Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme student turns 16 102-06020020

If the AIC student is undertaking:

• Primary or equivalent ungraded level study, go to Step 2
• Secondary level study, go to Step 4
• Tertiary level study, go to Step 6

Is the applicant in receipt of AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) for the student?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, the student is eligible to receive AIC until they are 19 years of age (or 20 years if their progress through school has been delayed by special circumstances). Procedure ends here

The applicant is eligible to receive AIC PES for the student while they undertake this level of study, until they turn 21 years of age.

At that stage, they will need to transfer to either PES or ABSTUDY PES, whichever is applicable.

For the eligibility requirements for ABSTUDY PES or PES, see either:

• ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) qualifications, or
• Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) qualifications

Procedure ends here.

Is the student in receipt of a Disability Support Pension (DSP) or a Parenting Payment single (PPS) benefit?

• Yes, the student is not eligible to receive AIC PES. They need to claim PES or ABSTUDY PES, whichever is applicable
• No, go to Step 5

In certain circumstances, students who turn 16 may also meet the eligibility requirements for either Youth Allowance (YA) or ABSTUDY.

Students are not entitled to receive another similar payment concurrently. Therefore, advise the applicant of the main features of these payment types so they can make an informed choice.

To determine the most beneficial payment, consideration to the following is required:

• Most families receiving AIC and Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for a student will generally be better off remaining on these payments over YA, even where the student could receive the YA Away from Home rate or Rent Assistance (RA)
• FTB may be paid in addition to AIC where as other payments including YA, ABSTUDY Living Allowance and other income support payments are income tested for customers over 16 and will no longer qualify for FTB
• YA is available for dependent students who need to live away from home to study, and is subject to the means tested with Personal and Parental Income Tests.
  Initial contact with students or Australian Apprentices claiming Youth Allowance (YA) outlines eligibility. FTB Part A is subject to parental income tests however do not include family means or actual means tests. Eligibility for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) - individuals provides further information
• AIC Basic Boarding Allowance, Second Home Allowance and Distance Education Allowance are non-means tested. Only the AIC Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) is means tested, that is, it is subject to a Parental Income Test and the level of the student's boarding costs
• Students boarding or living in a second home away from parents may be entitles to YA or ABSTUDY Away from Home rate as well as Rent Assistance
• Most state and territory governments provide assistance for isolated students that in some cases, is tied to eligibility for AIC

Go to Step 8

Is the student in receipt of DSP or PPS?

• Yes, the student is not eligible to receive AIC PES. They need to claim either PES or ABSTUDY PES, whichever is applicable
• No, go to Step 7

The entitlement end date is the day the student meets the minimum education and training participation age or requirement for their state or territory. See Determining the Entitlement End date for the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme.

Tertiary students who are no longer eligible for AIC need to claim ABSTUDY or YA, whichever is applicable.

For YA eligibility, see:

• Youth Allowance (YA) qualifications for students, trainees and Australian Apprentices (apprentices and trainees), or
• Eligibility for JobSeeker Payment (JSP)
• To assist a full-time student with a claim for YA, see Initial contact with students or Australian Apprentices claiming Youth Allowance (YA)

To assist a job seeker or trainee with a claim for YA, see Claiming Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker).

For ABSTUDY eligibility, see:

• ABSTUDY eligibility and requirements
• To assist a customer with an ABSTUDY claim, see Initial contact with students claiming ABSTUDY