Home schooling arrangements for Youth Allowance (YA) and Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) 010-06070090

This document outlines how to assess whether a customer who is undertaking home-based schooling satisfies the YA full-time study requirements. It also outlines the procedure for assessing whether a customer who is undertaking home-based schooling is a full-time or concessional study load student for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).

Home schooling and YA or PES

YA is not intended to provide assistance to families who choose to withdraw their children from a formal school setting without considering the requirements of the State/Territory education authorities that grant education qualifications. However, YA and PES is available for home-based schooling where the relevant State/Territory Government school education authority has given specific approval for the student to undertake home study. The authority must confirm that the study is full-time and conforms with, and will be credited towards, the secondary qualification accredited by that authority.

In some cases, where education authority approval has not been given, YA or PES is available for home schooling where the student is:

• formally registered at a secondary school recognised for YA purposes
• studying accredited subjects, and
• undertaking a study load deemed to be full-time by the school

Certificate of exemption from home schooling registration

Some states and/or territories may grant a certificate of exemption from home schooling registration.

The certificate of exemption is regarded as appropriate registration, enrolment and evidence of full-time study load for the purposes of home schooling.