JobSeeker Payment (JSP) customers returning to (or continuing in) part-time study 001-19051532

Customers studying part-time may be eligible for JSP in certain circumstances. Customers must:

• meet all basic JSP qualifications
• be studying a course that is:
• deemed to be ‘part-time’ by the educational institution they are enrolled with, and
• less than 20 hours per week study time including both contact and non-contact hours

For JSP job seekers, any part-time study which cannot be approved under short course policy can be undertaken if the job seeker continues to meet all of their requirements, attending appointments and accepting offers of employment. For example, a job seeker may be studying at night and willing to look for work during the day. A job seeker will remain qualified for JSP, even where the course cannot be coded as an approved requirement and count towards meeting their requirements if:

• the job seeker is seeking and willing to undertake suitable work, and
• their studies do not appear to restrict their ability to meet their mutual obligation requirements

Part-time study for job seekers with full-time mutual obligation requirements can only be included as a compulsory requirement in the customer’s Job Plan by their Employment Services Provider.

Principal carer parents and customers with a Partial Capacity to Work or Temporary Reduced Work Capacity of 15-29 hours per week are the only customers who can fully meet their requirements by undertaking part-time study for at least 15 hours per week, or a combination of study and other approved requirements for at least15 hours per week. These customers will be Centrelink managed.

While other customers may undertake part-time study, the requirement will be approved by their Employment Services Provider.

When the customer is managed by an Employment Services Provider, the provider will approve the part-time study and negotiate their Job Plan.

Customers can undertake part-time study or training at any time.

Before referring a customer to training, the provider will determine whether training is in their best interests and identify a suitable course.

Principal carers on JSP can participate in approved study for at least 15 hours per week (30 hours per fortnight) in any combination of contact and non-contact hours to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements. Single principal carers must first apply and qualify for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) before study can be approved. If they are not participating in suitable requirements at claim they will be referred to an Employment Services Provider.

If the study is less than 15 hours per week the principal carer must also participate in another requirement to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements. This could be a combination of paid work and study, or self-employment and study. See Mutual obligation requirements for principal carers for information on combinations of approved requirements for principal carers.

If no other requirement can be approved to fully meet the customer’s requirements, they must be referred to an Employment Services Provider and will have job search requirements in addition to their hours of study. The Provider will determine if the part-time study can be approved.

Customers assessed as having a PCW or TRWC of 15 hours or more per week are able to fully meet their mutual obligation requirements by participating in part-time study up to their assessed work capacity.

If their study is less than 15 hours per week they must participate in another activity to fully meet their requirements. This could be a combination of paid work and study, or self-employment and study. See Approved activities for customers assessed as having a partial capacity to work (PCW) for information on combinations of approved requirements for customers with a PCW.

If their study, or combination of approved requirements is for fewer hours than their assessed work capacity, they must be referred to an Employment Services Provider and will be required to undertake other activities to satisfy their requirements.

PCW or TRWC customers with an assessed capacity of 0-7 or 8-14 hours per week are only able to undertake study as a voluntary requirement. These customers are still required to attend compulsory quarterly participation interviews with Services Australia.

JSP (single principal carer) is a PES attracting income support payment. This means Parenting Payment Single (PPS) customers who transfer to JSP (single principal carer) will continue to qualify for PES at any point in time (where all other qualifications are met). These customers are no longer required to be continuing in the same course of study to retain access to PES.

If the requirement is a part-time course, and the customer is Indigenous, they may be eligible for assistance. For example, Incidentals Allowance, under the ABSTUDY scheme.