Completing the claim for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (SY020) 010-05010020

Student's need for an interpreter. This may include an interpreter for people who have a hearing or speech impairment or speak a language other than English.

ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) qualifications.

If there is any doubt about a claimant's identity as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian, they may be asked to provide proof. If Aboriginality is disputed, evidence will be requested to prove all 3 parts of the definition of Aboriginality and/or Torres Strait Islander Australian.

Customer's previous record, current payment & reference number

Other government assistance for study and ABSTUDY PES

Students cannot receive assistance from more than 1 type of government education or training scheme.

Personal and contact details

The claimant is required to provide these details in full.

Personal details such as name, aliases, date of birth.

Permanent, postal & semester/term address, contact and phone details.

The customer is required to provide the details of the bank account their ABSTUDY PES payment is to be paid into. This would be a personal bank account for the claimant. Remember that the account number required is not the number shown on the customer's ATM card.

Asks if customer is returning to study after a break

Course details and Proof of enrolment (POE)

Full details of institution/course required. The claimant may need to provide proof of their enrolment unless they are a secondary student studying at school or a student in a higher education course at a university. ABSTUDY PES payments can be approved without POE however the customer must be advised they must provide POE as soon as possible. See Proof of enrolment (POE) in a course of study.

Details required on length of study

Reasonable time to complete course and ABSTUDY PES

Details for external study by distance education or correspondence

Question on course through flexible learning or study at own pace

Flexible learning and study at your own pace courses are types of study that allow a part-time or full-time student to study subjects 1 at a time instead of having to study all subjects over a whole term or semester.

Startup Year Course

Students undertaking a Startup Year course, to be eligible for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement must

• provide evidence they are enrolled in the course, and
• have been selected for a STARTUP-HELP loan by their higher education provider

See Startup Year Courses for more information.

For full-time secondary school student (including a student enrolled in a secondary distance education provider)?

If customer is unsure if your course is full-time or part-time, they are to attach a list of subjects for the study load to be assessed.

Study load concessions and ABSTUDY PES

A student (other than a secondary school student) is classified as full-time or part-time on the basis of her or his study load compared to the course’s normal full-time study load and whether a study load concession applies. If they are a secondary school student (including a student enrolled in a secondary distance education provider), a statement is to be attached from the school or institution about the reasons for being a part-time student.

Completed (and attempted to complete) previous study details

Exemption from study details

Stopped or completed primary or full-time secondary studies

This section looks into the customer's living circumstances and travel needs.

Living away from home

If the student is living away from the permanent home, they need to provide details of their address where they shall be living during the course semesters.

Advise the student that these details are important in relation to their eligibility for Fares Allowance.

Dependent children travelling with customer

If the student has dependent children travelling with them, they must attach the relevant details.

Residential Costs Option for students who are undertaking an approved course at University

ABSTUDY PES students who undertake an approved course at University are able to elect for ABSTUDY to pay their residential costs if they are approved for away from home entitlement, i.e. Fares Allowance.

This section looks at authority to enquire and assistance to claim.

Claimant received assistance completing claim

The claimant needs to advise if some other person assisted them in filling in the claim, including this person's details.

Another person or organisation to make enquiries about payment on customer's behalf

Full details are required e.g. name, address, date of birth (if applicable), phone number, relationship to customer.

Correspondence or payment nominee

If the claimant wishes to have a Correspondence or payment nominee they must provide this person's name and relationship to claimant.

Documents required

Provides a list of documents the customer may need to supply. This relates to how the customer answered each question.

Privacy statement to be read by customer

Claimant (or correspondence nominee) must sign declaration

Advise the customer to read this section carefully and sign and date it. If they (or their correspondence nominee) do not sign the declaration payments cannot commence.