Relocation Scholarship (RS) eligibility 010-07030020

Inner Regional prior to 1 July 2023

Major City prior to 1 July 2023

• Cessnock NSW 2325
• Kiama NSW 2533
• Googong NSW 2620
• Stanwell Tops NSW 2508
• Whittlesea VIC 3757
• Eynesbury VIC 3338
• Tooradin VIC 3980
• Jimboomba QLD 4280
• Yandina QLD 4561
• Cooroibah QLD 4565
• Glenview QLD 4553
• Mount Barker SA 5251
• Nairne SA 5252
• Hahndorf SA 5245
• Virginia SA 5120

Note: these are considered a major city from 1 July 2023

• Murwillumbah NSW 2484
• Wallacia NSW 2745
• Mulgoa NSW 2745
• Wallalong NSW 2320
• Hopetoun Park VIC 3340
• Jacobs Well QLD 4208

Note: these are considered Inner Regional from 1 July 2023

Example

Description

1

Living Away from Home requirements

Meagan moves out of home to start an approved scholarship course at Deakin University at the beginning of second semester. The at home rate of ABSTUDY is granted on 12 July as Meagan's parents live nearby (within 90 minutes). Meagan does not qualify for a Relocation Scholarship (RS) payment. There is no requirement to live away from home and she is not one of the independent students who are disadvantaged by personal circumstances.

2

Determining the qualification date

Angus, aged 20 years, enrols in a Graduate Diploma of Education with a start date of 23 November. Angus has a dependent child, qualifies for Independent status and will continue to study for eight months.

Angus is in one of the independent categories for RS and is studying an approved scholarship course. His RS family home is located in a regional area.

Angus will qualify for RS on 23 November as they will be studying for more than 35 calendar days from the qualification date (QD).

However, if Angus was studying a course with an end date that is less than 35 days from 23 November (e.g. 14 December) Angus would not qualify for RS.

If studying a course with an end date that is greater than 35 days from 23 November QD, Angus cannot qualify for an RS payment again within 3 months of the 23 November QD. This means that Angus cannot qualify for RS again until at least 23 February the next calendar year.

3

Students changing independent status

The following scenarios relate to students changing independent status:

A student claims and satisfies independence under one of the workforce criteria on 4 April. After enquiring about the RS, it is found the student also meets the Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH) criterion. The student may be assessed as UTLAH and paid the RS because a person who simultaneously meets multiple independence criteria (except for independence due to age) can be considered independent under the criterion that provides the greatest benefit.

A student claims and satisfies independence under one of the workforce criteria on 4 April. After enquiring about the RS it is found the student would have been eligible for the maximum rate of YA (and RS) under the Parental Means Test. Because the student is independent under a non-reviewable (permanent) category, they may not be able to be assessed as dependent and will not receive the RS. If a student meets the independence criteria under a non-reviewable criterion they cannot choose to revert back to a dependent status.

A student claims and is granted independence under the Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH) criterion, is assessed as eligible on 8 April and paid the RS as a result. On 28 June, the student gets married and can remain eligible for the RS as long as they continue to meet the UTLAH criteria. If they cease to meet the UTLAH criteria prior to turning 22, they will also cease to qualify for RS.

4

Students who have reached the age of independence

The following scenarios relate to students who have reached the age of independence for YA or ABSTUDY.

YA students

Arthur starts an approved scholarship course at age 19 and qualifies for RS. Arthur expects to finish the degree at 24. Arthur can continue to receive the RS until reaching the age of independence at age 22. This is irrespective that Arthur received the RS previously.

Catherine turned 22 in January and receives ABSTUDY as an independent orphan to study a secondary course. RS was not payable for this course. Catherine starts an approved scholarship course at 23 years of age. Catherine will not be eligible for RS for this course because even though in the same category as independent students who are disadvantaged by personal circumstances, Catherine did not receive a RS before becoming independent due to age.

5

Location of Relocation Scholarship Family Home

Effect on RS eligibility and/or rate

Before 2 December 2017, the RS family home for dependent students was assessed each year for qualification purposes. This was later identified as not aligning with the intention of the legislation and rectified as part of the 2 December 2017 ICT major release.

To align with legislation, the RS family home location is only assessed once for qualification purposes at the time of course commencement. A change of RS family home in a subsequent year of study will only be used to determine the rate of RS.

This change will see some students who were not paid RS in subsequent year(s) of a course being paid RS in 2018 and onwards.

Example: When Nikki commenced a course in 2016 Nikki's RS family home location was in a non-major city location and Nikki was paid RS for 2016. As at the 2017 Qualification Date (QD), Nikki's RS family home had changed to a major city area. This, coupled with the fact Nikki was studying in a major city location, resulted in qualification being reassessed and RS not being paid. However, Nikki can be paid RS at QD 2018, due to the fact when Nikki commenced Nikki's course, the RS family home was in a non-major city area and this is assessed only once for qualification purposes. Therefore, Nikki remains qualified for RS for the entire course duration.

A change of RS family home location in a subsequent year will only be used to determine the rate of RS. So, if in 2018 Nikki's RS family home and study locations are both located in major city areas, Nikki will receive the 'lower' rate of RS. If in 2018, Nikki's RS family home location is a non-major city area, Nikki will receive the 'regional' rate of RS.

Alternatively, the change means some students who were paid RS in subsequent year(s) of a course will not be paid RS in 2018 and beyond.

Example: When Draymond commenced his course in 2016 Draymond's RS family home and study locations were both classed as major city. As a result, Draymond did not qualify for RS. As at the 2017 QD, Draymond's RS family home had changed to a non-major city area and the RS family home was reassessed for qualification purposes. This resulted in Draymond being paid RS for 2017. As at QD 2018, if Draymond is studying in a major city location Draymond will not be paid RS for 2018. This is because Draymond's RS family home when Draymond started the course was in a major city area and is assessed only once for qualification purposes. This is coupled with the fact that Draymond's current study location is also in a major city area. However, if Draymond's current study location is in a non-major city location Draymond may qualify for RS in 2018 if verification is provided of the study location. This is because the study location is still reassessed each QD for qualification purposes.

Note: this change was not applied retrospectively, and as a result, no debts or arrears apply to historical subsequent year RS qualification assessments.

6

Student is studying overseas

• Suri's RS family home is in Longreach, Queensland, and has been since they started their course of study. In 2018, Suri will be in the third year of a Bachelor of Business at Griffith University on the Gold Coast and has decided to undertake the first semester of 2018 in Singapore.
  As Suri will remain enrolled at the Australian provider and the overseas study will contribute to the Australian qualification, Suri remains eligible for the away from home rate of YA for the duration of the studies in Singapore.
  Suri is eligible for the regional rate of RS in 2018 because the RS family home was not in a major city location when they started their course and they are in the third year of the course
• Milan is in the third year of a Bachelor of Business at Griffith University, and is living in Southport near the University while studying. When the course started the RS family home was in Brisbane's northern suburbs (major city location). Because both the RS family home and provider are in locations that are classified as major city areas, Milan does not qualify for RS when resuming study in February.
  In June, Milan decides to undertake the second semester studies in Singapore. Milan will remain enrolled at Griffith University and the overseas study will contribute to the Australian qualification. They remain eligible for the away from home rate of YA for the duration of the studies in Singapore.
  Because Singapore does not have any classification under the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS), it is not classified as being in a 'major city' location. This means Milan will be eligible for RS while studying in Singapore.
  Because the RS family home is in a major city location, Milan will not be eligible for the regional rate of RS and will receive the lower rate of RS.

7

RS family home is overseas

Linh is in the second year of a Bachelor of Arts at James Cook University in Cairns, Queensland in 2018. Linh's parents live in Canada but Linh is an Australian resident. Linh qualifies for the away from home rate of YA. As the study location (Cairns) is classified as an inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote area in Australia, Linh qualifies for RS in 2018. The overseas RS family home is treated the same as an Australian major city location. Therefore, Linh is entitled to the Lower rate of RS.

8

Student undertaking a compulsory placement/practical as part of their approved scholarship course

Lauren is undertaking a Bachelor of Teaching with the University of Canberra. Before Lauren can graduate, it is a requirement to undertake a three month placement at a school in a regional location. As this placement is part of the approved scholarship course and it is in a regional location, Lauren will be eligible for RS.

Verification of placements and practicals must be provided before RS can be paid. This can be via the SY101 or (as it is a placement) other verification provided by the educational provider.