Study requirements for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) 010-05090000

Secondary school students are considered to be studying a full-time study load if they:

• attend school daily
• do not attend school daily but the school advises the student is studying a full-time study load
• do not attend school daily but meet the requirements for home schooling arrangements
• do not attend school daily but meet the requirements of their school programme as determined by the school e.g. a modified programme for high-risk students or students with a disability or health related issue

Note: these study load requirements also apply to primary school students aged 14 years and over at 1 January of the school year.

A secondary student may study at more than one institution provided their total study load is full-time.

Secondary students undertaking Vocational and Technical Education (VTE) studies for one or more days per week as part of their secondary requirements are considered to be undertaking a full-time study load. This also applies to school-based apprentices/trainees.

The normal study load for secondary non-school courses is the normal study programme as set down in course documentation. Students are required to be enrolled in at least 75% of the normal study load.

A student undertaking a higher education course of study is considered to be enrolled as a full-time student over a particular study period if they meet at least one of the following:

• has an aggregated Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) of a t least 0.375 allocated to a particular half year period
• is undertaking at least 75% of the normal full-time study load for a shorter period of enrolment (e.g. summer school), where the institution can define a full-time study load for that period
• has an aggregated EFTSL of at least 0.750 over the calendar year where either:
• the institution's normal period of enrolment is a year, or
• the student is undertaking a year-long subject/unit within their course of study

Students undertaking a Masters or Doctorate course must meet the requirements of the university for studying full-time in the particular Masters or Doctorate course being undertaken to be considered a full-time student, or meet the study requirements for full-time tertiary students.

ABSTUDY PES is payable under the normal study load provisions for students undertaking a single course at different campuses of the same institution.

A student may also be eligible for ABSTUDY PES to study more than one course at more than one institution in certain circumstances. Studies in other courses can only be counted for study-load purposes where:

• the institution(s) and course(s) are approved for ABSTUDY PES, and
• either:
• the subjects are recorded as part of the enrolment in the first course, or
• the student provides evidence that the subjects will be counted towards the approved course on completion (e.g. a statement from the main institution that the results will be recognised towards the student's main course)