How to determine if a course is approved for ABSTUDY purposes. 010-02080010

Is the course an Excluded Course for ABSTUDY purposes that doesn’t meet one of the exceptions?

• Yes, the course is an Excluded Course and not considered an approved course for the purposes of ABSTUDY
• If the course is accredited by an education provider, or relevant State/Territory or Australian Government authority (see Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) it can be an approved course for other student payments and the student should test their eligibility for them
• Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 2

Who is the course available to?

• If the course is available to all members of the community, go to Step 3
• If the course is available only to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, the course is considered an Indigenous special course. Go to Step 4
• If the course is only available to a restricted group of people, but is accredited by an education provider, or relevant State/Territory or Australian Government authority (see Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC)) it can be an approved course for other student payments and the student should test their eligibility for them. Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Note: where there is an equivalent mainstream course, Indigenous special courses are to be approved as the mainstream course.

See the References page on, Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) for a link to the Student Assistance (Educational Institutions and Courses) Determination.

If the course content is designed for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, go to Step 4.

Does the course meet all the criteria for an approved course as mentioned in the Student Assistance (Educational Institutions and Courses) Determination?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 10

A vocational education focus course includes:

• all Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, as they provide skills that are essential to enter the workforce for the first time, change careers, upgrade skills or move into further education. VET course levels are:
• Cert 1, 2, 3 and 4
• Diploma
• Advanced Diploma Vocational Graduate Certificate or Diploma
• Bachelor level courses, as bachelor degrees can be a pathway course for entry into higher studies

Does the course have a vocational education focus?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

The course is not an Indigenous special course and not considered an approved course for the purposes of ABSTUDY.

If the course is accredited by an education provider, or relevant State/Territory or Australian Government authority (see Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) it can be an approved course for other student payments and the student should test their eligibility for them. Record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Is the course either:

• a course accredited by an education provider or relevant State/Territory or Australian Government authority (see Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC), or
• a study programme approved by a correctional services authority for a student in lawful custody?
• Yes, the course is an Indigenous special course. Go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 10

The course is considered an approved course for the purposes of ABSTUDY.

• If the course is a course accredited by an education provider or relevant State/Territory or Australian Government authority, go to Step 11
• If the course is a study programme approved by a correctional services authority for a student in lawful custody, record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

See Startup Year Courses for further information.

Is the student studying a Startup Year Course?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 11

See the Resources page for link to StudyAssist website for more information on STARTUP-HELP loans.

Has the student been selected for a STARTUP-HELP loan by their higher education provider?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 10

The course is not considered an approved course for the purposes of ABSTUDY or any other student payment

See Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) for the assessment of course approvals for ABSTUDY purposes.

Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

Is the course a full-time or part-time course?

Note: to determine if the course is classified as a full-time or part-time course, see Approval of a course as full-time or part-time for ABSTUDY.

• If a full-time course, students can only attract entitlements intended for those undertaking a full-time or concessional study load. See Approved courses of study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC)
• If a part-time course, eligible students undertaking less than a full-time or concessional study load are entitled to ABSTUDY part-time entitlements only

Record details on a DOC