Part-time or full-time study as an approved activity for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) 001-09070020

• If the JSP job seeker is a single principal carer, go to Step 2
• If the JSP job seeker has started or wants to start a full-time short course of less than 12 months, go to Step 3
• If the course is:
• a full-time course longer than 12 months, see JSP for job seekers returning to full-time study
• a part-time course longer than 12 months, see JSP job seekers returning to (or continuing in) part-time study
• For JSP job seekers transferring from Parenting Payment (PP) and still studying the same course they started while on PP, go to Step 7

JSP single principal carers who are granted Pension Education Supplement (PES) for a course of study are not subject to the short course rules. They can do longer courses of study. However, providers must still approve these courses.

If a JSP single principal carer contacts Services Australia about undertaking study, advise they must first apply for and be granted PES. If PES is approved, the PES approval letter/documentation needs to be taken to the Employment Services Provider. If the course is:

• 30 hours or more a fortnight, the job seeker fully meets requirements and is exempt from short course approval. The provider will enter this as an approved short course, which will suspend the job seeker from employment services and make them Centrelink managed. Service Australia needs to negotiate a new Job Plan
• less than 30 hours per fortnight, the job seeker will remain connected to employment services and will continue to be treated as a job seeker, including being required to undertake other approved requirements

Services Australia will receive this study approval information via automatic update of the job seeker's Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen with the short course approved activity code of 'SHD' (Short Course), start and end date.

Procedure ends here.

If the job seeker has not already connected to a provider, go to Step 4.

Job seekers already connected to a provider

Refer the job seeker to their Employment Services Provider for approval for this activity. If the full-time short course is approved by the provider, notification that the job seeker is undertaking a full-time short course will be sent to Services Australia automatically from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Services Australia will receive this short course information via automatic update of the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen with the short course approved activity code of 'SHD' (Short Course), start and end date. These details can be viewed on the Short Course Details screen. A link to this screen is accessible via Participation Summary in Process Direct under the Activity Type/Non-applied Exemptions heading.

In accordance with DEWR Short Course Guidelines, Services Australia should not approve and code a short course for a provider managed job seeker. The job seeker is to be referred to the provider to discuss their participation and approval in any type of study including a short course, and any full-time or part-time study. This is important because it may impact on the level of servicing the provider can offer. If the provider approves the short course, course details will be coded in the DEWR system. If a job seeker is enrolled in a course of study that would make them eligible for a student payment, this should be discussed with the job seeker and where necessary they should be transferred to a more appropriate income support payment.

Short course approval does not determine qualifications for JSP.

Full-time study will preclude a job seeker from qualifying for JSP.

A job seeker can be determined to not qualify for JSP due to full-time study, only when:

• they have been advised (either at grant or at a later time) by the provider that their full-time study will not meet their mutual obligation requirements, and
• the job seeker is not willing to undertake other approved activities such as job search to meet their mutual obligation requirements

Otherwise, it is up to the provider to negotiate appropriate activities for the job seeker, and to instigate compliance action as necessary for failure to meet compulsory requirements.

Only providers can approve a job seeker participating in any of the below combination study activities:

• PSW activity code - any job seeker participating in at least 70 hours per fortnight of a combination of approved study and paid work
• PPW activity code - principal carers and those assessed with a partial capacity to work (PCW) of 15-29 hours participating in at least 30 hours per fortnight of study and paid work
• PVS activity code - principal carer under 55 years of age participating in at least 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work and study
• PSV activity code - principal carer under 55 years of age participating in at least 30 hours per fortnight of approved voluntary work, study and paid work

Providers will either suspend or exit these job seekers. The job seeker will become Centrelink managed and require a Centrelink Job Plan to be negotiated. The activity will automatically be recorded on the Activity and Exemption (AEX) screen of the job seeker's record. When the activity ends, the job seeker will need to be referred to employment services for review. To negotiate the Job Plan, go to Step 9.

Go to Step 10.

In very limited circumstances, Services Australia can approve full-time short course study for JSP job seekers.

Services Australia can only approve full-time study for JSP job seekers who:

• are Service Australia managed, and
• have been identified as requiring training under the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program or the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), or
• meets all of the conditions:
• the course is less than 12 months (2 semesters) in duration
• the course is full-time (or at least 15 hours per week for principal carers or partial capacity to work (PCW) 15-22 hours per week)
• the job seeker has a confirmed offer of employment in writing from the employer, pending the completion of a specified short course
• the course has a clear vocational application
• the job seeker is prepared to meet any costs involved

Full-time study definition

For a short course to be an approved activity, it must be full-time and less than 12 months in duration.

Part-time study

For principal carers or job seekers with a partial capacity to work (PCW) receiving JSP (that is, job seekers with 'part-time' mutual obligation requirements), short courses must be approved under the same short course guidelines as for other JSP job seekers. However, the study does not have to be considered 'full-time'. These job seekers can fully meet their requirements through approved study of at least 15 hours per week, or 30 hours per fortnight.

For other job seekers, if the activity is less than 20 hours per week, job seekers do not need Services Australia approval, however the study will not count towards their requirements, and they must continue to look for and be willing and able to accept offers of suitable paid employment.

For Services Australia to approve a short course, issue the Request for course approval (SS362) form to the job seeker for completion. See the Resources page for a link to the form.

In Customer First:

• Use Mail Forms guided procedure in Workspace
• Select Search Forms/Claims
• Key SS362 for Form Number/Name
• Select Search
• Form will appear under Available Forms/Claims
• Use down arrow to move form into Selected Forms table
• Select Finish

Upon return of the SS362, go to Step 5.

• Ensure the form is completed by the training institution or organisation conducting the training
• The Course ID can be obtained from the Proof of Enrolment if provided, or via the National Course Approvals - Home page

Does the course meet the guidelines as a suitable course that Services Australia can approve?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 11

• To access the Short Course Details screen in Process Direct, select > Participation Summary > Activity type/Non-applied exemptions > Short course details
• Enter 'SCD' in the Super Key. The Short Course Details (SCD) screen will display

This screen will display the history of all short courses that have been approved for the job seeker. To record a new short course:

• Select Add
• On the Create Short Course Details screen, complete the mandatory fields, including:
• Institution name: the name of the Education Institution at which the job seeker is studying
• Course name: the name of the course the job seeker is attending
• Course level: the specific course level such as Certificate level
• Course ID: the course ID code
• Estimated study hours per week: estimated total number of hours of study per week
• Course start date: the date the job seeker actually started the short course
• Course expected end date: the date the job seeker is expected to finish the short course
• Course actual end date: the date the job seeker actually finished the short course and cannot be a future date. Note: either this or the Course expected end date is recorded, not both at the same time
• Course contact name: the contact person's name for short course information
• Course phone number: the contact person's phone number for short course information
• Select Save
• Complete the Receipt Date and Channel fields, select Save
• Select Assess and address any errors/warnings
• Finalise the transaction by selecting Assess again. Record details of the update on the Finalise screen
• Select Finalise to complete the transaction

In Customer First, issue a Q133 letter (advising of approval to undertake course) and send to the job seeker.

To code the Job Plan, go to Step 9.

Job seekers transferring from PP to JSP can continue their studies in the same course undertaken whilst on PP, even if the remainder of the course is longer than 12 months in duration. They do not have to still be a principal carer on JSP.

Check if course details have been recorded in Process Direct on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen or in Customer First on the Education Course Details (EDC) or Education Details History (EDCH) screen.

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, request job seeker to provide details and code study on job seeker's record. Go to Step 8

In Customer First, access the Newstart Education Status (NES) screen by:

• keying 'NES' in the Nxt: field
• selecting the Educ Status option from the NSS Task Selection (NTS) screen
• Code the NES screen according to the status of the job seeker
• PP to JSP transfers: if job seeker transfers from PP to JSP and is still studying the same course for at least 15 hours per week (or 30 hours per fortnight), use the code 'STF' (Job seeker Full-time Student)

The code STF will display on the Activity and Exemption Summary (AEX) screen as an approved activity for the rest of the course.

If the job seeker was receiving Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) PP as a single person, they will continue to receive PES for the rest of the same course. See Restoration of PES and ABSTUDY PES to correctly restore their PES payment.

Go to Step 9.

Once the AEX screen is updated, an Action Item may display on the Participation Summary screen advising that the Job Plan needs to be updated.

• Explain the purpose of the Job Plan
• Reiterate the job seekers requirements and the consequences of non-compliance with compulsory requirements

If negotiating the Job Plan:

• in person, print the updated Job Plan, have the job seeker sign the plan, and issue the job seeker with a copy of the Job Plan
• over the phone, and the job seeker is:
• registered for online services, tell the job seeker to log into their online account and agree to their Job Plan
• not registered for online services, tell the job seeker to attend their nearest service centre to sign a Job Plan
• see Negotiating Centrelink Managed Job Plans
• Explain the job seeker's rights and obligations including:
• the right to request a variation or negotiation of the Job Plan at any time
• the right of review and appeal
• the obligation to notify Services Australia of changes in their circumstances and to comply with the terms of their Job Plan
• for JSP job seekers with full-time requirements, advise their obligations to attend suitable job interviews
• Answer any queries the job seeker may have

Procedure ends here.

Job seekers who are provider managed (that is, provider has approved a course of study) should advise their Employment Services Provider if their participation in an approved activity ceases prior to the expected duration.

If a job seeker fails to attend, or satisfactorily participate on scheduled days, the provider is responsible for managing compliance with compulsory requirements.

Procedure ends here.

Advise the customer of the decision. Record the decision and conversation with the customer on a DOC.

Job seekers undertaking part-time or full-time study as an approved activity for JSP may be eligible to receive the Education Entry Payment (EdEP).