Identifying the most beneficial payment for students or Australian Apprentices 010-01010000

A student or Australian Apprentice may be entitled to certain payments depending on their circumstances.

Factors that are considered include whether the student or Australian Apprentice:

• is already in receipt of an income support payment
• has dependent children
• earns an income
• is enrolled in an approved course of study at an approved institution
• is studying part-time or full-time or is eligible for a study concession load
• is a part-time or full-time Australian Apprentice

Note: an Australian Apprentice is a person who has a current Commonwealth Registration Number under the scheme known as Australian Apprenticeships. Part-time Australian Apprentices may still be eligible for income support or ABSTUDY as a full-time student, if they are also studying full-time in an approved course. ABSTUDY students may also be eligible for a Part-time Award if they are studying part-time.

The requirements and benefits of each payment must be explained so the customer can make an informed choice as to which payment would be more advantageous to them.

The TAP assists eligible students with the cost of relocating to undertake tertiary study immediately following the completion of year 12 (or equivalent). Students must be relocating from their family home, which is in:

• an outer regional area
• a remote area, or
• a very remote area

The TAP is a payment of $5000 paid in two instalments in the first year of study.

Students can lodge TAP claims:

• from 1 January to 31 December in the calendar year they commence their tertiary course, and
• only after they have completed their year 12 or equivalent study

Where a special circumstance exists, students may be able to lodge after this date.

Students studying through a university must check their eligibility and apply through their education provider. Only students studying through a Vocational Education and Training provider (VET) or a non-university higher education provider are eligible to apply through Services Australia. This includes students enrolled in the following Vocational Education and Training (VET) course through a university:

• Certificate IV
• VET Diploma (this does not include Higher Education Diploma's that attract FEE HELP)
• Advance Diploma

See Tertiary Access Payment (TAP).

Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) is usually paid to a parent on behalf of the customer. It can assist families with students in the following circumstances:

• Study by distance education or home schooling, attend a Northern Territory Homeland Learning Centre or undertake other approved study
• Board away from home at a boarding institution (that is, boarding school or hostel) or in private board arrangement
• Live in a second home maintained by the family to access local schooling, and the family is isolated from the nearest available government school
• Because the student has special needs

AIC does not provide assistance for students who live at home and travel to school each day.

AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) can be paid for students who are in the circumstances above and are receiving certain social security pensions. With the exception of AIC PES, AIC cannot be paid for a student who receives another Australian Government income support or similar payment. For example, Youth Allowance (YA), ABSTUDY, or a Veterans' Children Education Scheme payment (VCES). Receipt of some Australian Government payments on behalf of a student doesn't affect eligibility, for example Family Tax Benefit (FTB) or Carer Allowance.

Some state and territory governments provide assistance for isolated students. This also does not affect AIC eligibility.

AIC is generally paid for primary and secondary students, and can be paid for tertiary students who are:

• below the minimum school leaving age for their state or territory, and
• participating in training such as a TAFE or vocational education and training course instead of school.

Factors to consider when applying for AIC include:

• An applicant can receive AIC and FTB at the same time for the same student
• If the student is aged 16 years or over, AIC may be more beneficial when received in conjunction with FTB than receiving:
• YA/ABSTUDY at the away from home rate plus Rent Assistance if the Parental Means Test is applied, or
• Disability Support Pension (DSP), Parenting Payment Single (PPS) or Carer Payment (CP) plus PES
• AIC can be paid until the student turns 19 years of age (or 21 in special circumstances), whereas DSP, PPS or CAR plus PES can be paid for older students

FTB is the primary payment for full-time secondary students 16-19 years of age.

However, in some circumstances it is possible for some secondary students to get YA or ABSTUDY.

This may include circumstances where the student is living away from home to undertake full-time studies.

Students 16 years of age or over who have completed their final year of secondary study or have left school without completing Year 12 (or equivalent) qualification will no longer meet the definition of an FTB child.

Most students can compare their potential YA/ABSTUDY or FTB rate using the online estimators.

The intention of AMEP is to assist migrant customers to improve their English language skills and a customer should in the majority of cases, be referred to AMEP. However, in limited situations where a customer is doing AMEP, they may be eligible for a student payment (AMEP as an approved course). AMEP is not considered an equivalent qualification for FTB student eligibility.

Generally, students are not eligible for job seeker registration and access to Workforce Australia assistance, but they can access the job search facilities in their local Services Australia office. This includes students on a semester break but excludes students between secondary and tertiary studies. For more information, see Eligibility to access employment assistance services through Workforce Australia.

Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) is available to recipients of Disability Support Pension under 22 years of age and YA and ABSTUDY recipients under 22 years of age who have been assessed as having a partial capacity to work of less than 30 hours per week through an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) or Job Capacity Assessment (JCA).

Mobility Allowance is available to persons 16 years of age and older who are in the labour market and cannot use public transport without substantial assistance because of their disability. Those in the labour market include workers, voluntary workers, students or job seekers.