Coding for approved Overseas Full Time Study (OFS) payments 061-18020100

If the portability is for a

• future departure date, that is, the customer has not yet departed Australia, see Table 2.
• current absence, that is, the customer has already left Australia, see the Table 3
• period of past absence see the Table 4

Note: if a customer has left Australia again after the period of approved portability the additional travel movements need to be temporarily removed from the Immigration Advised Movements (RSIM) screen to allow workaround coding to be done. This can only be done by Service Officers in Centrelink International Services (CIS). Go to Step 2.

If the portability is for prior absences, including a recent absence, see Step 4 in Table 4 table.

Call Centrelink International Services (CIS) to request travel details be temporarily removed to allow OFS coding for past period. Details of all departures and arrivals for any absence after the relevant approved period will be temporarily removed.

CIS staff only, go to Step 3.

When travel details have been temporarily removed, go to Step 4.

Note: CIS staff only.

A Service Officer in CIS will update the RSIM screen.

It will not be possible to restore the payment while a later departure from Australia is recorded. It is necessary to temporarily remove the immigration data for any absences after the portability period that is being approved.

On the RSIM screen:

• delete the departure and arrival for any absence after the relevant portability period
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• do not finalise the activity
• advise network Service Officer they can progress coding

Procedure ends here.

CIS will have temporarily deleted immigration advised travel movements from RSIM and left a started activity.

• Select the started activity
• Update the Customer Advised travel movements (RSCD) screen
• delete any associated coding for each departure and arrival deleted from RSIM
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen but do not finalise the activity
• See Step 1 in Table 4

The portability script can be run for all future departures, including where the student is combining a holiday with approved study. Determine the correct dates of study commencement, travel and/or holidays and the script will give the correct outcome and code RSCD.

Is the Portability Script – Departures and Returns working?

• Yes, complete the portability interview and coding using the Portability Script. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

Is the student intending to combine a holiday overseas with their approved payment period?

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

If the holiday is:

• Before commencing approved study, payment will stop on departure from Australia and will resume when the overseas study starts, unless it is cancelled in the holiday period. Go to Step 5
• After the end of approved study, payment will stop when the study stops. Go to Step 6
• Both before and after the approved study period, payment will stop on departure from Australia and will resume when the overseas study starts, unless it is cancelled in the holiday period. After the end of the approved study period payment will stop. Go to Step 7

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen. Use Overseas Full Time Study OFS as the portability reason
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Procedure ends here.

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen for the holiday, then for the study. A portability reason is only needed for the approved study. Use Overseas Full Time Study OFS as the portability reason
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Procedure ends here.

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen for the study, then for the holiday. A portability reason is only needed for the approved study. Use Overseas Full Time Study (OFS):
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Procedure ends here.

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen for each of the 3 events, holiday, then study, then for the holiday. A portability reason is only needed for the approved study. Use Overseas Full Time Study (OFS):
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Procedure ends here.

Portability for payment may only be approved if the customer remained qualified for payment at the date they departed Australia. When a person departs Australia their payment may be suspended or cancelled for a reason not related to portability, for example CAN-NST due to a change in full-time student status.

If the customer was still entitled to payment but has not yet been approved portability, their payment should be suspended for a portability reason.

At the date of departure, had the customer’s payment already ceased for a non-portability reason?

• Yes, go to Restoration of Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy for full-time students and Australian Apprentices. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

Different coding will be required dependent on approving a period of Overseas Fulltime Study (OFS) from date of departure or from a later date.

In some circumstances it will also be necessary to extend a period of OFS that has previously been approved.

To approve OFS from the date of departure, go to Step 3

To code a later date due to combining a holiday with approved study period, go to Step 4

To extend a period of OFS, go to Step 5

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen. Use Overseas Full Time Study (OFS) as the portability reason
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results

Has the payment automatically restored within the activity?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, payment remains suspended/cancelled, go to Step 7

If the customer is having a holiday before commencing approved study, payment will stop on departure from Australia and will resume when the overseas study starts, provided the study start date is within 13 weeks of the date of suspension. Payment may not resume if it is cancelled in the holiday period (that is, if study commences more than 13 weeks after departure).

If overseas study start date is more than 13 weeks after payment stopped for a portability reason, payment cannot be restored. Procedure ends here.

If overseas study start date is within 13 weeks of the date of suspension, payment may be restored:

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen with the holiday, then with the approved study. A portability reason is only needed for the approved study. Use Overseas Full Time Study (OFS)
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results

Has the payment automatically restored within the activity?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, payment remains suspended/cancelled, go to Step 7

• Correct coding on the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results

If the payment

• has automatically restored within the activity, go to Step 6
• remains suspended or was still current, go to Step 7

• On the Assessment Results (AR) screen check the results are correct:
• payment restored from the start of the approved period or suspension date if extending, with appropriate arrears issued
• if the approved portability end date is in the past, payment should SUS/POC from that date
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Procedure ends here.

• On the Assessment Results (AR) screen check there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

If the customer's payment is:

• suspended for a portability reason, go to Step 8
• cancelled for a portability reason, go to Step 11
• still current, procedure ends here

Is the portability being approved with a break after the departure due to combining a holiday with study?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

If the person departed Australia for a holiday and commenced approved study after departure, the payment is to be restored only from the date of commencement of the approved study period.

If the approved study period is in the future from date of coding the record will stay SUS-DOT until the date of study and should auto restore.

If the approved study period is in the past from date of coding the record should have restored at RSCD coding stage.

If the record did not restore and the study is in the past follow these steps.

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH for Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved OFS period
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1: field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes as a result of the activity
• Ensure the advice is inhibited prior to finalisation
• Finalise the activity

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved OFS period
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored from the start of the approved period, with appropriate arrears issued
• if the approved portability end date is in the past, payment should SUS/POC from that date
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Note: if FTB cancels as a result of income support payments stopping and is eligible to be restored, FTB should be restored first, see Restoration of Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

Procedure ends here.

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH for Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: field with the current date of suspension
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1: field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes as a result of the activity
• Ensure the advice is inhibited prior to finalisation
• Finalise the activity

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the current date of suspension
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored from the start of the approved period, with appropriate arrears issued
• if the approved portability end date is in the past, payment should SUS/POC from that date
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Procedure ends here.

Is the portability being approved with a break after the departure due to combining a holiday with study?

• Yes, go to Step 12
• No, go to Step 13

If the person departed Australia for a holiday and commenced approved study after departure, the payment is to be restored only from the date of commencement of the approved study period.

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH for Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: with the day before the CAN-DOT date as per ABH screen
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1: field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• a debt for the one day will be auto waived
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes as a result of the activity
• Ensure the advice is inhibited prior to finalisation
• Finalise the Activity

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• leave the Effect Date: field blank to auto default to CAN date
• code the Source: and DOR: fields (ensure the DOR is not more than 15 weeks after the date of restoration)
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• Payment status SUS-DOT from original date of departure

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH for Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: with the start date of the approved study period
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1: field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes as a result of the activity
• Ensure the advice is inhibited prior to finalisation
• Finalise the Activity

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved OFS period
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored from the start of the approved period, with appropriate arrears
• if the approved portability end date is in the past, payment should SUS/POC from that date
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Procedure ends here.

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH for Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: field with the current date of cancellation
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1: field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [ Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes as a result of the activity
• Ensure the advice is inhibited prior to finalisation
• Finalise the activity
• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved OFS period
• code the Source: and DOR: fields (Note: DOR cannot be more than 15 weeks from date of restoration)
• press [Submit Change]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored from the start of the approved period, with appropriate arrears issued
• if the approved portability end date is in the past, payment should SUS/POC from that date
• Do not inhibit the advice
• If required, add notes to explain arrears more than 13 weeks in the past
• Finalise the activity

Procedure ends here.

If the student has returned to Australia and had their payment restored or re-granted go to Step 2

If CIS have completed the RSIM coding go to Step 2

If the student has returned to Australia and their payment has not been restored or re-granted, go to Table 3 Current absence - approved portability.

Portability for payment may only be approved if the customer remained qualified for payment at the date they departed Australia. When a person departs Australia their payment may be suspended or cancelled for a reason not related to portability, for example CAN-NST due to a change in full time student status.

Otherwise, the payment should have suspended from the date of departure for a portability reason.

At the date of departure, had the customer’s payment already ceased for a non-portability reason?

• Yes, refer to Restoration of Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy for full-time students and Australian Apprentices. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Different coding will be required dependent on approving a period of Overseas Fulltime Study (OFS) from date of departure or from a later date.

In some circumstances it will also be necessary to extend a period of OFS that has previously been approved.

To approve OFS from the date of departure, go to Step 4

To code from a later date due to combining a holiday with approved study period, go to Step 5.

To extend a period of OFS, go to Step 6

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen:
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Go to Step 7

If the customer is having a holiday before commencing approved study, payment will stop on departure from Australia and will resume when the overseas study starts, provided the study start date is within 13 weeks of the date of suspension. Payment may not resume if it is cancelled in the holiday period (that is, if study commences more than 13 weeks after departure).

• Update the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen: for the holiday, then again for the study. A portability reason is only needed for the approved study. Use Overseas Full Time Study (OFS)
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Go to Step 7

• Correct the Customer Advised Travel Details (RSCD) screen
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check that there have been no changes to the customer’s payment as a result of the activity
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity
• Upload the evidence to the customer's record. See Attaching electronic documents to a Centrelink customer's record using Document Tools in Customer First

Go to Step 7

The payment should have suspended for a portability reason during the absence from Australia, and have been restored from the date of return. In order to issue arrears for approved study period, suspension reason will need to be changed.

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select CAN in the Action: field
• select OTH in the Reason: field
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved period (Note: this will equal the suspension date where study is for full absence or study followed by holiday)
• type OFS workaround required in the Notes1:field
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]

• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct
• To check details enter the RATS screen by selecting the Rate Details (RATS) hyperlink under the Newstart heading under the Customer menu on the left of AR page
• payment cancelled from date recorded on the BA screen, with no ongoing payment
• overpayment from date of return to Australia until the last payment

Note: take note of the overpayment amount generated, which components (that is, basic, RA, CES etc.) are being received and the period of the debt, then manually zero the overpayment:

• In the Daily Rate Component (RAC) table on the Rate Details page select the line corresponding to the debt start date:
• in the Daily Rate Component (RAC) Details table
• tick in the Zero all Adjs?: field
• select MWA from drop down box
• press [Continue]
• repeat for each overpayment period until the results reflect no overpayment remaining
• On the Assessment Results (AR) page go the Actions table:
• Ensure to inhibit any advices
• Finalise the activity

Note: if an overpayment has been generated for Student Start-Up Loan (SSL) or Relocation Scholarship (RSC) allow the debt shell to be created.

Go to Step 8

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• select the payment type in Service Reason: field
• select RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the start date of the approved portability period
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Submit Change]

Was an overpayment created for SSL or RSC?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Table 5

If the period of approved study coincides with payment of SSL or RSC override coding must be completed to prevent the scholarship being paid again.

On the Higher Education Scholarship (HESD) screen within the restoration activity:

• code the Type: field with ORS to override the scholarship payment
• code the Receives: field with Y
• code the Start Date: field with the debt shell start date as per OPMA screen
• the End Date: 31 December of the relevant year
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• code the Action: field with I
• press [Enter]
• do not finalise the activity

Go to the Table 5.

If portability is:

• approved for the full period of absence, go to Step 2
• only approved after the holiday go to Step 3
• only approved before the holiday, go to Step 4

• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored and arrears issued from date of cancellation until the end of the debt period identified in Step 7 of Table 4
• adjust the arrears to only pay for the approved portability period as the customer has already received payment from return to Australia

To adjust the arrears for the period from date of restoration on return to Australia to the date last paid:

• Go to the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen:
• code the Start Date: field with the date of return to Australia
• code the End Date: field with the debt end date from Step 7 of Table 4
• code the Type: field with VBM (basic rate)
• code the Reason: field (SYS)
• code the Amount: field ($0)
• press [Submit Change] or enter
• on new lines repeat the same coding for each component the customer was paid in the period that is being adjusted:
• VEM=Energy Supplement
• VRM=Rent Assistance
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results
• Arrears should have decreased to now pay only for the period of approved overseas study
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Go to Step 6

• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct:
• payment restored and arrears issued from start date of approved period the end of the debt period identified in Step 7 of Table 4
• adjust the arrears to only pay for the approved portability period as the customer has already received payment from return to Australia

To adjust the arrears for the period from date of restoration on return to Australia to the date last paid:

• Go to the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen
• code the Start Date: field with the date of return to Australia
• code the End Date: field with the debt end date from Step 7 of Table 4
• code the Type: field with VBM (basic rate)
• code the Reason: field (SYS)
• code the Amount: field ($0)
• press [Submit Change] or enter
• on new lines repeat the same coding for each component the customer was paid in the period that is being adjusted:
• VEM=Energy Supplement
• VRM=Rent Assistance
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results
• Arrears should have decreased to now pay only for the period of approved overseas study
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Go to Step 6

• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results are correct; to check results enter the RATS screen by placing a T next to the result line on AR screen:
• payment restored from start of approved period and SUS/POC from the day after the end of approved period
• arrears issued for the approved portability period
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Go to Step 5

• On the Benefit Action (BA) screen:
• code the payment type in Svc Rsn: field
• code RES in the Action: field
• leave the Reason: field blank
• code the Effect Date: field with the date of return to Australia
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• press [Enter]
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results

The amount of arrears generated in this activity should match the overpayment generated in Step 7 of Table 4. As the customer has already received this payment, it must be zeroed manually.

To adjust the arrears for the period from date of restoration on return to Australia to the date last paid:

• Go to the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen:
• code the Start Date: field with the date of return to Australia
• code the End Date: field with the debt end date from Step 7 of Table 4
• code the Type: field with VBM (basic rate)
• code the Reason: field (SYS)
• code the Amount: field ($0)
• press [Submit Change] or enter
• on new lines repeat the same coding for each component the customer was paid in the period that is being adjusted:
• VEM=Energy Supplement
• VRM=Rent Assistance
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results
• There should be no arrears generated
• Do not inhibit the advice
• Finalise the activity

Go to Step 6

If data was removed from RSIM/RSCD it must be put back on.

• Request the Immigration Datalink on the Immigration Enquiry (RSIMME) screen

The coding done to override any scholarships and adjust arrears from date of return to Australia must be reversed.

• If HESD was coded go to the Higher Education Scholarship Summary (HESS) and select the override:
• code the Source: and DOR: fields
• code the Action: field with ‘D’ to delete
• press [Enter]
• code the Confirm Delete: field with ‘Y’
• press [Enter]
• Go to the Rate Component Override (RCO) screen
• ‘D’ delete the first line coded
• press [Enter]
• Code the Confirm Delete: field with ‘Y’
• press [Enter]
• Repeat steps for each component
• Go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen and check the results
• Any scholarship debts should be off set
• There should be no arrears generated as arrears for approved period have already been paid and payment has already been made for period from return to Australia
• If any arrears are showing check they are for a period already paid and zero off
• Choose the Rate Details (RATS) link under the Newstart heading in the side menu
• In the Daily Rate Component (RAC) Details table select a line of arrears to be zeroed
• Tick in the Zero all Adjs?: field
• Select MWA from the drop down box
• Type free text to explain why the adjustments have been updated. (for example, cus already paid for period xxx-xxx OFS workaround)
• Press [Continue]
• Repeat for each arrears period until no arrears are payable
• On the Assessment Results (AR) page go to the Actions table inhibit any advices
• Finalise the activity