Personal/Partner Income Tests for students, trainees or Australian Apprentices 010-08010000

Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy and ABSTUDY customers are subject to a Personal Income Test on any income they receive. Depending on their circumstances, they may also be subject to a Partner Income Test or the Parental Means Test.

Students and Australian Apprentices are able to access income banks which enable them to build up credits while they are not earning income, for use when they do earn income.

If the customer transfers to a payment that attracts Working Credits with the exception of Youth Allowance (other), they will be able to transfer the lower of their income bank balance or 1000 credits from their income bank to their new Working Credit balance. If the customer transfers to Youth Allowance (other) they will be able to transfer the lower of their income bank balance or 3500 credits to their new Working Credit balance.

Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) is paid to full-time students and Australian Apprentices in receipt of YA and ABSTUDY if the customer is 21 years of age and under and has been assessed by an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) as having a partial capacity to work of less than 30 hours per week.

For information about:

• current rates and thresholds, see Rates and Thresholds
• rates for a previous year, see Centrelink rate charts

When making an unfavourable decision, speak to the customer:

• explain the decision
• give them a chance to provide more information, and
• advise their review and appeal rights