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Processing an ABSTUDY claim 010-23061559

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This document outlines the process for assessing a claim for ABSTUDY.

For ABSTUDY Smart Centre processing staff.

Accepting a claim

Table 1

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Locate claim

Claims are allocated through Workload Manager. See Work Optimiser for staff.

Online claim/Assisted Customer Claim ACC

ABSTUDY claims submitted online or by ACC will generate a Social Online Application (SOA) new claim work item on the student's record. It will have all the claim details provided by the student online or entered into ACC.

Verbal claim

ABSTUDY claims submitted verbally through the ABSTUDY claiming tool will generate a new claim activity on the student's record. The claim details provided by the applicant can be found in Document Tools.

  • Schooling A claims will be on the parent/guardian's record
  • Schooling B claims will be on the student's record
  • ABSTUDY PES claims will be on the student's record

See Orientation Visit travel for non-current ABSTUDY customers for students claiming Fares Allowance for Orientation Visit travel, who meet one of the following:

  • not ABSTUDY current and visiting multiple schools for orientation
  • currently in Year 5 or lower, or
  • claiming a reimbursement for an orientation activity with a status of ABY/ASS

Paper claim

ABSTUDY paper claims scanned to the student's record will generate a new claim activity on the student's record. For:

2

Preliminary checking

Before processing the claim, check if:

If the claim is needed or must be processed, check if it is complete and the applicant has lodged all additional supporting documents by reviewing:

If the claim is:

  • assessed in Process Direct, go to Step 3
  • for a student who will be boarding privately, go to Step 4
  • neither of the above, and:
    • incomplete, and/or all additional supporting documents have not been provided, go to Step 5
    • complete and all additional supporting documents have been provided, go to Step 6

3

Claims assessed in Process Direct

When assessing a claim in Process Direct, select:

  • Open left slider; Close right slider to view the Claim Summary that has information provided by the customer
  • Tasks to view the documents requested online or by ACC
  • Notes to view the DOCs and comments recorded in Process Direct
  • Documents or the links at the bottom of the expanded Claim Summary to view the documents provided by the customer (uploaded online or scanned to their record)
  • Benefit History to view Benefit Status
  • Relations menu icon to view the Relations menu

See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions for further guidance.

If the claim is:

  • incomplete, and/or all additional supporting documents have not been provided, go to Step 5
  • complete, and all additional supporting documents have been provided, go to Step 6

4

Private boarder document requirements

Applicants must return a signed ABSTUDY request for private board provider details form (SY115) before their claim will be assessed.

If the applicant has returned the SY115 and there will be:

  • fewer than 5 students residing on the premises or unknown, continue the claim as a private boarding student
  • 5 or more students residing on the premises, it is classed as a hostel for ABSTUDY purposes. The private board provider will need to sign into an ABSTUDY Hostel Standards Agreement to continue to receive some ABSTUDY entitlements. See ABSTUDY Hostel Agreements to start the agreement process. Continue the claim as a student claiming ABSTUDY to board at a hostel which is not a signatory to an ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement

Has the SY115 and all other needed information been provided?

5

Claim incomplete and/or supporting documents not provided

If the information can be provided verbally (such as a verbal MOD JY), make 2 genuine attempts to contact the applicant by phone to get the information needed.

For students claiming Tertiary or Masters and Doctorate Awards, or as an Australian Apprentice, do not reject the claim for failing to provide parental income information. Payment of non-means tested allowances/benefits can still occur for the relevant award. Process the claim, go to Step 6

If the information cannot be provided verbally or contact is unsuccessful, and the claim is:

6

Has the most beneficial claim been lodged?

Students may claim for an ABSTUDY Award when another may be more beneficial or appropriate.

Did the customer lodge the most beneficial claim for ABSTUDY?

7

Another ABSTUDY payment is more beneficial

Contact the customer and tell them another ABSTUDY payment may be more beneficial. Make at least 2 genuine attempts to contact.

Has the contact been successful?

  • Yes, and the customer wants to:
  • No:
    • Issue the relevant paper claim form for the most beneficial ABSTUDY payment if needed
    • Continue processing the allocated claim. Note: if contact was unsuccessful for a student applying for ABSTUDY Living Allowance who is deemed eligible for ABSTUDY PES or the Part-time Award, process the claim as an Incidentals only claim following the Incidentals Table
    • For claims lodged through:
      - the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool, go to Step 9
      - all other claims, go to Step 10

8

Claiming more beneficial payment

If additional information is needed, ask the customer for it during the call.

Did the customer provide all needed information for the new claim?

9

ABSTUDY Claiming Tool

Applicants who complete a claim through the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool must:

  • accept a verbal declaration, or
  • return a signed Customer Declaration Form (CDF)

The accepted verbal declaration is recorded on the:

  • Verbal Declaration DOC, and
  • Progress of ABSTUDY claim DOC

If the Verbal Declaration DOC:

10

Checking the new claim (NCL) activity

Go to the Activity List (AL) screen and confirm the correct claim is indexed on the student's or Australian Apprentice's record.

Note: students under 16 years of age and studying secondary non-school level studies, should be claiming ABSTUDY Schooling B.

If an incorrect claim has been indexed, cancel the activity and index the correct claim activity.

Select the appropriate option below.

Process Direct claims

For ABSTUDY Tertiary, Masters and Doctorate and Part-time Awards, check if a claim has been created in Process Direct.

If a claim has not been automatically created, create a blank Social Online Application (SOA) shell in Process Direct.

  • Benefit Type: select as appropriate, for example ABSTUDY - Tertiary Living Allowance
  • Customer CRN
  • Date of Receipt

See Process Direct navigation, common screens and functions.

Go to Step 13.

ABSTUDY NCL activity is indexed

Check the Source is correct:

  • Select the started ABSTUDY NCL activity
  • The Source must be 'SCT', 'SY018', 'SY019', 'SY022' or 'SY092'. If another Source is coded:

Check the keywords are correct:

  • Go to the AL screen
  • Select the ABSTUDY NCL activity
  • From the Selection Options screen, select Keywords
  • Check the appropriate claim type keyword has been added:
    • 'ABYNCL' - ABSTUDY Living Allowance
    • 'ABTNCL' - ABSTUDY Schooling A
    • 'BOARDER' - ABSTUDY Secondary Boarding
    • 'EPANCL' - ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement
  • Check the appropriate Verbal Declaration keyword has been added:
    • 'VERBNIL' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and did not need to provide any supporting documents
    • 'VERBDOC' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and needed to provide supporting documents
    • 'VERBNO' - if the applicant did not accept a verbal declaration

If the Source and Claim Type and Verbal Declaration keywords are correct, go to Step 11.

If the correct Claim Type and Verbal Declaration keywords are missing:

  • Go to the AL screen
  • Select the ABSTUDY NCL activity
  • From the Selection Options screen, select (O). Transfer the activity to another site/region
  • Add the appropriate Claim Type keyword:
    • 'ABYNCL' - ABSTUDY Living Allowance
    • 'ABTNCL' - ABSTUDY Schooling A
    • 'BOARDER' - ABSTUDY Secondary Boarding
    • 'EPANCL' - ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement
  • Add the appropriate Verbal Declaration keyword:
    • 'VERBNIL' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and did not need to provide any supporting documents
    • 'VERBDOC' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and needed to provide supporting documents
    • 'VERBNO' - if the applicant did not accept a verbal declaration

Go to Step 11.

ABSTUDY NCL activity is not indexed
  • Index a NCL activity
  • Key the Source as 'SCT', 'SY018', 'SY019', 'SY022' or 'SY092'
  • Go to the AL screen
  • Select the ABSTUDY NCL activity
  • From the Selection Options screen, select (O). Transfer the activity to 'ABS'
  • Add the appropriate Claim Type keyword:
    • 'ABYNCL' - ABSTUDY Living Allowance
    • 'ABTNCL' - ABSTUDY Schooling A
    • 'BOARDER' - ABSTUDY Secondary Boarding
    • 'EPANCL' - ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement
  • Add the appropriate Verbal Declaration keyword:
    • 'VERBNIL' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and did not need to provide any supporting documents
    • 'VERBDOC' - if the applicant accepted a verbal declaration and needed to provide supporting documents
    • 'VERBNO' - if the applicant did not accept a verbal declaration

Go to Step 11.

11

Verbal declaration, CDF or claim form

Has the applicant accepted the verbal declaration, returned a signed CDF or completed an ABSTUDY paper claim form?

12

Verbal declaration not accepted, CDF or claim form not provided

If the customer did not provide a signed CDF or paper claim form, and a verbal declaration has not been accepted, make 2 genuine attempts to contact the customer to obtain the verbal declaration.

  • If contact is successful and verbal declaration has been provided and documented, go to Step 13
  • If contact is unsuccessful and the claim is:
    • 18 days or older, go to Step 18
    • 17 days or younger, place the claim on hold until day 18. Procedure ends here

13

Future Away from Base pre-assessment checks

Due to system limitations students need to initially be granted ABSTUDY Incidentals only, where they:

  • are transferring to ABSTUDY from another benefit, and
  • need travel and/or meals/accommodation to be booked in advance of their course start date

This can occur where the student:

  • is claiming ABSTUDY Living Allowance
  • will be attending an Away from Base activity within the next 6 weeks as confirmed by received correspondence, and
  • is currently getting another benefit

Does the student meet all of the above?

14

Check previous payments

Does any payment have the benefit status show as CNP, or are there any outstanding employment income reports?

15

Cancelling previous payments

If the status of the previous payment is CNP (cancel next payment), or there are outstanding employment reports, Service Officers must cancel the payment. This activity must be completed outside of the NCL activity:

In Process Direct or Customer First:

  • go to the Payment Summary (PS) screen
  • in the Number of months in past: field key '999'
  • select Execute/Enter
  • note the DPT+1
  • go to the Benefit Action (BA) screen
  • code the cancellation. Use reason OTH from DPT+1
  • inhibit the letter on the Actions (ASC) screen before finalising the activity
  • record cancellation details. Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Generic > SUS/CAN/RES > Suspend Cancel Reason

For further coding advice, for:

The benefit status should now be CAN. Go to Step 16.

16

ABSTUDY Award eligibility

Is the customer eligible for an ABSTUDY Award?

17

Australian Apprentice

Australian apprentices must have a current Commonwealth registration number.

Before assessing the claim, Services Australia will obtain the Australian Apprenticeship details from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

If the customer's Australian Apprenticeship details are not yet current:

  • Record the details in the Progress of ABSTUDY Claim DOC
  • Contact the customer and tell them payments cannot occur until confirmation of their Australian Apprenticeship status is received
  • Place the claim on hold for 14 days

While waiting for confirmation, claims can be re-held for up to 13 weeks. After 13 weeks, reject the claim NAT (Not an Apprentice). See Rejecting an ABSTUDY claim.

Does the Australian Apprentice have a current Commonwealth registration number?

  • Yes, go to Step 20
  • No, and the Apprentice claim has been held for:
    • under 13 weeks, place the claim on hold for 14 days. Procedure ends here
    • 13 weeks or more, go to Step 18

18

Not eligible for ABSTUDY

The ABSTUDY claim may reject automatically (following the updating of information on the customer's record, for example, student attending primary school) or may need to be rejected manually.

Note: use discretion when to apply either a streamline, manual or automatic rejection. An automatic rejection is the preferred option.

See Codes for ABSTUDY cancellation, suspension and rejection for a list of automatic and manual rejection codes.

To reject the claim:

19

Automatic rejection

If the student is current on ABSTUDY Schooling A and the rejected claim is incorrectly affecting the students ABSTUDY Schooling A entitlement, see the Resources page for a workaround.

If the claim is in:

Process Direct
  • Select the Process button
  • Update the screens with the details provided in the ABSTUDY claim
  • After updating the screens, select the Assess button to assess and finalise the claim
  • Contact the applicant and explain the reason for the decision. See Advising verbally of an unfavourable decision
  • Record details on a DOC
  • Procedure ends here
Customer First
  • Go to the Activity List (AL) screen
  • Select the started ABSTUDY NCL activity
  • Go to the ABSTUDY Task Selector (EYTS) screen
  • Update the appropriate screens using the details provided in the ABSTUDY claim
  • After updating the screens, go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen
  • Finalise the activity
  • Contact the applicant and explain the reason for the decision. See Advising verbally of an unfavourable decision
  • Record details on a DOC - Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Claims - ABSTUDY > ABY Granted/Rejected > Confirm
  • Expire the 'Progress of ABSTUDY claim' Display on Access DOC
  • Procedure ends here

20

Australian Apprentice start date

Due to system limitations, an Apprentice claim Date of Receipt (DOR) may need to be changed to align with the calculated start date.

To determine correct start date, see Start and closing date for ABSTUDY claims.

Does the claim DOR align with the calculated start date?

21

Date of Receipt (DOR)

To update the DOR:

  • Select Update DOR in More Options menu
  • Key the calculated start date and select Continue

For:


For information on how to complete the required action, select the option from the dropdown box below.

Tertiary/Masters/Apprentice

Table 5

Expand table

Step

Action

1

Pre-claim checks

Before commencing coding, check:

If the student is currently on a payment listed below, select the relevant link and make the appropriate updates for example, cancellation of the current payment. Return to this step after coding is complete.

Go to Step 2.

2

Relationship links

Updates to relationship links on the PIT Parent selections (NPPS) and Marital Status (MS) screens are to be completed before selecting the Process button.

To update the PIT Parent Selection (NPPS) screen, see Creating, updating and ending Parental Income Test (PIT) links for dependent student, Australian Apprentice and job seeker customers.

Customers must advise their current relationship status. Any action needed will depend on what is already recorded on the customers record. See Relationship details for new claims.

Once relationship links are correct, go to Step 3.

3

Start claim

To start processing a claim, select Process on the Claim Application screen.

When Process is selected, it will automatically go to the Errors (SWE) screen. The SWE screen displays a Message Log and a Task Selector.

The information from the claim prepopulates. If information is not loaded correctly, an error or warning message displays:

  • Error messages displayed in red must be fixed before the claim can be assessed. For help, see Using Digital Assistant Roxy in Process Direct
  • Warnings displayed in yellow do not block processing of the Work Item. Warnings draw attention to coding that must be checked before finalising the work item. Warnings continue to display until the claim is finalised

4

View claim information in Process Direct

Using the Claim Summary, check the appropriate screens according to the information provided in the claim.

Check information provided in the claim (provisional data) is accurate and in line with any evidence provided, update where necessary.

Check no conflict exists between the provisional data and confirmed data. Correct where necessary.

Make all necessary updates needed within the claim. Delete non-verified provisional data before finalising the claim to prevent data applying to the customer record.

Use Task Selector or manually key the required screen into the Super Key to go through each mandatory screen.

5

Address details (AD)

Ensure the Address Details (AD) are current.

The customer's address details must include the student's actual home (HOM) address and term (TER) address at the study location if the student lives away from home. See Updating address details.

Tertiary students are subject to normal Remote Area Allowance (RAA) entitlement provisions.

6

Accommodation details (AC)

If the student is claiming and eligible for the Residential Costs Option (RCO), see Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) for AC screen coding.

Note: Due to system limitations, if the student has submitted an account or invoice for payment of RCO, additional coding must be completed in a separate activity within Customer First once the claim has been granted.

For students not claiming RCO, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA) for AC screen coding.

7

Tax File Number Details (TFN)

If the customer is:

  • 16 years of age and older:
    • with a TFN, key the TFN in the TFN: field
    • meeting a TFN exemption, key the exemption reason in the Exemption Reason: field
  • 16 years of age or older and both of the following apply, leave the TFN: field blank. The claim will Auto Reject if the customer:
    • does not have a TFN, and
    • is not eligible for an exemption

See Tax File Number (TFN) for ABSTUDY.

8

Identity confirmation (POI)

ABSTUDY customers are subject to identity confirmation. Some customers may satisfy identity confirmation requirements without having to produce identity confirmation documents.

See Additional procedures exclusive to ABSTUDY apply in some circumstances.

If the customer is:

9

Coding for Australian Apprentices

For Australian Apprentices, the mandatory screens for coding details of their Australian Apprenticeship are:

  • Customer Study Details (EDC) screen - insert an EDC screen with a Participation Status of 'APT' (Apprentice/Trainee) from the calculated grant date
  • Coded on the Apprentice Details/Apprenticeship Details (NAPD) screen
  • Education Payments Start Date (EPDC) - the date of commencement for payment will be automatically calculated by the system. However, in some circumstances, this may need to be manually adjusted. See Start and closing date for ABSTUDY claims
  • the Apprentice employer details must be coded on the Employment Income Paid Details (EAPP) screen

Before finalising a claim for an Australian Apprentice, contact the customer to confirm their income for each fortnight since the date they became qualified as an Australian Apprentice.

All Australian Apprentices getting Living Allowance need to report their income fortnightly. The system will automatically apply the 2-weekly reporting profile to these customers.

Australian Apprentices who have an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) on their record in the last 2 years, stating a partial capacity to work, may be needed to undergo another ESAt to determine if it is still valid.

Until another ESAt is undertaken, Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) will be paid automatically when ABSTUDY is granted. Payment of YDS cannot be stopped manually.

To refer the customer for another ESAt, see Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) Referral.

Service Officers should use 'Change of Circumstances' as the reason code for the ESAt referral.

If the Australian Apprentice is:

10

Education Course Details (EDC)

Check the study details are correct.

See Coding ABSTUDY education details.

Note: when assessing an interim claim, full-time student (Incidentals Only) (FTI) is to be coded in the Participation Status: field to only pay ABSTUDY non-income tested allowances until a full claim is completed.

11

Education Payments Start Date (EPDC)

The start date for ABSTUDY is automatically calculated by the system and displays in the Calculated Start Date: field. If this date is incorrect, manually adjust it.

To update the Calculated Start Date, code:

  • Manual Start Date: use the start date advised in Start and closing date for ABSTUDY claims
  • Rsn for Changing Dates: Enter the reason for the manual start date
  • Select Continue or press [Enter]

12

Student Start-up Loan (SSL)

If the customer has accepted an SSL, this must be coded within the new claim activity.

View and update SSL details from the Student Start-up Loan Summary (SSLS) screen.

See Student Start-up Loan (SSL) for coding details.

If the student is:

13

Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH)

Complete the NIH screen if the customer is:

Relocation Location Details (RLD) screen - to be coded for students:

Go to Step 15.

14

Household Income and Assets (NHI)

Check the Household Income and Assets (NHI) screen to ensure the parent(s)/guardian(s) details are correctly recorded.

For help with coding, including when an estimate is provided, see Applying the Parental Income Test (PIT) for ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance (YA).

Go to Step 15.

15

Payment Destination Details (PAS)

If the customer is a student:

See Update the payment destination for further information.

If the customer does not have a bank account, see Payment destination to determine if a direct credit exemption applies.

16

Income and assets

Update any advised income and assets, for coding assistance see:

Has the customer advised that they or their partner are employed?

17

Income details

Income details are required for the customer and/or their partner from the ABSTUDY entitlement start date. Where this information is not available, attempt to contact the customer to obtain these details verbally.

Have all required income details been provided?

18

Reporting requirements

ABSTUDY customers have access to report their employment income using online or self-service channels subject to channel and timeframe limitations, this does not affect the ABSTUDY claim assessment.

To place the customer on reporting:

  • Go to the Employment income summary (EANS) screen
  • Select Add new row to open the Create new employer details table
  • Complete the following fields:
    • Type of employment income: code 'EAR'
    • Employer name description: code the employer's name
    • Event date: code the ABSTUDY grant date
  • Select Save

Go to Step 19.

19

Retrospective cancellation

Was ABSTUDY paid for a period that the customer was previously paid a Social Security payment or Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment which was cancelled to grant ABSTUDY?

20

Arrears adjustment

ABSTUDY arrears generated for a period that the customer was previously paid a Social Security payment or Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment must be reduced to offset the debt shell created by the cancellation of payment.

To manually reduce arrears in Entitlements (ELD):

  • Select Assess to go to ELD
  • Enter RAC in the Super Key
  • reduce each payment period displayed by the amount of the cancelled payment for that period. Use Man Adj Reason ADJ
  • After all reductions have been completed, select Update
  • Return to ELD

Go to Step 21.

21

Finalise claim

If the ABSTUDY customer transferred from another payment such as JobSeeker Payment (JSP), ensure any Centrepay deductions from the previous benefit have transferred to ABSTUDY. See Starting, changing and cancelling a Centrepay deduction at the request of a customer.

The Energy Supplement will be paid if the recipient is eligible. If a frequency change is requested, check/update Energy Supplement payment frequency option.

Note: ABSTUDY Masters and Doctorate can only receive the Energy Supplement quarterly in arrears.

Were arrears reduced to offset a debt?

22

Debt offset

Once the claim activity is completed, finalise the debt shell for the precluding payment as 'no debt' with FND Reason: NDC.

For coding, see Finalised 'no debt' (FND) or 'zeroing' debts that are not legally recoverable.

If the customer has provided an account or invoice requesting payment of RCO and eligibility has been confirmed, code the payment. See Table 3 in Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).