Assessing study load requirements 010-07010060

State/Territory

Study load

To satisfy 75% rule

To satisfy 66% rule

To satisfy 25% rule

Date of Effect

Queensland

11.5 hrs

8.62 hrs

7.59 hrs

2.87 hrs

01/01/2004 (QLD TAFE study load takes affect from 01/01/2004 however for data matching processed on or after 01/01/2004, that relates to previous years, this rule will be retrospectively applied).

Western Australia

11.05 hrs

8.28 hrs

7.29 hrs

2.76 hrs

01/01/2004

Victoria

11 hrs

8.25 hrs

7.26 hrs

2.75 hrs

03/07/2006

Tasmania

16 hrs

12 hrs

10.56 hrs

4 hrs

Start of term 1, 2012

New South Wales

16 hrs

12 hrs

10.56 hrs

4 hrs

25/10/1999

Australian Capital Territory

15 hrs

11.25 hrs

9.9 hrs

3.75 hrs

1 January 2012

South Australia

10.5 hrs

7.87 hrs

6.93 hrs

2.62 hrs

01/01/2007

Northern Territory

11 hrs

8.25 hrs

7.26 hrs

2.75 hrs

01/01/2007

Item

Example

1

Acceptable study loads for trimester/semester and or annual enrolment

The following examples provides a range of scenarios where a Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) student's study load may be measured against their education provider's normal period of enrolment. It provides clarification for:

• semester study periods
• trimester study periods, and/or
• annual study periods

Students may be able to take advantage of the aggregation of study load rules depending on the tertiary institution's normal periods of enrolment.

2

Student Contribution minimisation

• The university has told the Government that their Bachelor of Business course has a standard study load of 6 subjects per semester for 3 years
• Student Contributions for each subject would be assessed at 1/12 of the annual fee
• Chris wishes to do this course and is advised it can be completed in 3 years if 4 subjects per semester are undertaken
• Chris enrols in the full-time study load of 4 subjects per semester, 8 subjects over the academic year, but is assessed for the Student Contribution as having an Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) of 0.332 in each semester, thus saving him money
• Chris applies for a student payment with Services Australia
• Chris's Student Contribution invoice shows Chris is part-time, undertaking only two thirds of the full-time study load in each study period (for example, 0.332 EFTSL)
• Chris's enrolment statement (4 subjects) and the university's handbook (which states that 4 subjects is the usual study load) show Chris is full-time

Chris is not entitled to payment as a full-time student. Although Chris has acted in good faith and followed the recommendations of the university, it does not meet the qualification requirements for the payment to be considered a full-time student. The Service Officer should encourage Chris to discuss the situation with the university. It is unlikely that this education provider would continue with its Student Contribution minimisation scheme when it disadvantages its students in other ways.

It is not expected that any university will be engaged in the above practice.

For students claiming Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy, ABSTUDY or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) and who are not undertaking tertiary and secondary non-school courses, the two thirds study load concession would not be appropriate in this case.

There are also some education providers that use different study periods to the normal 2 semesters per year, which may affect whether the aggregation of study load rules can be applied.

3

Differing definitions of full-time/part-time

A university categorises its students as part-time (for the education provider's own purposes) if they have a study load of 33 credit points or fewer in a semester:

• some courses (for example, Engineering or Medicine) have normal study loads of 60 credit points per semester
• Science has a study load of 44 credit points per semester
• Arts has a study load of 40 credit points per semester

Students undertaking 34 credit points in any course are full-time for the university's purposes. This status appears on their student cards. Their actual study load, however, depends on the course they were doing:

• Engineering 55% (part-time)
• Science 77% (full-time)
• Arts 85% (full-time)

Students undertaking 32 credit points in any course are part-time for the university's purposes. This status appears on their student cards, and they are charged a reduced student union fee. Their actual study load, however, is:

• Engineering 53% (part-time)
• Science 73% (part-time)
• Arts 80% (full-time)

If the student card is used as the sole source of proof for study load, some students undertaking 34 credit points would be paid by Services Australia when they should not be, and other students undertaking 32 credit points would not be paid when they were, in fact, eligible.

Service Officers should ask the customer to provide a Student Contribution invoice and/or full enrolment details so that the actual study load is apparent.

4

Practical training blocks within Australia

During a study period, if a student undertakes 3 subjects totalling a 75% study load plus a work placement with no credit weighting, they will continue to remain eligible for payment as they are undertaking a full-time study load.

However, if during the study period, the student was only to undertake 2 subjects totalling a 50% study load and a work placement with no credit weighting, they would not be eligible for payment as they are not undertaking a full-time study load.

5

Education provider uses a credit point weighting system

If the education provider uses a credit point weighting system, work out if the units add up to a full-time study load.

Nick's education provider considers 500 credit points as a full-time study load for a semester. Nick is required to study a minimum of 375 credit points in a semester to meet the 75% study load requirement to receive his student payment.

In semester 1, Nick is studying 3 units. Two of these units have a weighting of 120 credit points each and one unit has a weighting of 100 credit points.

(2 x 120) + (1 x 100) = 340 credit points

As this is less than the minimum requirement of 375 credit points, Nick does not meet the 75% study load requirement for student payments. It is important Nick tells Services Australia about this change as soon as possible to avoid a debt and having to pay the money back. Nick should be made aware that there may be another payment available.

6

Education provider uses total hours

Lily's education provider has advised the course of study requires 200 hours to complete. A full-time study load at the education provider is 20 hours per week. Therefore, the course would generally take 10 weeks to complete if studying a full-time study load: 200 hours ÷ 20 hours per week = 10 weeks.

Lily must study at least 75% of the required study load, which is 15 hours a week, to receive Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY Living Allowance.

If Lily requires more than 10 weeks to complete the course, Lily will need to meet the allowable time rules for Youth Allowance or Austudy, or reasonable time rules for ABSTUDY.

Lily's student payment is based on the hours the education provider has stated it normally takes to complete the course, not how many hours they actually spent studying.

7

Self-paced courses

Some courses are offered as self-paced, which may suit the leaning needs of individual customers. The normal full-time study load is the average study needed to complete the course in the minimum time. The minimum time and full-time study load for a course is considered as part of the course approvals process.

Example 1

Joel is enrolled in the Diploma of Community Services at a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

The RTO has stated that the normal minimum hours to complete this course as a full-time student is 1076 hours and the course normally runs for 52 weeks. The National Course Approvals site shows that the average full-time hours per week for this course is 21 hours.

Joel has enrolled for a 52 week period from 1 February 2023 to 31 January 2024. Their enrolment shows that they are enrolled in 900 hours over this period, which is 83.64% of the normal full-time study load. They will need to be undertaking approximately 17.3 hours per week of study to complete the course in the minimum time. If Joel does not complete the course by 31 January 2024, Joel will need to be assessed under the allowable time rules for the payment they are receiving. If Joel continues to meet the allowable time/reasonable time progress rules, and the normal study load requirements for the payment they are receiving, payment can continue until the allowable time end date.

Example 2

Louise is enrolled in the same course as Joel.

The RTO has provided Louise proof of enrolment stating that she will be enrolled for 69 weeks from 1 February 2023 to 28 May 2024.

Louise will be enrolled for 1076 hours over the 69 week period. This equates to 15.59 hours per week (1076 hours ÷ 69 weeks = 15.59 hours per week).

The National Course Approvals site states that the normal weekly full-time study load for the course is 21 hours per week.

To calculate Louise's weekly study load, divide it by the normal weekly study load for the course and multiply it by 100 to obtain a percentage.

((15.59 hours per week ÷ 21 hours per week) x 100) = 74.24% of the normal full-time study load.

Louise would be considered a part-time student for Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy, ABSTUDY or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) purposes as her enrolment shows she is enrolled and expected to undertake 74.29% of the normal full-time study load.

If Louise re-negotiates her study period with their RTO to complete the course in 68 weeks instead of 69 weeks, then their normal full-time study load would be assessed as follows:

Louise's study load: 1076 hours ÷ 68 weeks = 15.82 hours per week.

The normal full-time study load for the course is 21 hours per week.

(15.82 hours per week ÷ 21 hours per week) x 100)) = 75.33% of the normal full-time study load.

Louise would then be considered a full-time student for Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy, ABSTUDY or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) purposes. That is because her enrolment shows she is enrolled and expected to undertake between 75% to 100% of the normal full-time study load. However once Louise reaches the end of the normal full-time course duration of 52 weeks, they may be impacted by the allowable time/reasonable time progress rules for the payment they are claiming or receiving.

8

Open Universities Australia (OUA)

Example 1

John is doing a bachelor degree through OUA and wants to receive Austudy. John is undertaking his course utilising the 4 x 13 week standard study periods offered over the calendar year. John has enrolled in 2 x 13 weeks study periods (the study periods are consecutive) and is studying 0.250 EFTSL in each study period.

John can be considered a full-time student for Austudy for the 2 study periods.

Example 2

Alice is receiving Youth Allowance and is doing a bachelor degree through OUA. Alice enrolled in 2 single open learning units with a combined credit weighting of 0.250 EFTSL in a single (13 week) study period. Alice decides halfway through the study period to stop studying one of the units and the study load reduces to 0.125 EFTSL. Alice has no exceptional circumstances preventing the completion of the unit. Alice needs to tell Services Australia about this change or the Youth Allowance they received from the date the study load reduced may need to be paid back.

For other complex assessments for students studying varying OUA study periods, see the Resources page of Eligibility for student payments when enrolled in Open Universities Australia.