Effect of concurrent secondary and Vocational Education and Training studies on student payments 010-07010150

Over recent years, closer links have been forged between secondary schools and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), including Technical and Further Education (TAFE) providers. Students can be either undertaking their Year 12 qualification at an RTO (rather than at school) or undertaking VET and secondary studies concurrently. This document focuses on the latter.

Students at either a secondary school or RTO may choose to undertake additional study outside their main course. If there is no link between this extra study and the course for which they are being paid, then it does not affect their student payment. As long as they maintain the appropriate study load in their approved course, their payments are unaffected.

If a secondary student's VET studies will allow entry to a VET course in an RTO, or will be credited towards a VET course after completion of their secondary studies, in an arrangement with their secondary education provider, they are still regarded as a secondary student for Services Australia purposes.

Where secondary study is undertaken as part of a VET qualification, the student (except an Assistance for the Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme student) will be considered a tertiary student where:

• there is an association between the two levels of study and both are integrated into the structure of the course
• the study leads to both senior secondary and to an accredited VET qualification
• both institutions are approved for Services Australia purposes and the student is enrolled at both, and
• both levels of study are undertaken in the same year

AIC students undertaking concurrent study at secondary school and an RTO, in an arrangement with their school, are considered to be secondary students.

ABSTUDY students who undertake concurrent un-related courses of study may qualify for ABSTUDY Living Allowance or ABSTUDY PES for one course and Incidentals Allowance under Part time Award for the other course.

Note: whilst a student may study one or more courses at the same time and qualify for ABSTUDY PES for one course and Incidentals Allowance for the other course, special provisions apply to some ABSTUDY PES customers undertaking concurrent courses.