Claiming ABSTUDY 010-02010000
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Claim for ABSTUDY Schooling A (SY018)
Claim for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (SY020)
Claim for ABSTUDY Allowances and Part-time Award (SY021)
Claim for ABSTUDY Student or Australian Apprentice in lawful custody (SY022)
ABSTUDY Student additional information (SY023)
ABSTUDY Additional Incidentals Allowance Claim Form m (SY031)
ABSTUDY Submission for away from base activity funding form (SY034)
ABSTUDY Change of Circumstances/Enquiries Sheet (SY053)
ABSTUDY and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Review of Decision (SY054)
Claim for ABSTUDY Remote Areas form (SY092)
Tax file number - application or enquiry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (NAT1589)
Examples - when an ABSTUDY claim is or is not required
Table 1: This table describes examples of when a customer contacts after previously receiving ABSTUDY or after their ABSTUDY claim was rejected or withdrawn. The examples indicate if the customer needs to make a new claim for ABSTUDY, including ABSTUDY PES.
These examples do not affect the rules for closing dates and backdating provisions. See Calculating the start date for ABSTUDY.
If ABSTUDY boarding instalments are paid, the 13-week period is calculated from the term entitlement end date.
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Item |
Description |
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1 |
Within 13 weeks of date last paid ABSTUDY, restore with no break in entitlement No ABSTUDY new claim required If the customer contacts, ask them to provide details of any change of circumstances since date last paid ABSTUDY. A restoration activity must be coded. Date of Receipt (DOR) is the date the customer has contacted to re-claim. If the customer submits a claim, it must not be processed. If indexed in:
The DOR will be the date the claim was submitted. Update the customer's record with any change in circumstances declared in the claim. See Restoration of ABSTUDY payments. Example 1 Vincent's ABSTUDY cancelled Failed to Report (FRP) on 12 December 2022. Vincent contacts on the 28 January 2023 to declare employment income and advise they are no longer working. As Vincent is contacting within 13 weeks, the Service Officer updates Vincent's employment income and asks if any change in circumstances have occurred since 12 December 2022. As Vincent is no longer working from 10 January 2023, the Service Officer takes the 2 weekly reporting requirement off and restores Vincent's ABSTUDY payment, with the DOR as 28 January 2023. The Service Officer advises Vincent's ABSTUDY is now restored and reminds Vincent of the notification obligations. Example 2 Linda, a Service Officer in an ABSTUDY Smart Centre is allocated a paper Claim for ABSTUDY (SY019) form for assessment. The claim form was lodged on the 15 March 2023. The customer's record shows their ABSTUDY was cancelled Proof of Enrolment (POE) on the 22 February 2023. The customer has provided the required Proof of Enrolment with the completed claim form. Linda determines a new claim is not required as it is less than 13 weeks since the customer's previous ABSTUDY cancellation date. Linda checks the claim form and confirms there have been no change in circumstances. Linda codes a restoration on the Benefit Action (BA) screen, coding 'SY019' in the Srce field, and 15 March 2023 in the DOR field. On the Education Course Details (EDC) screen, Linda updates the Enrolment Verification field to verified (VER). Linda checks the Assessment Results (AR) screen before finalising the restoration activity. |
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More than 13 weeks from date last paid ABSTUDY, restore with no break in entitlement OR less than 13 weeks break in entitlement No ABSTUDY new claim required If the customer has submitted a claim, Service Officers are to process the claim. If the customer has not submitted a claim and has contacted, ask them to provide details of any change of circumstances since date last paid ABSTUDY. Due to system limitations, the record may have to be restored via a new claim activity (re-grant) if it is 15 weeks or more since the customer was last paid ABSTUDY. See Restoration of ABSTUDY payments. As the payment is only being re-granted due to system limitations preventing restoration, the DOR can be coded as the date customer contacts. Example Claire's ABSTUDY was cancelled on 26 December 2022 Departure/Absences overseas temporary (DOT). Claire returned to Australia on 21 February 2023. On 3 April 2023, Claire contacts to discuss her cancellation and wants to reclaim ABSTUDY. The Service Officer determines Claire is eligible for ABSTUDY from the date they returned to Australia. As Claire's ABSTUDY cancelled more than 13 weeks ago, but the break in ABSTUDY entitlement is less than 13 weeks, no new claim is required. The Service Officer restores Claire's ABSTUDY from 21 February 2023. This may need actioning via a re-grant/new claim activity. |
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Within 13 weeks of date last paid ABSTUDY, and current on another Services Australia administered payment The customer was in receipt of another agency-administered payment and wants to reapply for ABSTUDY. No ABSTUDY new claim required If the customer contacts, ask them to provide details of any change of circumstances since date last paid ABSTUDY. A re-grant activity must be coded. DOR is the date the agency was advised they want to reclaim ABSTUDY (the day the information was received). If the customer has submitted a claim, Service Officers are to process the claim, ensuring the correct start date on the Education Payments Start Date (EPDC) screen is entered. See Calculating the start date for ABSTUDY. Example Peter's ABSTUDY cancelled on 12 April 2022 Failure to reply to correspondence (FRC). Peter lodged a claim for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) and was granted from 1 May 2022. Peter contacts ABSTUDY Smart Centre on 3 June 2022 advising the additional information has been provided and wants to reclaim ABSTUDY. As Peter is reclaiming ABSTUDY within 13 weeks, a new claim is not required. The Service Officer updates Peter's record with the additional information provided and asks Peter if there has been any change in circumstances since last receiving ABSTUDY. Peter advises his bank account details have changed. The Service Officer updates Peter's bank account. As Peter has been in receipt of another income support payment, a re-grant is required. The Service Officer sends an ABSTUDY action request Fast Note to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing team requesting ABSTUDY to be re-granted. See Processing Services details for: ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES. |
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Within 13 weeks from the date of notice of a rejected ABSTUDY claim No ABSTUDY claim required The original claim for ABSTUDY will be reinstated. The DOR must be coded as the date the customer provided the additional information. If the customer has lodged a new claim for ABSTUDY, the DOR will be the date the customer submitted the claim. Example Genevieve lodged an ABSTUDY claim on 11 January 2023. On 16 March 2023, the Service Officer rejects Genevieve's ABSTUDY claim Proof of identity not provided (POI). A letter advising of the rejection is issued to Genevieve. Genevieve contacts on the 14 April 2023 advising the POI has been provided. The Service Officer advises Genevieve no new claim will be required as the date of notice of rejection is within 13 weeks. The Service Officer sends an ABSTUDY action request Fast Note to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing team requesting ABSTUDY be reassessed. See Processing Services details for: ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY PES. |
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More than 13 weeks from the date of notice of a rejected ABSTUDY claim New ABSTUDY claim required Although a new claim is required, it is treated as 'additional information' for ABSTUDY. There is no closing date for additional information for ABSTUDY. Example Conrad's ABSTUDY was rejected Tax File Number (TFN) on 15 January 2023 and a letter issued advising of the rejection. On 15 May 2023, Conrad contacts to advise the TFN. The Service Officer advises Conrad a new claim will be required as the date of notice of the rejection is more than 13 weeks. |
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Previous ABSTUDY claim withdrawn New ABSTUDY claim required The DOR is the date the new claim is submitted. As the customer withdrew the first claim, it is treated as though no claim was submitted. Example Shakira lodges an ABSTUDY claim online on 15 January 2023. However, on 22 January 20223 withdraws the claim. On 20 February 2023, Shakira contacts due to commencing a new course of study and wants to reinstate the previous ABSTUDY claim. The Service Officer advises Shakira that withdrawn claims cannot be re-started and a new claim must be submitted. |
Documents required to support the ABSTUDY claim process
Table 2
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Item |
Description |
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1 |
Identity Confirmation For information when Identity Confirmation is required, see Additional procedures exclusive to ABSTUDY apply in some circumstances. |
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2 |
Tax File Number (TFN) A TFN declaration must be made by the student or Australian Apprentice when they are 16 years or older. If the customer does not have, or knows their TFN, issue a Tax file number - application or enquiry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (NAT1589) form. Tell the customer they must complete and lodge the form within 14 days of lodging their claim. |
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Independence Customers who claim one of the Independence criteria may need to provide evidence before their claim can be assessed. |
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Away from home Evidence will generally be required to support a claim for the Away from Home rate. However, some Away from Home criteria may not require evidence. For example:
See Away from Home rate for ABSTUDY for specific information based on the customer's circumstances. |
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Unreasonable to live at home Customers may need to provide documents to support their claim. Customers under 18 years of age and applying under the Unreasonable to Live at Home criteria will need an appointment with a Services Australia social worker. |
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Parental Income Dependent customers who claim between September and December will need to supply information for both BASE and current tax years. If this information is required but is not available at the initial contact, issue a MOD JY. See Completing Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details for the Base Tax Year and Current Tax Year (MOD JY). |
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Proof of Enrolment (POE) Customers may need to provide POE. |
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Customer Declaration Form (CDF) A CDF will be required if the claim has been completed via the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool and a verbal declaration has not been obtained. The CDF must be signed and returned by the applicant before the claim can be finalised. Reprinting the CDF
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