Approved courses of study for Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy and Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) 010-07010010

Is the customer/student undertaking or planning to undertake a course of study?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, the customer/student is not a student for Services Australia purposes and cannot be paid as such. Reject any claim lodged for some type of student assistance. Identify if the customer is eligible for other Services Australia administered payments, such as JobSeeker Payment (JSP). Record the outcome on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Is the customer/student enrolled, or planning to enrol, at an education provider?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

For a course of study to be approved, both the course itself and the provider offering the course must normally be approved.

Vocational Educational Training (VET) courses at diploma level or higher must be:

• a course approved for the VET Student Loan (VSL), and
• undertaken with a provider approved to provide VSL courses

For a higher education course to be approved for YA student, Austudy and PES, it must be undertaken with a provider that is approved to offer the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

Approved providers for all payment types are:

• state/territory government high schools and special schools
• non-government high schools and special schools
• Institutes of Technical and Further Education (TAFE)
• accredited private providers, and
• universities

To determine whether a provider is approved, use the National Course Approvals sub-site.

With the exception of enrol by, commence by and complete by date issues, when an approved VET course (at diploma level and above) or higher education course becomes unapproved, customers will continue to receive YA (student), PES, or Austudy until they finish their course if:

• the YA, Austudy and PES recipients were studying an approved VET course (at diploma level and above) or a higher education course which has subsequently become unapproved under the Determination part-way through their course
• they meet other eligibility requirements, and
• there is no break in their payment entitlement

Is the provider approved?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, see Step 1 in Table 3

Is the proposed study a course of home tuition or home-based schooling?

• Yes, see Home schooling arrangements for Youth Allowance (YA), Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) and Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) for more information. Go to Step 5
• No, see Step 1 in Table 2

If the course is:

• a primary level course the customer is not considered to be undertaking approved study for the purposes of YAL, AUS or PES, see Step 2 in Table 4
• a secondary level (or equivalent ungraded level) course or a satisfactory alternative program to a State provider, see Step 1 in Table 2

Check the National Course Approvals sub-site to determine if the course is offered by a:

• government approved or funded education provider (that is, a university, other higher education provider, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) or school), or
• an approved private provider

If the institution is a:

• University, go to Step 2
• TAFE, go to Step 3
• non-government school, go to Step 4
• private provider, go to Step 5

Note: state/territory schools are approved providers and so the courses they offer, including the International Baccalaureate are also approved. See Step 4 in Table 4.

For a higher education course to be considered as an approved course, it must be approved to offer the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

All single bachelor’s degree courses at registered universities and other recognised higher education providers are approved courses. Some master’s by coursework programmes at registered universities are approved courses for YA, Austudy and PES. See the Resources page for further information about approval of these master’s courses.

Combined bachelor’s degrees are approved if they appear in the university’s handbook. Handbooks are found online at the university internet sites. See the Resources page for a link to these sites.

Combined master’s degrees are approved for YA, Austudy and PES if both courses are listed either as a combined course or separate courses in Schedule 3 of the Course Determination Instrument.

Startup Year courses that offer STARTUP-HELP loans are approved courses. To be eligible for a student payment the customer must be:

• enrolled in their Startup Year Course, and
• selected by their education provider for a STARTUP-HELP loan

Combined courses with Startup Year Course in final year can be approved for the duration of the bachelor’s degree component if the bachelor’s degree is an approved course. A student’s entitlement to a STARTUP-HELP loan must be verified, for the Startup Year Course to be approved. If the combined course delivers the Startup Year components as subjects:

• the course is an approved course, and
• the student does not need to be selected for a STARTUP-HELP loan to qualify for a student payment

See Startup Year Courses for further information about these courses.

Note: all master’s courses listed in Schedule 3 of the Course Determination Instrument are also listed in the Approved Masters course list. See the Resources page.

All students undertaking master’s courses on the approved course list are undertaking approved study for the purposes of Austudy, YA and PES.

Some unapproved master’s courses contain a ‘nested’ lower qualification (for example, graduate certificate, graduate diploma) which are available to the student if they exit the course early. Nested courses are distinct from combined courses. A nested course is defined as a single course of study where the student is enrolled in a higher-level award which has clear exit points for receiving lower-level awards if the student exits the course early. For example, a student may be enrolled in a two-year master’s course but exits the course after 12 months and receives a graduate diploma. If the master’s component of the course is not approved, the entire course is also deemed an unapproved course.

A student who is undertaking a doctoral level course (such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)) is not eligible for assistance under YA, Austudy and PES. Some courses may appear to be doctoral level courses from the title but are in fact approved as master’s courses (for example, Juris Doctor). If in any doubt, check the current approved masters list. The Resources page contains a link to the list.

For example, check:

• courses that do not operate as a Commonwealth Supported Course (previously HECS)
• university courses for which full fees are paid
• university courses at levels other than at the bachelor’s degree level

If there is any doubt about a course, refer to a Course Assessment and Liaison Officer. See Referrals to Course Assessment and Liaison Officers (CALOs).

Is the course approved?

• Yes:
• and a single course, see Step 4 in Table 4
• and combined courses, see Step 3 in Table 4
• No, see Step 1 in Table 3

Vocational Educational Training (VET) courses at diploma level or higher must be:

• a course approved for the VET Student Loan (VSL), and
• undertaken with a provider approved to provide VSL courses

For a higher education course to be considered an approved course, it must be approved to offer the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

Part-time accelerated courses:

Some institutions/providers allow students to study full-time, or equivalent, in courses that are usually only offered part-time.

If the customer advises they are studying full-time in a course that is listed as part-time only on the institution/provider website or handbook, obtain evidence from the institution/provider stating that the customer is studying full-time.

The evidence must state the customer is studying full-time regardless of the customers study load/hours. If the evidence does not state the customer is a full-time student, then the customer is not deemed to be studying an approved course.

There are no TAFEs in the Northern Territory. Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Charles Darwin University and private providers instead offer TAFE/VET type courses. To determine whether these courses are approved, go to Step 5.

All TAFE/VET courses that lead to an accredited award may be approved courses.

See Course approval procedures table on the Resources page.

Is the course an approved course?

• Yes, see Step 4 in Table 4
• No, see Step 1 in Table 3

Non-government schools can offer a variety of courses. If the course is an accredited secondary course (that is, it has an accredited curriculum as approved by the authority in that State/Territory), or is the International Baccalaureate, the course is approved.

If unsure, check the Secondary schools course approval procedures table on the Resources page.

Is the course an approved course?

• Yes, see Step 4 in Table 4
• No, see Step 1 in Table 3

Vocational Educational Training (VET) courses at diploma level or higher must be:

• a course approved for the VET Student Loan (VSL), and
• undertaken with a provider approved to provide VSL courses

For a higher education course to be considered an approved course, it must be approved to offer the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

Private providers offer a wide variety of courses. Many providers run some courses that are approved for Services Australia purposes and some that are not.

Part-time accelerated courses:

Some institutions/providers allow students to study full-time or equivalent in courses that are usually only offered part-time for Youth Allowance and Austudy.

If the customer advises they are studying full-time in a course that is listed as part-time only on the institution/provider website or handbook, obtain evidence from the institution/provider stating that the customer is studying full-time.

The evidence must state the customer is studying full-time regardless of the customers study load/hours. If the evidence does not state the customer is a full-time student, then the customer is not deemed to be studying an approved course.

This means that each course must be checked individually. See Private providers course approval procedures on the Resources page.

Is the course an approved course?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 4
• No, see Step 1 in Table 3

There is often a delay between a course/provider being approved and it is appearing in online listings. If there is any doubt, create a referral to a CALO to confirm the status of the course. See Referrals to Course Assessment and Liaison Officers (CALOs).

Note: do not send CALO referrals for master’s courses. The master’s courses spreadsheet is updated regularly and without delay. If the course is not on the approved master’s courses spreadsheet on the Resources page, the course is not approved. Reject the claim.

Is the course approved?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Step 2 in Table 4
• if there is doubt, go to Step 3

The customer cannot be a student before the course is approved. The customer may be eligible for assistance only if a claim is lodged. Tell the customer to lodge a claim as soon as possible.

The date from which the course is approved is the date the customer may be a student in an approved course.

The course is approved from the date the customer started the course, provided the course receives accreditation:

• in the same calendar year, and
• before the student completes the course

If there is any doubt about course approval, create a referral to a CALO. See Referrals to Course Assessment and Liaison Officers (CALOs).

Note: individual payment backdating provisions still apply.

A person under the age of 22 may be paid Youth Allowance (YA) as a job seeker with part-time or full-time study as an approved activity if the course is not approved.

Note: backdating after rejection of a claim can only be done if the customer requests a review within 13 weeks of the notification letter.

Record all information about the decision on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Create a referral to a CALO to determine what further action can be taken. The customer should also be encouraged to contact the education provider to discuss the matter. See Referrals to Course Assessment and Liaison Officers (CALOs).

Can the course be approved?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 4
• No, see Step 2 in Table 4

Is the student undertaking an approved course of study?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 2

The customer is not undertaking approved study. They cannot be paid by Services Australia as a student.

Identify if the customer is eligible for other payments, such as JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

Reject or cancel the benefit using the code 'NAC' - not an approved course. This code is also used for PES.

For YA or Austudy customers undertaking an unapproved master’s level course, cancel using the code 'UMD' - unapproved masters or doctorate.

Record outcome on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

For a higher education course to be considered as an approved course, it must be approved to offer the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP).

YA, Austudy and PES students:

Where both the bachelor’s degree (or graduate certificate or graduate diploma) and the master’s degree are approved courses for YA, Austudy and PES, treat the course as an approved combined course for YA, Austudy or PES.

Part-time accelerated courses

Some institutions/providers allow students to study full-time or equivalent in courses that are usually only offered part-time.

If the customer advises they are studying full-time in a course that is listed as part-time only on the institution/provider website or handbook, obtain evidence from the institution/provider stating that the customer is studying full-time.

The evidence must state the customer is studying full-time regardless of the customer's study load/hours. If the evidence does not state the customer is a full-time student, then the customer is not deemed to be studying an approved course.

Note: all approved master’s courses are listed in the Approved Masters course list. See the Resources page.

Code the following fields in Process Direct on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen or in Customer First on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen for the full duration of the course:

• Course Level: field coded as 'TGB' to reflect the undergraduate component of the course. If the master’s degree is a combined course with a graduate certificate or graduate diploma, code this field as 'TGA'
• Course Code: enter the code of the combined course
• Comment: field should also be completed with the full name of the course only, for example, Bachelor of Health Sciences with Masters of Speech Pathology

For coding of the EDC screen, see Coding new study details.

The student has met one of the criteria to be paid a Services Australia student assistance payment. The course approval may apply to:

• all student assistance payments
• YA, Austudy and PES

Record details on a DOC.