Payment of ABSTUDY when a student is deferring or discontinuing study before the end of the course 102-07020040

This is a change in the student's circumstances affecting their qualification for payment, and is therefore a notifiable event. In addition to the common notifiable events, students who are undertaking study or training must notify Services Australia if any of the following events occur, or are likely to occur:

• starting or discontinuing a full-time course of study
• not enrolling in a course as a continuing student by the end of the enrolment period
• not beginning in the course on the first day it is offered
• changing enrolment in the course

Notification rules for students in receipt of ABSTUDY payments are slightly different to other payments.

Students may notify the change to their study details by updating their details online if they are registered for self service and are authenticated. If the student provides a change to their Participation Status or Student End Date, the record will generate follow up action to be undertaken by a Service Officer.

All of a student's addresses (including postal address) and telephone details (including mobile phone numbers) must be checked at every phone or personal contact, and updated if required. Note: if the student has authenticated themselves via Interactive Voice Response (IVR), address details do not need to be confirmed.

Generally, if a student ceases full-time study they cease to qualify for one of the Centrelink administered payments for students. However, if the student has reduced their study load, they may qualify for a study load concession. In addition, ABSTUDY students studying a part-time workload may qualify for the ABSTUDY Part-time Award.

ABSTUDY students who discontinue and then subsequently recommence full-time or concessional study-load study, in either the same course or a different course, remain entitled to Living Allowance if the period between is no greater than 28 days.

ABSTUDY students who change activity from full-time student to Australian Apprentice do not have to lodge a claim. Services Australia will liaise with the Department of Social Services (DSS) help desk on the recipient's behalf to obtain the recipient's Australian Apprenticeship details including their Commonwealth registration number.

ABSTUDY students transferring from a full-time student to a job seeker payment must claim Youth Allowance (YA) or JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

If a student has unused Working Credits, they may be eligible to restore these credits to their new SIB or Working Credit balance within 12 months. SIB credits can only be restored to a new Working Credit balance.

Cancellation, or changes to a dependent ABSTUDY student's circumstances, may affect the Family Taper applied to their siblings, if those siblings also receive dependent ABSTUDY, Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme or Youth Allowance (YA).