Assessing the disability study load concession for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) 010-02080060

A student will normally only be eligible for one of the Services Australia administered payments for students if they are studying at least 75 per cent of the accredited full time study load.

However, in some cases they may be paid as a full time student even though they are studying less than the required minimum of 75 per cent. These students are said to be subject to a study load concession. The disability study load concession is one such concession.

The disability study load concession is available for the:

• ABSTUDY Tertiary award
• ABSTUDY Masters and Doctorate award
• ABSTUDY Schooling A award, and
• ABSTUDY Schooling B Award

These Awards can include recipients of both ABSTUDY Living Allowance and ABSTUDY PES.

The disability study load concession is intended to be used for the benefit of students who have a substantial physical, psychiatric, or intellectual disability, who are incapable of, or would face additional educational barriers or disadvantage by studying under normal ABSTUDY study requirements due to their disability.

Services Australia assessment practices require sufficient proof of the disability and its effects on study to ensure that students eligible for the concession can be granted the concession in a fair and timely way. This also safeguards against abuse of the concession by students without substantial disabilities who want to avoid the normal ABSTUDY study load requirements.

The medical evidence supplied by the student will determine how long the study load concession can be applied.

For example, where evidence advises the condition is permanent with no chance of improvement, then the study load concession can be applied for the entire course duration. Conversely, where evidence indicates a disability may improve during the course period, the information supplied on the medical evidence will determine the length of time the concession should be applied.

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.