Customer will not commence full-time study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES), Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) and AIC PES 102-07020180

An ABSTUDY, or ABSTUDY PES student is required to be studying a full-time or concessional study load in an approved course to qualify for the payment. An Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme is required to be studying a full-time study load in an approved course to qualify for the payment. Note: ABSTUDY students studying a part-time study load may be eligible for assistance under the Part-time Award. For further information, see ABSTUDY eligibility and requirements.

An AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) student is required to be undertaking approved study at primary or equivalent ungraded level.

If a customer contacts to advise they, or the AIC student, will not commence their full-time studies, they may lose qualification for the payment they are currently receiving.

If an ABSTUDY student ceases full-time study and is not eligible for a study load concession, and wants to receive payment as a jobseeker, they must notify Services Australia and register as a job seeker. Failure to promptly apply for Youth Allowance (YA) (job seeker) or JobSeeker Payment (JSP) from the ABSTUDY cancellation date (Student End Date plus 1 day), will result in the job seeker payment only commencing from the date the claim was lodged.

Note: different processes apply for customers in vulnerable circumstances, see Intent to claim and vulnerable customers.

Where an AIC student with a disability or other health-related condition has a reduced study load they may continue to be considered as a full-time student by the education institution.

A debt may be generated for students, or AIC applicants (on the student's behalf) who fail to notify cessation of studies. There is no change to policy or process for ABSTUDY customers in vulnerable circumstances advising an intention to study. If the ABSTUDY customer has been approved for independence under the self-supporting reason codes 'PSE' or 'PSP' on the basis that they will become a full-time student, and the customer will not become a full-time student, the customer cannot retain qualification for either of these independence categories.

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

ABSTUDY students may continue to be entitled to payments while temporarily absent from studies in some circumstances.

Other students who are not qualified for an Activity Test exemption and who are not qualified for a concessional study load, may have to change payment types for example, to JobSeeker Payment (JSP).

For continuing students who were intending to continue in the same course in the upcoming study period, refer to payment specific procedures on discontinuing or deferring studies:

• AIC students, or
• ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES