Skip to navigation Skip to content

Using the Archiving and Culling Engine (ACE) application to access archived Education Student Assistance System (ESAS) data 111-02010010



This document outlines how to search and retrieve historical data in relation to students who received payments from the old Department of Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA) now known as the Department of Education.

Client ID (CID) numbers

Students who were in receipt of ABSTUDY, Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC), AUSTUDY and Financial Supplement loan (FSL) payments under the DEETYA scheme (before the transfer of services to Centrelink on 1 July 1998) were paid through the Education Student Assistance System (ESAS). These students were issued with Client ID (CID) numbers that are a unique signifier similar to the Customer Reference Number (CRN) that currently exists for all customers on the Centrelink system.

Application Number

Customers were also allocated an Application Number each year that was only relevant to enquiries regarding that year's payment. The CID was used to identify a customer and would not change, whereas the Application Number would change depending on the year of payment.

From time to time, customers who were receiving payments under the DEETYA scheme may query matters related to those payments. These enquiries will most likely be appeals of decisions regarding repayment of FSL and other outstanding debts associated with payments before 1 July 1998. Details of DEETYA scheme payments have been archived from ESAS to the Archiving and Culling Engine (ACE).

If the customer does not have a current record for a Centrelink payment, search in ACE for their records using the CID, the Application Number or the customer's name.

The Resources page contains a link to the Archiving and Culling Engine (ACE).

Using the Archiving and Culling Engine (ACE) application to access receipt numbers