Approved distance education/external study 010-07010120

The course requirements for Services Australia administered payments for students require a student to be undertaking an approved course provided by an approved educational institution.

A course may be delivered to students in a variety of ways. These modes of teaching could include:

• formal face-to-face classes (on campus or 'internal' enrolment)
• one-on-one tuition
• external or distance education study (including school of the air) using computer/online/internet-based learning
• distance education (including School of the Air) involving lessons/work received and returned by mail (that is, correspondence)
• on-the-job training (including practical or professional placements)
• residential schools (also known as 'block releases') for students normally undertaking external or distance education study away from the study location
• mixed-mode course or course with a mixture of the above.

Other methods are also possible. If the course has been approved for a particular style or styles of delivery, then student eligibility is not affected. For example, a university medical course might be taught by a combination of formal classes, internet-based lessons, and on-the-job training.

Distance education courses may be studied through, but are not limited to:

• TAFE Digital
• Open Universities Australia (OUA)
• an Australian University
• TAFE
• a private provider, or
• secondary school

ABSTUDY customers can undertake a course of study delivered by a combination of external studies and 'blocks' of internal on-campus study during the year. This delivery method is called 'mixed mode' study and ABSTUDY students can qualify for ABSTUDY Away from Base assistance for the costs associated with attending the internal on-campus study activities.

Students studying by this delivery method may also be eligible to receive the away from home rate of ABSTUDY, see Away from home rate for ABSTUDY.

Note: an ABSTUDY customer who is undertaking study via the mixed mode method of course delivery must complete a portion of work by distance education or external studies. A course comprised of Away from based on-campus blocks of study (that is, residential school) and which contains no additional external work requirements is not an approved course for ABSTUDY assistance.

While for most courses the actual delivery method does not affect satisfactory progress (that is, allowable or reasonable time rules applicable to most payments) it may affect other aspects of entitlement, such as the away from home rate, the type of allowance payable and the availability of Fares Allowance (FAA). This is particularly the case with distance/external study. Most of the reasons to live away from home for ABSTUDY or for Youth Allowance (YA) do not apply to a student undertaking distance education/external study. These dependent students are usually living at home and are not attending the institution daily so would not qualify for the away from home rate.

The Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme pays Distance Education Allowance (DED) for eligible students undertaking distance education study. DED can also be paid for students:

• in approved home schooling (undertaking home tuition)
• secondary students enrolled in distance education study, but attending (but not enrolled at) a local primary school to receive face-to-face support
• students attending Homeland Learning Centres, located outside remote communities in the Northern Territory

Where a student who meets the AIC eligibility criteria lives in an approved second home that provides closer access to local school, Second Home Allowance may be paid.

The study load requirements for student payments are the same whether a student is studying through distance education or on campus. A student must maintain a full-time study load.

Each institution measures study loads in a separate way. Each Institution's website or handbook will provide information on what they consider a full-time study load. Study loads for distance education courses are measured by either a unit weighting or the total hours specified for the course.

Students undertaking study via distance education are not eligible to receive student payments while overseas.