Scholarship study requirements 010-07030050

The eligibility criteria for the scholarship include:

• a student must start or continue an approved scholarship course, within 35 days of qualifying for the scholarship in each period, and
• a student must be studying full-time in an approved scholarship course on the later of:
• 35 days after the day their course commences in the period, or
• 35 days after the day the student's qualification date for the scholarship in that period

Note: a student may qualify for a scholarship even if they are not receiving a student income support payment on the 35th day after their qualification date as long as they:

• met all the eligibility criteria for a scholarship on their qualification date, including:
• started or continued full-time study in an approved scholarship course within 35 days of qualifying for the scholarship in that period, and
• are studying full-time in an approved scholarship course on the 35th day after whichever is later of:
• their scholarship qualification date, or
• their course start date in that period

Ceasing study, or a change in course or study load may affect a customer's eligibility for the Relocation Scholarship. When a student advises a change in study details in relation to an approved scholarship course, it is necessary to check whether they have met) the scholarship study requirements to qualify for an RS.

Unless exceptional circumstances apply which are beyond the student's control, a student will cease to be qualified for a scholarship if:

• they do not start or continue full-time study in an approved scholarship course within 35 days of qualifying for the scholarship, or
• they start or continue the course but are not undertaking the same course, or another approved scholarship course, as a full-time student at the end of 35 days after the course commences, or
• they were undertaking a course but are not undertaking the same course, or another approved scholarship course as a full-time student at the end of 35 days after qualifying for the scholarship

The 35-day period starts on either the first day of the course in that period or on the customer's qualification day for that period (not the day after).

Regardless of when the customer is paid their scholarship, if a student does not start, resume, or continue their study, or if the student ceases study, changes course or reduces their study load, their eligibility for RS must be re-assessed using the actual dates that apply to the student's circumstances in that period.

When a customer who has received or is eligible for a scholarship or scholarships has a change in study details, check:

• the customer's actual qualification date for the scholarship in that period (that is, the first day in the period when the customer meets all the scholarship eligibility criteria), and
• the date the customer actually commenced study in the period, and
• the course start date in that period

If the customer did not start or continue full-time study in an approved scholarship course within 35 days of their qualification date for the period, they are not eligible for the scholarship.

If the customer did start or continue full-time study in an approved scholarship course within 35 days of qualifying for the scholarship, check that they were still undertaking full-time study in an approved scholarship course on the later of:

• 35 days after their qualification date, or
• 35 days after the course commenced in that period

If the customer was not undertaking full-time study in the same or a different approved scholarship course on the 35th day, they are not eligible for the scholarship.

When making an unfavourable decision, speak to the customer:

• explain the decision
• give them a chance to provide more information, and
• advise their review and appeal rights

From 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015, Student Start-up Scholarships were paid to students studying an approved scholarship course each semester providing they met the qualification rules. For more information, see Student Start-up Scholarship (SSS) eligibility. From 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2017, SSS payments continued to be paid to customers who met the grandfathering provisions.

These study requirements applied to all students who were issued a SSS to retain eligibility for the payment. If reassessing study details for a student paid SSS between 2010 and 2017, ensure the student also meets the study requirements.