Satisfying the activity test for Austudy 010-04050010

Is the customer receiving or claiming Austudy as an Australian Apprentice?

• Yes, a full-time Australian Apprentice may be eligible for Austudy
• There is no activity test for Australian Apprentices. An Australian Apprentice must have a current Commonwealth registration number to be eligible for Austudy
• A student who is employed on a full-time basis as an apprentice or trainee but does not meet the definition of an Australian Apprentice cannot be considered to satisfy the activity test for Austudy or be entitled to Austudy as an Australian Apprentice
• No, go to Step 2

Has the customer previously completed a course at Doctorate level (in Australia or overseas)?

• Yes, a customer who has completed a Doctorate degree cannot satisfy the activity test for Austudy. Therefore, they are not eligible for payment. Note: this applies whether the customer obtained this award in Australia or an equivalent award overseas. Go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 3

To satisfy the Austudy activity test a customer must be enrolled in an approved course of study for Centrelink payments.

Is the customer enrolled (or about to be enrolled) in an approved course?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No,
• if the customer is not enrolled (or about to enrol) in any study, go to Step 11
• if the customer is enrolled or intends to enrol in an unapproved course, go to Step 4

If assessing an Austudy claim, reject the claim. See Assessing and coding student and Australian Apprentice claims for Austudy.

If the customer is currently in receipt of Austudy the payment will need to be cancelled, go to the Benefit Actions (BA) screen:

• Service reason = 'AUS' Austudy
• Action = 'CAN' Cancel
• Reason (as appropriate) =
• 'NAC' Enrolled in Unapproved Course
• 'UMD' Studying Unapproved Masters or Doctorate
• Effect date = date customer enrolled or intended to enrol in unapproved course

Record the reasons for the decision on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

There are limits placed on the duration for which a customer can be paid Austudy.

A customer does not satisfy the activity test if they have exceeded the time allowed for the course (failed to make satisfactory progress). For more information, see:

• Assessing secondary students satisfactory progress for Austudy or
• Assessing satisfactory progress for tertiary students for Austudy

Is the customer making satisfactory progress?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 6

• Use the procedure Determining allowable time/reasonable time for a course of study to determine the date to enter in the Allowable Time End Date: field on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen
• If assessing an Austudy claim, reject the claim. See Assessing and coding student and Australian Apprentice claims for Austudy
• If the customer is currently in receipt of Austudy and wants to test their eligibility for another payment, Austudy will need to be cancelled, go to the Benefit Actions (BA) screen:
• Service reason = 'AUS' Austudy
• Action = 'CAN' Cancel
• Reason = 'ATR' Allowable Time Reached
• Effect date = Allowable Time End Date + 1 day
• Record the allowable time decision in a DOC. This DOC should include:
• the name, academic level and allowable time of the student's current course
• a summary of the student's previous study, semester by semester (including at other levels of study if this is available - although it won't be counted in this assessment it may be useful if the customer applies for another course)
• details of any study that has been disregarded and the reasons for disregarding the study
• the total of the previous study

Procedure ends here.

Usually the customer will be required to undertake at least 75% of the normal full-time study load of the course. For more information, see Assessing study load requirements.

Is the customer undertaking at least 75% of the normal full-time study load requirement of their course?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 8

This means that the activity test is still considered to be met even though the usual 75% study load criteria is not. There are two different concessional study loads, see:

• Assessing eligibility for the 66% concessional study load for Austudy
• Assessing eligibility for the 25% concessional study load for Austudy

Is the customer eligible for a concessional study load and undertaking at least the relevant amount of study?

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

Generally, this would include attending classes, submitting work, undertaking other course requirements, etc.

Is the customer actively undertaking study in the approved course at present?

• Yes, the customer satisfies the activity test for Austudy and so may be eligible for payment as long as they meet the other Eligibility for Austudy. Record the decision on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 10

A customer who is not actively studying at present can be considered to be a continuing/intending student, and therefore satisfy the activity test, if they have:

• completed secondary study and intend to commence tertiary studies, or
• completed tertiary study and intend to commence another tertiary course

In these cases, the customer must have been enrolled in a course and be intending to re-enrol in another course at the first opportunity.

A customer is also taken to satisfy the activity test if they are on a regularly scheduled vacation from their course (e.g. over the Christmas/New Year period).

Is the break in active study due to a gap between 2 courses (other than short courses) or a regular vacation period of the customer's current course?

• Yes, the customer satisfies the activity test for Austudy and so may be eligible for payment as long as they meet the other eligibility for Austudy. Record the decision on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, see Step 1 in Table 2

If assessing an Austudy claim, reject the claim. See Assessing and coding student and Australian Apprentice claims for Austudy.

If the customer is currently in receipt of Austudy, cancel the payment:

• go to the Education Course History (EDCH) screen
• select the current education details. This will navigate to the Education Course Details (EDC) screen
• enter the date they were last a student (i.e. the day before they ceased full time study) in the Student End Date: field
• complete the Source: and DOR: fields and enter 'C' (change) in the Action: field
• go to the Newstart Education Status (NES) screen, enter:
• Event date = student end date + 1 day
• Student status = 'NST' Not a Student
• If required update the Education Level Attained and Y12/Equiv Verified fields
• enter 'I' (insert) in the Action: field

Record the reasons for the decision on a DOC.

If they remain enrolled in their course throughout the period of incapacity and they are able to catch up and complete their course work. This will usually be possible where the duration of the incapacity is 2 weeks or less. A medical certificate should be requested to confirm the duration of the incapacity. A letter from the educational provider confirming the student's enrolment status and ability to catch up may also be required.

Is the incapacity likely to last for more than 2 weeks?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 2

Advise the customer that they must inform Services Australia within 14 days of becoming aware that they will not be able to resume studies after the 2 week period of incapacity. Record the decision on a DOC. Procedure ends here.

The customer does not satisfy the Austudy activity test and is therefore not eligible for this payment type. If the student's enrolment has been deferred they may reclaim Austudy when the temporary period of incapacity is over.

• If assessing an Austudy claim, reject the claim. See Assessing and coding student and Australian Apprentice claims for Austudy
• If the customer is currently in receipt of Austudy the payment will need to be cancelled, see Step 11 in Table 1
• Record details on a DOC

The customer may wish to test their eligibility for JobSeeker Payment. Due to their incapacity they may be eligible for a temporary exemption from the JobSeeker Payment's mutual obligation requirements.