Start and closing date for ABSTUDY claims 106-05010110

Closing dates for ABSTUDY claims vary between students and Australian Apprentices and the type of assistance claimed. See the Process page for full details.

The date of claim lodgement for:

• claims lodged online or via Assisted Customer Claim is the date the claim was successfully submitted
• verbal claims recorded via the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool is the date the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool was completed and accepted
• paper claims is the date Services Australia (including its agents) received the claim

The start date of ABSTUDY may be backdated for customers, depending on their individual circumstances.

If an ABSTUDY claim has been lodged on or before the applicable closing date, the ABSTUDY payee may receive all their approved entitlements from the calculated start date.

ABSTUDY may also be backdated where a customer lodges:

• an incorrect or inappropriate claim for another payment (for example, Youth Allowance, Austudy or Assistance for Isolated Children) by the relevant closing date for the payment being claimed
• a claim after the closing date due to the customer experiencing vulnerability or having a medical condition or special circumstance

A decision to backdate ABSTUDY may occur if it covers the same period for which one of the following has been paid to or in respect of the customer:

• a Social Security payment (for example, JobSeeker Payment (JSP), Youth Allowance (YA), or Austudy)
• Family Tax Benefit (FTB)
• Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment

A retrospective cancellation or rejection can occur with any of the above payments / benefits but only if it is more beneficial for the customer to be in receipt of ABSTUDY for the same period. See Identifying the most beneficial payment for students or Australian Apprentices

Note: a retrospective cancellation or rejection of FTB can only occur if the FTB customer agrees.

If it is determined that ABSTUDY is payable from the earlier date, the customer no longer has an eligibility for the Social Security payment, FTB or Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment for the same period. An overpayment may occur because of the retrospective cancellation and must be offset against the ABSTUDY arrears, however, FTB overpayments cannot be offset from ABSTUDY arrears.

Where a student or Australian Apprentice stops and then starts full-time study, training or concessional study-load study, in either the same course or a different course, they remain entitled to Living Allowance if the period between is no greater than 28 days.

Open University Australia students who have had a break of more than 2 study periods are considered to have had a break in full-time or concessional study-load study of more than one semester.

Where an applicant has lodged an incorrect or inappropriate claim for another payment (for example, Youth Allowance, Austudy or Assistance for Isolated Children) by the relevant closing date for the payment being claimed, the customer may be considered to have lodged an ABSTUDY claim on that date.

An extension to the ABSTUDY closing date is available for all ABSTUDY payments. Customers experiencing vulnerability or those with a medical condition or special circumstances may be granted an extension of time to lodge their claim.

Where a student ABSTUDY claim is lodged outside the relevant closing date due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control, they may still receive their full entitlement.

There is no closing date for acceptance of additional information. If an applicant lodges a claim before the relevant closing date, and further information is required, the student or Australian Apprentice may be entitled to payment for the full period of the course regardless of when the additional information is supplied.