Student Start-up Loan (SSL) 010-07030080

Is the customer receiving Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy, or ABSTUDY Living Allowance?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for a Student Start-up Loan (SSL)
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here

Check the customer:

• is enrolled at an approved higher education provider (found on the National Course Approvals sub-site), and
• is undertaking an approved scholarship course with a code on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen of either:
• MST
• HGA
• HGB
• TGA
• TGB
• UPC (ABSTUDY only)
• DOC (ABSTUDY only)
• TSC (scholarship approved TGC level courses)
• SSN (scholarship approved SNS level courses), or
• SYC Startup Year Course

When a customer studying a TGC or SNS level course enquires about scholarship eligibility, check the National Course Approvals sub-site to determine whether the course is an approved scholarship course. If the course is an approved scholarship course, update the Course Level: field on the EDC screen to TSC or SSN (as applicable), when they have:

• a participation status code that equates with a full-time or concessional study load enrolment (APC, C25, C66 or FTS), and
• started their course

Does the customer meet the required student status?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for SSL
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here

There are 2 loan periods each year:

• 1 January to 30 June
• 1 July to 31 December

The customer must submit their claim for the loan before:

• the last day in the loan period, or
• 35 days before the end of the course, when the course ends in the loan period

Customers cannot apply for a Student Start-up Loan (SSL) where the loan period has ended.

Customers can apply in advance for 1 or more future loan periods. Where a customer submits a claim before the start of the loan period, they are deemed to have submitted their claim on the first day of that loan period.

Has the customer met the time limit?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for SSL
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here

Has the customer provided a valid TFN to Services Australia?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for SSL
• SSL applications rejected for this reason will be auto reassessed if the TFN is provided within 13 weeks, even if the loan period has ended
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here

The loan periods each year are:

• 1 January to 30 June, and
• 1 July to 31 December

For each loan period, the Qualification Test Day (QTD) is the earliest of the following dates:

• the day the claim for SSL is determined. It may be the same as the student claim if SSL was part of it
• the last day of the course where it ends in the loan period, or
• the last day of the loan period

On the customer's QTD, they must be receiving:

• Youth Allowance (YA) as a student
• Austudy
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) component of YA/AUS/ABY, or
• Energy Supplement component of YA/AUS/ABY

Note: receiving means payable.

The system checks the record each day after the QTD for receipt of a qualifying payment. This will continue until the end of the loan period or the last day of the course (if the course ends in the loan period and no further approved scholarship course is coded).

Customers will not qualify for SSL when they only receive:

• ABSTUDY Incidentals
• Rent Assistance (RA) and/or
• Pharmaceutical Allowance (PhA), or
• other supplements

Note: where a reassessment determines the customer is not qualified on their original QTD, the claim for SSL can be re-determined if the customer has entitlement later in the loan period. This will set a new QTD.

The customer's Qualification Test Day (QTD) for each loan period displays on the !SSLS screen in Customer First.

Did the customer receive a qualifying payment on the relevant QTD?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No:
• The customer is not eligible for SSL
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here

Customers may qualify for an SSL or SSS under:

• DVA entitlement schemes Veterans' Children Education Scheme and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme, or
• Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship (CECS)

These customers must contact DVA for more information.

Check if the customer:

• received one of these payments for the same loan period, or
• qualifies for SSS from one of these providers in either the 6 months:
• immediately before their SSL QTD, or
• after their SSL QTD

Do any of the above apply?

• Yes,
• The customer is not eligible for SSL
• Record details on a DOC
• Procedure ends here
• No, customer meets eligibility criteria for SSL

To view the customer's status in Customer First, type '!SSLS' in the Next field.

The 'Eligibility Status' column on !SSLS/SSLS is automatically updated for each loan the customer has accepted. The 'Eligibility Status' column will:

• be blank when:
• the loan decision is 'Accepted' and the loan has been paid, or
• eligibility for the loan has not been determined
• display 'Ineligible - Debt Raised' when the customer was paid the loan and subsequently became ineligible
• display 'Not Paid' when the customer applied for the SSL and is not eligible. One of the following reasons will display:
• NQI - Not qualified for student Income Support Payment
• NQP - Income Support Payment not current or assessed
• NQC - Not enrolled in a qualifying course
• NSD - No study details
• NQT - Not in a qualifying institution
• NFT - Not in full time studies
• NTL - Time Limit Rules Not Met
• NSR - Study Requirements Not Met
• GFR - Grandfathered on SSS
• CEC - Receiving CECS
• TNP - TFN not provided
• MM1 - TFN mismatch

For new claims, customer responses and claims for SSLs will populate on the Student Start-up Loans (SSL) screen in the claim activity in Process Direct.

Complete all SSL updates not related to a new claim in Customer First on the:

• Student Start-up Loan Summary (!SSLS) screen, or
• Student Start-up Loan ATO Summary (!SSLATO) screen

The Student Start-Up Loan Summary (SLSS) and Student Start-up ATO Details (SSLATO) screens in Process Direct are not fully operational.

Do not use the SSLS or SSLATO screens in Process Direct to complete SSL updates.

Customers may apply for the SSL through their preferred method of self service.

A correspondence nominee will be able to access this service on behalf of their principal, see Self service for nominees.

Self service is the preferred channel for customers to conduct their business with the agency. Customers who are not eligible to register for self service or deemed inappropriate based on their circumstances can claim over the phone.

How is the customer/nominee claiming the SSL?

• Self service:
• Student online claim, go to Step 3
• Manage Study Details online service, go to Step 4
• Apply for/Manage Student Start-up Loan online service, go to Step 5
• Over the phone. Go to Step 8

In the student online claim the customer is asked 'Do you wish to claim SSL?' If the customer selects:

• Yes:
• they will be asked to tick the loan periods they would like to claim SSL for (based on study dates and details entered in the online claim)
• the service will total the amount the student is applying for at the bottom of the screen
• in Process Direct on the SSL screen, each loan period applicable to the course dates in the claim will populate with the customers decision. Note: if any changes are made to the EDC coding in the claim, the loan periods with provisional coding that no longer apply will need to be deleted
• Go to Step 7
• No, they proceed to the next claim question. Procedure ends here

Where a customer updates their existing education details, or adds a new approved scholarship course, the Student Start-up Loan question set will present. They will have the option to accept or decline SSL’s for the current and future loan periods for their course.

If a customer accepts or declines the SSL in the 'Manage Study Details' online service, they are unable to vary their decision using the 'Apply for/Manage Student Start-up Loan' online service until the Manage Study Details update is completed, processed, or their course has started.

If the customer selects:

• Yes:
• they will be asked to tick the loan periods they would like to claim SSL for (based on study dates and details entered)
• the service will total the amount the student is applying for at the bottom of the screen. Go to Step 7
• No, they proceed to the next question in the online service. Procedure ends here

Customer can access the online service to:

• apply for their SSL once their student claim has been processed and they have reached the course start date
• decline a loan before the SSL has been paid (once they have reached the course start date)
• look at the payment status of their loans
• view the history of their loans

The customer can change their decision if the SSL payment has not been made and the loan period has not ended.

Customers whose student payment is cancelled (CAN):

• can access the service to view their SSL history, and
• will not be able to accept/decline SSL for the current or future loan periods

If a customer with a cancelled benefit status accesses the service, they will get a warning message You're not eligible for the Student Start-up Loan at this time as you are not getting a student payment from us.

The online service tells customers to contact the appropriate business line if this is incorrect.

Does the customer have a CAN benefit status and they have attempted to accept/decline the SSL online?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

Where a customer contacts about the cancellation of their payment, and they have attempted to accept/decline the SSL online, deem the contact as an attempt to accept/decline SSL.

If during the first point of contact:

• the customer's payment can be restored:
• record the 'Acceptance/Decline' on !SSLS, go to Step 8
• the customer's payment cannot be restored, record details on a DOC, using the Fast Note guided procedure in Customer First:
• Select Fast Note from Workspace
• Use Auto Text > Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > Update > CAN CUS Online SSL Claim
• Select Confirm

Complete the following:

• Student Start-up loan (SSL) claim completed via online services
• DOR: DD/MM/YY
• Loan Period DD/MM/YY to DD/MM/YY
• Accepted/Declined (delete what is not applicable)
• Undertaking full time study: YES/NO
• Terms/Conditions Accepted: YES/NO
• CoC Interaction ID:
• Customer applied for Student Start-Up Loan while their payments were CAN. Updates to !SSLS required upon restoration

If a customer contacts again about the cancellation of their payment, Service Officers must check the Document List (DL) screen to see if there is a recorded CAN CUS Online SSL Claim Fast Note.

If the Fast Note has:

• been recorded - update !SSLS, go to Step 8
• not been recorded, and the customer has not applied for their SSL online, there are no further SSL actions needed

Customers must read the Terms and Conditions of the SSL. The customer must:

• understand the Terms and Conditions of accepting the SSL
• agree to the Terms and Conditions of the loan, and
• confirm they understand they must repay this loan to the Australian Taxation Office

The customer must also accept the Terms and Conditions:

• 'I confirm I have read and I understand the Terms and Conditions of accepting a Student Start-up Loan'
• 'I acknowledge that the Student Start-up Loan must be repaid to the Australian Government through the taxation system'
• Acknowledgement is made via Checkbox - Online claim, Apply for/Manage Student Start-up Loan online service

If the customer does not confirm they accept the Terms and Conditions in their claim, they are deemed to have declined the loan.

Go to Step 11.

If the customer is unable to apply for an SSL using online services, DOC the reason why.

Where a customer requests an SSL over the phone, they must be read the Terms and Conditions of the SSL. A link to the Terms and Conditions will display in the Does the customer accept the Terms and Conditions? question, which presents on:

• the Student Start-Up Loan Summary (!SSLS) screen when applying for all loan periods for the course, or
• the Student Start-Up Loan Details (!SSLD) screen when applying for an individual loan period

Does the customer understand the Terms and Conditions of accepting the SSL?

• The customer must agree to the Terms and Conditions of the loan to proceed
• If the customer does not accept the Terms and Conditions, they are deemed to have declined the loan and their application cannot be accepted

Does the customer acknowledge that the Student Start-up Loan must be repaid to the Australian Government through the taxation system?

• The customer must confirm they understand they must repay this loan to the Australian Taxation Office for this box to be ticked

The customer is also required to accept the Terms and Conditions:

• 'I confirm I have read and I understand the Terms and Conditions of accepting a Student Start-up Loan'
• 'I acknowledge that the Student Start-up Loan must be repaid to the Australian Government through the taxation system'
• Acknowledgement is made verbally over the phone

The customer's acceptance or non-acceptance of the SSL Terms and Conditions must be recorded in Customer First on the !SSLS screen.

If the customer accepts the Terms and Conditions, DOC the student's record stating they have understood and accepted the Terms and Conditions. If the customer does not confirm they accept the Terms and Conditions in their claim, they are deemed to have declined the loan.

Self Service claims

The loan details are automatically added to the new claim in Customer First on the !SSLS and !SSLD screens.

SSL claims taken over the phone

Manually enter the SSL claim via phone in Customer First:

• For customers accepting/declining all loans for the duration of the course:
• Go to the Student Start-up Loan Summary (!SSLS) screen
• Select Accept all loans for course radio button
• Date Advised: enter the date the customer contacted and claimed over the phone
• Channel: phone
• Receipt Date: enter the date the customer contacted and claimed over the phone
• Terms and Conditions: Select this box for customers who have accepted the Terms and Conditions verbally
• For customers accepting/declining the loan for specific loan period/s:
• Go to the Student Start-up Loan Summary (!SSLS) screen
• Select the loan period that requires updating
• Select Update Loan period, the Student Start-up Loan Decisions (!SSLD) screen will present
• Loan Decision: Accept/Decline as appropriate
• Date Advised: enter the date the customer contacted and claimed over the phone
• Channel: Phone
• Receipt Date: enter the date the customer contacted and claimed over the phone
• Select Continue
• Repeat the steps above for each loan period that requires updating

At the Assessment Results (AR) screen, the system will check:

• the loan application to ensure the customer is completing an approved scholarship course, and
• their TFN is matched with the ATO

The TFN matching process will be initiated automatically when a TFN exists on the customers record and:

• the customer first claims SSL
• the customer provides a new TFN and has accepted an SSL for one or more loan periods

A TFN match can be initiated manually via the !SSLATO screen in Customer First when an automatic match has not been initiated

Verification codes

Before finalising a claim that includes SSL, check that the TFN match on the !SSLATO screen has been completed.

The !SSLATO screen in Customer First shows the current status of the TFN match:

• Matched - TFN Verified by the ATO. Go to Step 14
• Not Initiated - TFN has not been supplied or matching process has not been initiated
• No Match - TFN has not matched with information held by the ATO
• Tell the customer to contact the Australian Taxation Office to confirm their Tax File Number. The ATO website will have more information for the customer
• If the customer advises the TFN is correct, they must provide written verification from the ATO (such as Tax Notice of Assessment or TFN enquiry letter)
• When verification is provided, go to Step 11
• Pending - Waiting on TFN verification with the ATO
• Do not finalise the claim. Close the record and then go back in after a few minutes. Continue checking the record until a verification code other than Pending shows

If a potential system issue is identified, escalate to Local Peer Support (LPS):

• Service Officers see Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency
• LPS see Tier 1 technical support - Local Peer Support (LPS)

LPS should complete a thorough investigation of the record and determine if escalation is required to either:

• A Service Support Officer (SSO), or
• MySupport

See the Resources page for escalating via mySupport.

When a customer provides proof of their TFN, code the TFN on the Tax File Number Authority Summary (TFN) screen in Customer First:

• TFN field: Enter the customers TFN
• Channel and Receipt Date fields: Complete as appropriate
• Finalise the update via AR

A new TFN match request will be sent to the ATO when the activity is finalised. Check the Transaction Result field on the !SSLATO screen in Customer First. If the Matching Result/Transaction Result is:

• Pending: A new match request has been sent. Close the record and then go back in after a few minutes. Continue checking the record until a verification code other than Pending shows, go to Step 13
• No Match: If the date on the matching result is:
• Today’s date, the TFN has not matched with information held by the ATO, go to step 13
• The date of the previous request, a new match request has not been sent, go to Step 12

To generate a new match request manually on the Student Start-up Loan ATO Summary (!SSLATO) screen, select Generate Matching.

The Transaction Result will update to Pending. Close the record and then go back in after a few minutes. Continue checking the record until a verification code other than Pending shows.

If the Matching Result/Transaction Result updates to:

• Matched – The TFN has been successfully matched/verified with the ATO. Go to Step 14
• No Match - TFN has not matched with information held by the ATO:
• Check that the TFN is recorded correctly
• Check that the customer’s name on the ATO verification matches their legal name recorded on the CPDS screen. If the names do not match, discuss with the customer. Where the ATO has the incorrect legal name recorded, the customer will need to contact them to have this corrected. Where the customer’s legal name on their Centrelink record is incorrect, refer to Changing the legal name of customers or their children
• Once the customer’s name is corrected by either agency, generate a new match request. Go to step 11

DOC the record.

One of the following assessment letters will issue to the customer:

• SSL Grant Letter if the customer qualifies for SSL
• SSL Rejection Letter if the customer qualifies for student payment but does not qualify for SSL, the loan will be automatically rejected. The letter will include an explanation of the decision
• Benefit and SSL Rejection Letter if the customer does not qualify for a student payment, their claim is rejected:
• The system automatically records the loan rejection decision on the Student Start-up Loan Summary (!SSLS) and Student Start-Up Loan Details (SSLD) screens in Customer First
• A loan rejection paragraph is not added to the letter

Loans for one period

Once an SSL claim is finalised, a review is created for the Student Start Date if the customer has not commenced their course. The loan will be paid on the first pay day after a full entitlement period once the customer meets all the eligibility criteria. This will occur after the Student Start date if the customer qualifies.

Loans for duration of the course

Customers selecting this option have applied for all SSL's for the duration of their course. Future reviews are set up for the first day of each future loan period to test the customer's eligibility for SSL. The payment will be made on the first payday after the review date once the customer meets all the eligibility criteria.

Loans for future periods cannot be issued early.

Loan has not automatically paid

Do not attempt a manual workaround.

Escalate through existing support systems:

• Local Peer Support (LPS)
• Service Support Officers (SSO)

If SSO staff are satisfied the customer is eligible and the loan has not issued automatically, escalate to Level 2 Policy Helpdesk.

The SSL will display on the Student Start-up Loan Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Summary (!SSLATO) screen in Customer First.

Most of the information on this screen relates to the 'transfer' of SSL information to the ATO. Transfers between Centrelink and the ATO started in July 2017.

The !SSLATO screen contains information on:

• Tax File Number (TFN) matching details between Services Australia and ATO:
• date of transaction sent to ATO
• date of transaction received from ATO
• transaction result (match result)
• ATO summary displays the details of all SSL transactions between Services Australia and the ATO for each loan period has received an SSL. This includes payments and Social Security debt returns. It contains
• transaction details for loan period <Day Month Year> <Day Month Year>
• date paid
• ATO loan liability date (LLD)
• loan period maintained/overturned - whether SSL debts can be, or have been, Overturned or Maintained
• transaction date
• transaction type
• service season (ABSTUDY/Austudy/Youth Allowance)
• loan amount
• SSL amount returned
• Enrolment test date
• transaction result status
• status reason
• Loan Maintenance History (if the customer has had an SSL Maintained). For more information see table 2 in Student Start-up Loan (SSL) Study Requirements.

Customers can apply for SSL’s for future loan periods at the start of, or during, their course. Customers who have accepted future loan periods can decline these future SSL’s if they change their decision. An SSL can be declined up to payment strip on the customer’s Entitlement Period End Date (EPED).If a customer has declined a loan, they can apply for one at any time provided they meet claim time limits and eligibility requirements.

A loan application cannot be made for a loan period once that loan period has ended.

If a customer wants to change their decision they can do this by using the 'Apply for/ Manage Student Start-up Loan' online service. If the customer is unable to change their decision online, manually change the decision to decline on !SSLS. Go to Table 2, Step 9.

An SSL is not a loan recovered by the ATO if the customer loses eligibility to the SSL. The customer will lose eligibility for the SSL if a subsequent activity determines:

• the customer was not qualified for a student income support payment on the QTD in the loan period for which the loan was paid
• the customer’s income support payment was not payable on the QTD in the loan period for which the loan was paid
• the customer does not meet the applicable SSL study requirements for the loan payment. See Student Start-up Loan (SSL) Study Requirements

In these cases, the SSL becomes a Social Security/ABSTUDY debt and is recoverable by the agency.

If a customer did not meet SSL study requirements because of exceptional circumstances beyond their control then they may not incur a debt. For more information, see Student Start-up Loan (SSL) Study requirements.

When an SSL becomes a Social Security/ABSTUDY debt after being transferred to the ATO, it will be returned to the agency. The amount returned will be the original amount of the SSL. Any accumulated CPI adjustments applied by the ATO do not apply once the SSL becomes a Social Security/ABSTUDY debt. The SSL needs to be returned to the agency before recovery can commence.

The full amount of the original SSL payment must be raised as a debt. It is not possible to raise an SSL debt for a proportional amount.

SSL Debt Benefit type codes:

• SLA - SSL Austudy
• SLB - SSL ABSTUDY
• SLY - SSL Youth Allowance

SSL debts cannot be raised manually. If a customer is not eligible for SSL, a reassessment on their record which removes SSL entitlement must occur to raise the SSL as a debt shell. This reassessment may be:

• a study details update
• cancellation/rejection of their income support payment
• an income/earnings update which removes payability on their QTD, or
• any other update which reassesses their eligibility/payability for their student payment on their QTD

Twenty one days after an SSL debt shell is raised, the debt is automatically determined with no further investigation:

• If the SSL has been sent to the ATO, it is retrieved at day 21. Once retrieved, the debt is automatically determined
• If the SSL has not been sent to the ATO, the debt automatically determines at day 21

If an activity on a customer's record creates an SSL debt, the staff member becomes the decision maker. Payment Assurance Operations do not raise or reassess SSL debts

As SSL debt raising is an automated process, ensure:

• SSL outcomes are correct before finalising activities, particularly when creating or offsetting debts
• study details have updated correctly on screens:
• Education Course Details (EDC)
• Education Course History (EDCH), and
• Newstart Education Status (NES)

Where SSL outcomes are not correct, do not finalise the activity. This includes where the customer is eligible for SSL and the system is:

• still raising a debt, or
• not paying SSL when expected

Where an activity is resulting in incorrect SSL outcomes, go to Step 7. Otherwise, go to Step 5.

Where an SSL debt has been raised or debt shell created and the customer contacts asking for an explanation of decision:

• Discuss the decision with the customer
• Allow new information to be given
• Correct any errors and do a reassessment. See Initial contact about a decision and the review of decision process

If the customer does not understand or does not agree with the decision, see Request for an explanation or application for a formal review.

Where an SSL debt has been raised incorrectly:

• Investigate which activity triggered the SSL debt. For example:
• the course end date is incorrect
• an incorrect cancellation of Youth Allowance Austudy/ABSTUDY has occurred, or an incorrect cancellation date of effect
• the EDC entry has been deleted
• If the coding can be corrected by updating the study details on the EDC screen and/or by restoring Youth Allowance/Austudy/ABSTUDY, this will restore SSL entitlement automatically and change the debt status to 'Finalised - No debt'. This will:
• send a letter to the customer advising they have no debt
• set up an activity on the Future Activity List (FAL) screen to transfer the loan to the ATO

Service Officers must check the !SSLS screen to see if the loan has been changed from 'Accepted' to 'Unknown' due to the deletion of the course, or a change of course coding. If so, this can be updated by:

• selecting the loan period
• selecting Update Loan Period, and
• re-coding the acceptance with the exact details previously coded

In some circumstances, the systems cannot:

• re-establish historical SSL entitlements where there has been a change in circumstances, or
• offset an existing SSL debt when restoring entitlement

Where SSL outcomes are not correct, do not finalise the activity. This includes where the customer is eligible for SSL and the system is not offsetting an existing debt. That is, the activity is attempting to pay the SSL amount again or there are no SSL adjustments at AR.

Where an activity is resulting in incorrect SSL outcomes, or the above fixes do not work to restore entitlement, go to Step 7. Otherwise, procedure ends here.

If an activity results in an incorrect SSL outcome, or entitlement cannot be restored, escalate through existing support systems:

• Local Peer Support (LPS)
• Service Support Officers (SSO)

If SSO staff are unable to resolve after further investigation, refer the record to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk. Include:

• The impacted loan period/s – e.g. Loan Period 1 2020 = 1 January to 30 June 2020
• Explanation of the issue
• Coding/fixes already attempted

See the Resources page for a link to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk.