JobSeeker Payment (JSP) job seekers returning to full-time study 001-19051528

When a JSP customer with mutual obligation requirements returns to full-time study, determine if the customer will satisfy one of the 4 options below:

• have the course approved under the short course guidelines
• for JSP single principal carers:
• have the course approved if they are granted Pensioner Education Supplement (PES), and
• studying at least 30 hours per fortnight
• qualify for Youth Allowance (YA) (student), Austudy or ABSTUDY, or
• have their income support cancelled if they do not fit into any of the above categories

Customers may continue to receive JSP while undertaking a full time course under short course guidelines.

The job seeker is considered to be studying part-time if they are undertaking a course that will last for less than one academic year. See Part-time or full-time study as an approved activity for JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

Customers who identify as Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may be eligible to claim ABSTUDY and can submit an ABSTUDY claim 13 weeks in advance.

Note: JSP customers who are not subject to mutual obligation requirements can study but will need to consider their options if mutual obligation requirements commence. For example, they need to decide to either claim a student payment or seek to have their course approved. See the Resources page for scenarios.

Service Officers should:

• consider the personal circumstances of the JSP customer intending to commence a course
• assist the customer to determine which payment may be more beneficial

Some points to consider when assessing the most beneficial payment include:

• JSP customers aged 22-24 are not eligible for YA as a full-time student if they are undertaking a course of less than 12 months duration
• Customers who identify as Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may be eligible for ABSTUDY
• Payment rates for JSP, Austudy or ABSTUDY
• Income test for JSP, Austudy or ABSTUDY
• Working Credit and Student Income Bank limit, accrual and depletion rules
• If the customer is a single principal carer studying an approved scholarship course, the payment rates for PES will remain the same for the period of the course
• Whether the JSP customer will be disadvantaged by losing access to the level of support currently being provided by their employment services provider

The above list is not exhaustive and care should be taken to consider the customer's individual situation when providing advice.

JSP customers aged 22-24 years:

• who want to undertake a full-time course with a duration of less than one year, are not qualified for YA. They have reached the maximum age for YA and should seek short course approval from their employment services provider (or in limited circumstances by Services Australia)
• can only transfer to YA (student) if the course duration is 12 months or longer. They will need to submit an online claim for YA (student) to test their eligibility

Customers who identify as Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander may be eligible for ABSTUDY. There is no restriction on age or the length of the course.

Only customers aged 25 years and over are eligible for Austudy.

Parenting Payment (PP) customers who transfer to JSP or Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker) can continue their approved study for the remainder of their course. This applies even when a customer has more than 12 months left to complete their course. This study satisfies the customer's mutual obligation requirements for the remainder of the course.

PP customers receiving Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) when they transfer to JSP or YA (job seeker) may retain their PES payment. The PES payment may continue while in receipt of JSP or YA (job seeker) until their course is completed.

Principal carers in receipt of JSP or YA who wish to undertake or return to full-time study are subject to the same full-time short course approval rules as other JSP or YA customers.

JSP single principal carers can apply for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES). Parenting Payment Single (PPS) customers who transfer to JSP as a single principal carer continue to qualify for PES (where all other qualifications are met). These customers are not required to continue in the same course of study to retain access to PES. JSP single principal carers undertaking study must apply for PES and meet PES approval.

Customers negotiate study activities with their employment services provider.

Services Australia:

• can only approve short courses for customers before they enter employment services, and under limited conditions
• is responsible for determining payment eligibility. JSP may be cancelled by Services Australia if the employment services provider includes study in the customer's Job Plan that:
• is clearly not of a vocational nature, or
• does not meet the short course duration requirements