lodge a claim for ABSTUDY by the closing date, which is 31 December for school students, and
• qualify for ABSTUDY

Eligibility period commencement

Note: full-time Australian Apprentices are not entitled to PES. Part-time Australian Apprentices doing qualifying study may qualify for ABSTUDY PES based on their course, as they can be assessed as a student and not an Australian Apprentice.

A PES or ABSTUDY PES student doing a full year course would be eligible for payment in a year from 1 January or 1 July (depending on semester of commencement) unless:

• the student did not lodge an ABSTUDY PES or PES claim by 1 April or 1 August in the year of study (depending on the semester study started), or
• the student had a break in full-time or concessional study of more than 1 semester (except that a break in study of up to a year can be allowed where it was due to circumstances beyond the control of the student), or
• the student did not start study within the first 2 weeks (or by Friday of the third week for ABSTUDY PES) of the term/semester (unless this was due to circumstances beyond the control of the student)

If 1 or more of the above circumstances has occurred, eligibility starts at a date after 1 January or 1 July (depending on the semester of commencement).

For Students doing a short course of 30 weeks or less the eligibility period start date is the start date of the course, unless they are an:

• ABSTUDY PES student returning to full-time or concessional study-load study after a break of less than or equal to one semester (including students returning to study after a semester/holiday break). The start date for these students depends on the semester of commencement and will be:
• 1 January, or
• 1 July
• ABSTUDY PES or PES student where the claim is lodged outside 4 weeks of the date of qualification (unless this was due to circumstances beyond the control of the student), the start date will be the date the claim was lodged

To determine the start of ABSTUDY PES and PES entitlements where 1 or more of the above circumstances has occurred, see Calculating the start day for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and ABSTUDY PES.

End of PES eligibility period

The eligibility period end date for an ABSTUDY PES or PES student doing a full year course where the student:

• completes the course is:
• 31 December if completing a course ending after 15 September, or
• the end of the study period if completing a course ending before 15 September
• does not complete the course is the date of discontinuation

The eligibility period end date for an ABSTUDY PES or PES student doing a short course of 30 weeks or less is the end date of the course.