Digital Study Load Declaration (DSLD) online reviews 110-07010010

For new and started DSLDs:

• Go to Customer First > Workspace > Customer Online Account > Student Digital Study Load Dec > in Check and Update Your Study Details
• Select:
• Get Started for a new DSLD, or
• Continue for a started DSLD

Note: if the customer is querying an historical DSLD review, or if multiple reviews display, see Table 2.

Read the declaration to the customer and select each checkbox to confirm their acceptance. This is a legal declaration and removes the need for a signed form.

The Check and Update Your Study Details screen displays details from the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Details (EDC) screen in Customer First. These include the current course name, education institution, study load, study level and course start and end dates.

Ask the customer to review the information displayed.

Has the customer declared the study details are correct?

• Yes, select Yes to the corresponding question. Go to Step 7
• No,
• Select No
• Select Edit
• If the course displayed is correct but the study load has changed, select Change in study load, go to Step 2
• If the course end date should be changed or the customer is no longer enrolled in the course displayed, select Cease study. Go to Step 3

Use appropriate questioning techniques to ensure that the declaration is not unnecessarily referred for manual action. Select the Help text (question mark) for detailed information and explanations.

For changes in study load, ask the customer what their new study load is:

• select the date the study load changed by selecting the calendar icon
• select the new study load for the study period in which the change occurred
• follow the prompts to answer extra questions about the reason for the change

See the National Course Approvals sub-site. View the directory of approved education institutions and information about normal periods of enrolment and study load.

Go to Step 7.

Use appropriate questioning techniques to ensure that the declaration is not unnecessarily referred for manual action. Select the Help text (question mark) for detailed information and explanations.

For customers who indicate they have ceased study, ask the customer the reason for ceasing their studies:

• select the date the customer stopped or will stop the course by selecting the calendar
• select reason for ceasing study
• follow the prompts to answer extra questions about the change
• select End of course for the following circumstances:
• course end date to be changed
• customer is no longer enrolled in the course displayed but has commenced (or will commence) a new course

See the National Course Approvals sub-site. View the directory of approved education institutions and information about normal periods of enrolment and study load.

The workflow returns to the Check and Update Your Study Details screen to allow the customer to review the updates:

Undo the updates via Action by selecting the arrow,

If the customer has started or is about to start a new course:

• select Add
• complete the following mandatory details:
• education institution name
• study level
• course title (for example, Bachelor of Arts)
• course start date and end date
• study load

Note: if the customer intends to study full time in the next available study period but does not know the full details of their course, record an Intention to Study (for Youth Allowance and Austudy only).

See the National Course Approvals sub-site. View the directory of approved education institutions and information about normal periods of enrolment and study load.

If the customer receives:

• Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY, go to Step 5
• Austudy, go to Step 6

If no further updates are required, go to Step 7.

The Home address details screen displays automatically for customers (Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY only) who have a current entry on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen and may be eligible for a Relocation Scholarship.

For customers who are:

• dependent, record the address of the principal home where the customer would normally live if they were not required to live away from home to study
• independent and disadvantaged by personal circumstances, record the address where the customer resided at 6 months before commencing their current course, even if this is the same as their current address

If the address cannot be validated, Service Officers should use all available tools to locate the address. See Relocation Scholarship (RS) payment and coding.

The Previous study details screen displays automatically for customers who indicate that they have previously undertaken study at the same level as their newly added course.

If the customer has previous study at the same level recorded on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) screen in Customer First, these study details will be displayed.

Ask the customer to:

• review this information. Use the drop down box to record the status of the previous course. Options are:
• Completed
• Not Completed, or
• Not correct
• answer the corresponding question, ‘Are there any other courses at this level which are not recorded here?’:
• record all courses that are the same study level as the newly added course that the customer has attempted or completed within the last 10 years

Note: changes can be made by selecting Edit, Delete, Add and Cancel.

Once all previous study details have been entered and checked, go to Step 7.

The Review and submit screen displays all information provided, including updates made to the customer’s study details.

If the customer:

• wants to make further changes, select Update to return the workflow to the Check and Update Your Study Details screen
• declares that the information is correct, select Submit

The File Upload Service screen displays automatically if documents are required to assess the customer’s circumstances:

• advise the customer if documents are required and read the help text to explain the specific requirements for each document
• encourage the customer to re-enter their Digital Study Load Declaration once they have gathered their documents and upload the documents within the workflow
• select Skip to continue
• read the pop up message to the customer so that the customer is aware of the due date and implications for failing to provide the documents

Note: documents may be lodged through other channels, but this may delay the manual assessment process.

The Assessment Outcome screen contains the information that the customer provided, including any updates made and Next Steps if applicable.

If the payment was suspended for reason DDI, clear out of the record as soon as possible to allow the automatic restoration triggers to run.

Advise the customer that the receipt for this transaction can be viewed through their Centrelink online account through myGov or Express Plus mobile app.

For help with explaining the assessment outcome, see Step 1 in Table 2.

If a customer contacts about a DSLD assessment outcome, access the customer’s record in Customer First:

• Select Workspace > Customer Online Account > Student Digital Study Load Dec
• If multiple assessments are displayed, ask the customer to confirm which assessment their enquiry relates to
• If the historical assessments table shows the assessment Status as:
• pending outcome, go to Step 2
• documents required, go to Step 3
• completed, go to Step 4
• cancelled, no action is required. Procedure ends here
• If the customer:
• provides new information, go to Step 5
• requests an explanation or applies for a formal review of the decision, go to Step 6

The Compliance Study Load processing team is responsible for completing all manual assessments.

If the assessment Status displays Pending outcome:

• Open the receipt via Actions and select the page icon
• If documents have been requested, go to Step 3
• Check the Document List (DL) screen for notes explaining the status of the assessment

If the customer is vulnerable and in financial hardship, contact the Compliance Study Load processing team for urgent assessment. In Office Locator, search for 'Compliance Study Load'. The correct processing team is the first on the list.

Procedure ends here.

The Compliance Study Load processing team is responsible for completing all manual assessments.

If the customer states that their documents have been provided:

• Check the Document List (DL) screen for notes explaining the status of the assessment
• Check the Customer Summary (CS) screen > Document Tools and Activities to view scanned documents

If the customer is vulnerable and in financial hardship, contact the Compliance Study Load processing team for urgent assessment. In Office Locator, search for 'Compliance Study Load'. The correct processing team is the first on the list.

If the documents have not been provided:

• remind the customer that their payment may stop if they fail to provide their documents
• if the payment is already suspended, do not restore
• record the contact and advice given in a DOC

If the customer is vulnerable and in financial hardship, contact the Compliance Study Load processing team for urgent assessment. In Office Locator, search for 'Compliance Study Load'. The correct processing team is the first on the list.

For help identifying suitable proof of enrolment and documents for study load concessions, see:

• Proof of enrolment (POE) in a course of study
• Youth Allowance (YA) student or Australian Apprentice becomes incapacitated or impacted by unforeseen or extreme circumstances
• Changing study load from full-time to part-time or concessional study load for Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy or PES
• Study requirements for ABSTUDY

Procedure ends here.

Check the Date Submitted field for the relevant DSLD.

Is the Date submitted field blank?

• Yes,
• The customer did not complete the DSLD within the required timeframe and the review period has ended
• If the payment is cancelled for reason DDI, Service Officers must re-establish the customer’s qualification and payability. See Restoration of Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy for full-time students and Australian Apprentices or Restoration of ABSTUDY payments
• Procedure ends here
• No,
• Open the receipt via Actions and select the page icon
• Give the customer a clear explanation of the outcome and debt amount, if applicable
• If the customer is satisfied with the outcome, record a DOC outlining the conversation with the customer. Procedure ends here
• If the customer is not satisfied with the outcome, go to Step 5

The Compliance Study Load processing team is responsible for all reassessments relating to DSLD decisions, including study load related debts.

Is the customer providing new information or evidence in relation to a DSLD decision?

• Yes, follow Request for an explanation or application for a formal review

If the customer is vulnerable and in financial hardship, contact the Compliance Study Load processing team for urgent assessment. In Office Locator, search for 'Compliance Study Load'. The correct processing team is the first on the list

• Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 6

The Compliance Study Load processing team is responsible for all requests for an explanation of a decision and implementation of ARO decisions relating to DSLD decisions, including study load related debts.

If the customer has requested a reassessment of the decision, advise the customer to supply additional evidence to support their case.

Once evidence has been assessed, if the customer does not agree with the outcome, they can apply for a formal review of the decision. This includes (includes a decision resulting from an online update completed by the customer. See Request for an explanation or application for a formal review

If a student fails to complete the DSLD online review within 14 days their payment will be suspended with reason code 'DDI'. This suspension reason cannot be manually restored via the Benefit Action (BA) screen.

If a student’s payment status is SUS-DDI, the student must complete the DSLD online review within the following 14 days (days 15 to 28 inclusive) to have their payment restored automatically.

Service Officers who have submitted the online review via Customer First Workspace > Customer Online Account > Student Digital Study Load Dec should clear out of the student’s record immediately to allow restoration triggers to run.

If the DSLD online review has been submitted but the payment status is still SUS-DDI:

• check the Network News Update (NNU) for known issues
• do not update the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen in Process Direct or Education Course Details (EDC) screen in Customer First
• do not attempt manual workarounds
• do not escalate to ICT Service Desk
• do not change the status of the related Integrated Review or Change of Circumstances Interaction to Completed or Finalised
• check the Transaction/Trigger List (TTL) screen for an outstanding trigger type C2IREV with status #1hr. If this trigger is visible on the TTL screen, clear out of the record to avoid delays due to task locking

When at least 1 hour has lapsed since the DSLD online review has been submitted and the payment status is SUS-DDI:

• document the contact on the student’s record including any study updates advised by the customer
• send an email to the Payment.Integrity.Projects mailbox for urgent investigation

Depending on the student’s circumstances, further evidence or information may be requested.

If a student contacts and their payment status is suspended by the Compliance Study Load processing team:

• Locate the ‘DSLD Q888 request’ DOC on the Document List (DL) screen
• Read the DOC to identify the type of evidence requested and any notes explaining the status of the review
• Check Document Tools for evidence relevant to the review
• If the evidence requested has not been provided, advise the student that their payment will remain suspended
• If the evidence provided is suitable and sufficient to assess the student’s circumstances, tell the customer it will be assessed by the processing team

If a student has provided evidence and is vulnerable and experiencing hardship, Service Officers can restore the payment. Make sure that restoring the payment will not place the student at risk of an overpayment.

If a student fails to complete the DSLD online review within 28 days, their payment will be cancelled with reason code DDI.

If a student’s payment status is CAN-DDI, Service Officers must follow standard protocol to re-establish the student’s qualification and payability for a student payment.

Once the payment status is CAN-DDI, the review period has ended. If qualification and payability conditions are met, the payment can be restored through the Benefit Action (BA) screen.

See:

• Restoration of Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy for full-time students and Australian Apprentices
• Restoration of ABSTUDY payments
• Cancellation, suspension and rejection reason codes for Newstart System (NSS)
• Codes for ABSTUDY cancellation, suspension and rejection

Note: staff monitoring the Payment Integrity Projects mailbox do not action restorations for records that are cancelled with the reason DDI.