Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate 010-02070150

A change of circumstances has been notified in relation to a student who is currently receiving the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY, which may affect their eligibility for the Away from Home rate. Determine whether the change in circumstance will affect the eligibility for the Away from Home rate.

To determine if the Australian Apprentice/student remains entitled to the Away from Home rate, see Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers.

If the customer:

• is a secondary school student moving or has moved back home, go to Step 2
• has circumstances that now make the Australian Apprentice or student not eligible for the Away from Home rate, go to Step 4
• has ceased studying, see Table 2 > Step 1
• remains entitled to the Away from Home rate, if the Away from Home reason has:
• not changed, no updates required. Record details on a DOC, procedure ends here
• changed, make required updates as per Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers. Record details on a DOC, procedure ends here

Secondary students who return home temporarily, for example, a school holiday period, will retain eligibility to the Away from Home rate.

If the move is temporary, procedure ends here.

If the move is permanent:

• Go to Step 3
• 
• Do not code any change of circumstances on the student's file
• Send an ABSTUDY action request Fast Note with details to the relevant ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing for action. Select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Update > ABSTUDY Boarder action request. Include dates the student left the school, if the student completed the term/year, name of school/board provider and new school details
• Ensure student's contact details are correct
• Procedure ends here

To determine if the continuity of study provisions apply, see Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers.

Does the student meet continuity of study provisions?

• Yes, for coding instructions, see Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 4

The end date of Away from Home rate for a student depends on the student's circumstances.

Select the appropriate option below.

Send an ABSTUDY action request Fast Note with details to the relevant ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing for action. Select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Update > ABSTUDY Boarder action request.

Include:

• dates the student left the school
• if the student completed the term/year
• name of school/board provider, and
• new school details

Procedure ends here.

If the student:

• has completed the term of study, go to Step 7
• has circumstances other than the above, see Table 2 > Step 1

If the student has completed their study, go to Step 8.

If the Australian Apprentice or student:

• returns to the family home, go to Step 5
• has circumstances not listed above, see Table 2 > Step 1

A student or Australian Apprentice who returns permanently to the family home ceases to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date they return home.

If the student has moved home:

• permanently, their eligibility for the Away from Home rate ceases from the date they return home. See Table 2 > Step 1
• temporarily, go to Step 6

A student or Australian Apprentice who returns to the parental home on a temporary basis during their course of study (such as a study vacation period) must continue to maintain their residence at the study or work location for the period of their temporary return to continue to qualify for the Away from Home rate.

Note: there is no clear distinction between maintaining and not maintaining accommodation. Each case must be judged on its own merits.

If the student is in receipt of the Residential Cost Option (RCO), see Payment of Residential Costs Option (RCO) for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Will the student or Australian Apprentice continue to maintain their accommodation away from home whilst staying at the parental home temporarily?

• Yes, the student or Australian Apprentice is still entitled to the Away from Home rate. Procedure ends here
• No, their eligibility for the Away from Home rate ceases from the date they return home. See Table 2 > Step 4

If the student has completed the term of study, the student's circumstances determine the end date to be applied.

A secondary student is eligible to the Away from Home rate until the last date of the term entitlement period if they board:

• at a boarding school, or
• in an approved ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, or
• at a hostel which is a signatory to an ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement, or
• as a private boarder
• and complete a term of study

Note: a student who completes all course work earlier than the formal completion date is still considered to have completed the course and is eligible for the full entitlement period. This often occurs for students in Year 11 or 12 who complete course work earlier than the official study end date and are released from school early.

Was the student’s final completed term of study term 1, 2 or 3?

• Yes, see Table 2 > Step 3
• No, for students in:
• year 12, no updates required. Procedure ends here
• years 7 to 11, delete the following academic year if it has been inserted on the EDC screen. Record details on a DOC, procedure ends here

If the student has completed the course of study, they are eligible to the Away from Home rate until the last formal day of the course.

If the student's current course is finishing:

• on the date anticipated, no updates required. Procedure ends here
• earlier than anticipated, see Payment of ABSTUDY when a student is deferring or discontinuing study before the end of the course. Procedure ends here

Australian Apprentice

An Australian Apprentice ceases to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date of the change in circumstances when they:

• have a change in circumstances which has made them no longer eligible to the Away from Home rate, or
• their parents have moved the family home closer to where the Australian Apprentice is working

For coding, go to Step 4

Tertiary or secondary non-school student

A tertiary or secondary non-school student ceases to be eligible to the Away from Home rate from the date of the change in circumstances when they:

• return permanently to the family home, or
• return temporarily and do not maintain their residence, or
• discontinue study in a course before the course work is complete, or
• have a change in circumstances which has made them no longer eligible to the Away from Home rate

For coding, go to Step 4.

Secondary student

A secondary student ceases to be eligible to the Away from Home rate from the date of the change in circumstances when they discontinue study before the course work is complete.

For coding, go to Step 2.

A secondary school boarding student who discontinues study before the completion of a school term is only eligible for Away from Home rate up to the date of discontinuation.

Update the following on the student record:

• Correct the Student End Date on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen. Delete the following academic year if it has been inserted on the EDC screen
• Insert a new screen on the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen and update the following fields:
• Event Date: key the day after the board arrangement ceased
• Annual Fees/Tuition Amount: leave blank
• Boarding School/Hostel Action: key 'NPB' - No longer boarding at the school or hostel
• Annual Boarding School/Hostel Amount: leave blank
• Actual Term Start Date: leave blank
• Weekly Private Board Amount: leave blank
• Scholarship Contribution Amount: leave blank
• If the student is ceasing in the current year any EYSB coding for the following year must be deleted
• If coded, end the term address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• Insert a new screen on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and update:
• Event Date: key the day after the student stopped paying board or rent
• Address Type: key 'HOM' - Home
• Home Ownership: key 'NHO' - Non homeowner
• Type of Rent: key 'NRP' - No Rent Paid
• Sharer Status: key 'LWP' - Lives with Parents
• Correct away from home details on the Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen:
• From the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen, 'S'elect the current away from home (AFH) line and continue
• In the End Reason field, key 'NLE' - No Longer Eligible
• In the End Date field, key the confirmed last day of attendance
• In the Action field, key 'C'orrect
• End Payee/Debtor details on ABSTUDY Payee/Debtor Details (EYPY) screen. For students residing in:
• a boarding school, a hostel that is a signatory to an ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement or ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, use the last day of the term entitlement period of the last payment released
• a private board arrangement, use the Entitlement Period End Date (EPED) of the last payment released

Note: the EYPY screen does not need to be end dated if new study details are to be coded for Schooling B Award.

If the student has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students.

Record details on a DOC on the student's record detailing the reason for the cessation of Away from Home rate.

If a customer received a Crisis Payment (CrP) in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of CrP may be required.

Go to Step 5.

Update the following on the student record:

• Insert a new screen on the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen and update the following fields:
• Event Date: key the day after the term entitlement period
• Annual Fees/Tuition Amount: leave blank
• Boarding School/Hostel Action: key 'NPB' - No longer boarding at the school or hostel
• Annual Boarding School/Hostel Amount: leave blank
• Actual Term Start Date: leave blank
• Weekly Private Board Amount: leave blank
• Scholarship Contribution Amount: leave blank
• If coded, end the term address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• Insert a new screen on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and update:
• Event Date: key the day after the term entitlement period
• Address Type: key 'HOM' - Home
• Home Ownership: key 'NHO' - Non homeowner
• Type of Rent: key 'NRP' - No Rent Paid
• Sharer Status: key 'LWP' - Lives with Parents
• Correct away from home details on the Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen:
• From the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen, 'S'elect the current away from home (AFH) line and Continue
• In the End Reason field, key 'NLE' - No Longer Eligible
• In the End Date field, key the last day of the term entitlement period
• In the Action field, key 'C'orrect
• End Payee/Debtor details on ABSTUDY Payee/Debtor Details (EYPY) screen, use the last day of the term entitlement period

Note: the EYPY screen does not need to be end dated if new study details are to be coded for Schooling B Award.

If the student has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students.

Record details on a DOC on the student's record detailing the reason for the cessation of Away from Home rate.

If a customer received a Crisis Payment (CrP) in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of CrP may be required.

Go to Step 5.

For students or Australian Apprentices who are no longer eligible for the Away from Home rate:

• correct away from home details on the Independent/Homeless/Away from Home Details (NIH) screen:
• From the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen, 'S'elect the current AFH line and continue
• In the End Reason field, key 'NLE' - No Longer Eligible
• In the End Date field, key the last date the student or Australian Apprentice was entitled to the AFH rate
• In the Action field, key 'C'orrect
• if coded, end term address on the Address Details (AD) screen
• update accommodation details by inserting a new screen on the Accommodation Details (AC) screen. In the following fields:
• Address Type: key 'HOM' - Home
• Event Date: key the day student stopped paying rent
• Home Ownership: key 'NHO' - Non homeowner
• Sharer Status: key this mandatory field as appropriate, record the known details for example, Lives with Parents ('LWP') or Not a Sharer ('NAS')
• Rent verification: leave blank

If the student:

• has discontinued study in a course before the course work is complete, see Payment of ABSTUDY when a student is deferring or discontinuing study before the end of the course
• has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students

Tell the customer they are not entitled to Rent Assistance (RA), but they should advise if their circumstances change and they commence to pay rent.

Record details on a DOC on the customer's record detailing the reason for the cessation of Away from Home rate.

Note: if a customer received a Crisis Payment (CrP) in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of CrP may be required.

Procedure ends here.

The reassessment of a student's last day of eligibility to the Away from Home rate may create an overpaid amount. The overpaid amount can be a:

• student residual boarding allowance
• ABSTUDY boarding instalment paid to the board institution

Student residual board allowance

If a debt activity occurs for any residual board allowance paid on behalf of the student, raise a debt against the responsible payee. Record details on a DOC on the responsible payee's and student's record of action undertaken.

ABSTUDY boarding instalments

If a debt activity occurs for any portion of an instalment paid to a boarding institution on behalf of the student, a debt should be raised against the responsible organisation payee. The ABSTUDY Payee/Debtor Details (EYPY) screen will hold the organisation details, and the debt activity will be automatically transferred to the debtor organisation.

The student cannot access alternate ABSTUDY allowances for any period the boarding institution, or Hostel, retains ABSTUDY Away from Home allowances.

If a debt activity occurs for any ABSTUDY boarding instalments paid to a third party, raise a debt against the responsible payee. Record details on a DOC on the organisation’s and student's record of action undertaken.

If the student has commenced a new course of study, see Changing or correcting course of study and/or educational provider for ABSTUDY students.

Is the secondary student aged 16-19 years and a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) child?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, procedure ends here

For customers to receive FTB for a child aged 16 years or over, the child must satisfy study requirements. If an ABSTUDY student ceases full-time secondary studies, their parent/guardian may no longer be entitled to FTB.

For secondary students aged 16-19 years of age inclusive, who are an FTB child and who return home, if they:

• commence full-time studies at a local school. No action is required. Procedure ends here
• commence studies at a local school with a reduced study load or the customer wants to claim an exemption:
• Complete a referral to an appropriately trained Service Officer
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > 16-19 Assessment Required
• Procedure ends here
• do not commence full-time studies at a local school:
• Complete a referral to an appropriately trained Service Officer
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Families > Updates > ABSTUDY child ceased study
• Procedure ends here