Assessing disability for ABSTUDY away from home rate 010-02060100

Away from Home rate can be claimed:

• for new customers, via the ABSTUDY Claim (SY019), or
• for existing customers, via a statement (verbal or written) indicating the criteria under which they are seeking approval

Dependent ABSTUDY students are normally expected to live at home while studying. Under certain circumstances, however, they may have to live away from home and so become eligible for a higher rate of assistance.

One of these circumstances is where a government school within reasonable travelling time or distance is unable to cater for a secondary student's educational needs because of their disability and the student needs to attend a school away from home.

Note: a student meeting the requirements for the away rate due to a disability and attending a school providing specialised facilities, must also meet the provisions of reasonable time from that institution for approval to occur, or provide medical advice that daily travel to the specialised facilities is inappropriate.

If acceptance at the special education provider indicates that a professional assessment has been made of the student's physical, emotional or psychological requirements, further documentation is not required.

A disability is defined as a physical or intellectual disability; a psychological, emotional or behavioural problem, a medical condition or pregnancy complications.

A student with a disability may qualify for Living Allowance at the Away from Home rate for the following reasons:

• to board at a special education provider
• to have access to special facilities
• to avoid lengthy daily travel
• to have access to regular medical treatment
• to have access to a different climate

A statement from an appropriate medical authority must be provided which specifies the nature of the disability and affirms that the student could not be expected to live at home and travel daily to the nearest suitable government school. When servicing customers with a mental illness please consider the various impacts of the condition on their ability to comply, including their capacity to attend appointments.

Full-time students and Australian Apprentices in receipt of ABSTUDY and 21 years of age and under may be entitled to Youth Disability Supplement (YDS).The customer must have been assessed by an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) as having a partial capacity to work of less than 30 hours per week.

When making an unfavourable decision, speak to the customer:

• explain the decision
• give them a chance to provide more information, and
• advise their review and appeal rights