Determining allowable time/reasonable time for a course of study 010-07010030

• If the normal duration of the course is two years or less then the student may be paid for twice the normal course duration
• If the normal duration of the course is longer than two years then the student may be paid for the normal course duration plus two years

Note: reasonable time rules for ABSTUDY only applies to customers studying secondary non-school or tertiary level courses.

ABSTUDY has additional rules (other than those based on course length) that govern how long a student may be paid for a course of study. See Determining progress and duration of assistance for ABSTUDY.

Austudy and PES students remain qualified for their payment until they have exceeded their allowable time. This means the customer could effectively be paid for an additional study period after they have met their allowable time, and up to the day before the next study period, if they continue study.

Previous study in the student's current course or other courses at the same level, must be included in their allowable time calculation unless this study can be disregarded. See Assessing satisfactory progress for tertiary students for Austudy.

If the normal duration of the tertiary course is:

• one year or less, then the allowable time would be met at the normal course duration
• longer than one year and the course has whole year subjects or the student must pass the whole year to progress then the allowable time would be met at the normal course duration plus one year
• longer than one year and it does not have yearly assessment/subjects, then the allowable time would be met at the normal duration of the course plus half an academic year

Note: the term half an academic year is not necessarily the same as a traditional semester or 6 month period. It represents the amount of time required to complete 0.5 Equivalent Full Time Study Load.

See the Resources page for examples.

Students receiving YA remain payable until they have met their allowable time. This means they cease to be eligible after the last day of the study period in which they meet their allowable time.

For full time or 66 per cent concessional study load students receiving YA, allowable time is calculated as below:

• If the normal duration of the tertiary course is one year or less then the student may be paid for twice the normal course duration
• If the normal duration of the tertiary course is longer than one year
• and the course has whole year subjects (one subject/unit which is taught across the whole year), or
• the student must pass the whole year to progress (where the assessment is made at the end of the year, e.g. Medicine 1A Medicine 1B with exams to assess both) Note: this does not cover where the customer must pass 2nd year to progress into 3rd year etc.
• then the student may be paid for the normal course duration plus one year
• If the normal duration of the tertiary course is longer than one year and it does not have yearly assessment/subjects then the student may be paid for the normal duration of the course plus an additional study period (that is the period needed for completion of an uncompleted subject or unit that is a part of the course)

Note: all Youth Allowance students must maintain a full-time or concessional study load throughout their studies to remain qualified for payment. Staff should consider extending the allowable time if the customer reduced their study load or deferred study while in a Full-time study exemption due to bereavement period. For more information, see Full-time study exemptions for Youth Allowance (student) customers when their partner dies.

• A student who has a 25 percent study load concession (due to a disability) is allowed twice the minimum time of the tertiary course to complete it. In particular cases the allowable time may be extended to up to four times the minimum time
• Previous study in the student's current course, or other courses at the same level, will be included in their allowable time calculation unless this study can be disregarded. See Disregarding previous study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement, Austudy and Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• The allowable time for a concessional student is the date the student intends to complete the course, or a completion date consistent with their study load (for example, 24 weeks for a student with a 25 percent study load undertaking a six week course normally undertaken on a full-time basis), whichever is the earlier
• For information about 'exceeding' allowable time, see Item 3

• The allowable time for PES with 25% concession is twice the minimum time of the tertiary course. If the course is only offered on a part time basis, then the minimum time is based on a comparable full-time course
• Previous study in the student's current course or other courses at the same level, will be included in their allowable time calculation unless this study can be disregarded. See Disregarding previous study for ABSTUDY, ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement, Austudy and Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• The allowable time for a concessional student is the date the student intends to complete the course, or a completion date consistent with their study load (for example, 12 weeks for a student with a 25 percent study load undertaking a six week course normally undertaken on a full-time basis), whichever is the earlier
• For information on allowable time see Assessing satisfactory progress and allowable time for tertiary students for Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)