Skip to navigation Skip to content

Student Start-up Loan (SSL) 010-07030080

This document outlines the eligibility criteria, payment and coding for SSL.

On this page:

Assessing SSL eligibility

SSL initial claiming, coding and payment information

SSL future claiming and historical information

Assessing SSL eligibility

Table 1

Step	Action
1	Check for an eligible payment type 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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here
2	Check student status 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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here
3	Claim time limit 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 an 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 a loan period, they are deemed to have submitted their claim for the loan 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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here
4	Check Tax File Number (TFN) 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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here
5	Check receipt of payment on Qualification Test Day (QTD) 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 date 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: Student Start-Up Loan Summary (SSLS) screen in Process Direct, or Student Start-Up Loan Summary (!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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here
6	Check eligibility for relevant loan period 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 Note/DOC Procedure ends here No, customer meets eligibility criteria for SSL
7	Student Start-up Loan eligibility status Summary (!SSLS) pages View the customer's status on the: SSLS screen in Process Direct, or !SSLS screen in Customer First The Eligibility Status column 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

SSL initial claiming, coding and payment information

Table 2

Step	Action
1	Correct screens to use For: New claim, customer responses and claims for SSLs will populate on the Student Start-up Loans (SSL) screen in the claim transaction in Process Direct Non-new claim, complete all SSL updates on the: SSLS screen in Process Direct or !SSLS screen in Customer First Student Start-up ATO Details (SSLATO) screen in Process Direct or Student Start-up Loan ATO Summary (!SSLATO) screen in Customer First
2	Claiming methods Customers can 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
3	Student online claim 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 screen coding in the claim, the loan periods with provisional coding that no longer apply will need to be deleted or re-coded to reflect the EDC screen changes Go to Step 7 No, they proceed to the next claim question. Procedure ends here
4	Manage Study Details online service 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 SSLs 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
5	Manage Student Start-up Loan online service 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
6	Cancelled customer attempts to claim SSL online 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 the SSLS screen in Process Direct or the !SSLS screen in Customer First, go to Step 8 the customer's payment cannot be restored, record details using Fast Note - select Auto Text, use Students, ABSTUDY and Apprentices > Update > CAN CUS Online SSL Claim and 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 the SSLS or !SSLS screen, go to Step 8 not been recorded, and the customer has not applied for their SSL online, there are no further SSL actions needed
7	Online claims acknowledgement of the Terms and Conditions 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, 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 10.
8	Customer claims over the phone If the customer is unable to apply for an SSL using online services, record the reason why on a Note/DOC. 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 Process Direct on the Change Loan Period screen which presents from the SSLS screen for each loan period for the course In Customer First on the Does the customer accept the Terms and Conditions? question, which presents on: the !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 on SSLS screen in Process Direct, or the !SSLS screen in Customer First. If the customer accepts the Terms and Conditions, Note/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.
9	Claim assessment Self Service claims The loan details are automatically added to the new claim in: Process Direct on the SSLS screen, or Customer First on the !SSLS and !SSLD screens SSL claims taken over the phone In Process Direct: Key START into the Super Key and select the Study and Scholarship Details workflow from the Task Selector Select Student Start-up Loan Summary > Start Select Edit for the Loan Period that requires updating Date Advised: enter the date the customer contacted and claimed over the phone Decision: Accept/Decline as appropriate Does the Customer accept the Terms and Conditions (see below) - Select this box for customers who have accepted the Terms and Conditions verbally. Note: do not select if a customer is declining a loan Channel: Phone Select Save Receipt Date: enter the date the customer contacted Channel: select Phone Service Reason: If the system does not select a default Service Reason, select the most relevant Service Reason for the update Select Save Repeat the steps above for each loan period that requires updating Select Assess to finalise the transaction. Address any errors or warnings Select Assess again. On the Entitlement (ELD) screen the system checks: the loan application to ensure the customer is completing an approved scholarship course, and their TFN is matched with the ATO Select Finish and record details of the update on the Finalise screen Select Finalise to complete the transaction In Customer First: Manually enter the SSL claim via phone: 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
10	TFN matching 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 Process Direct or !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 in Process Direct or !SSLATO screen in Customer First has been completed: 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.
11	Customer provides written verification of TFN 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 the AR screen 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 Process Direct or !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
12	Generating a match request manually To generate a new match request manually on the SSLATO screen in Process Direct or !SSLATO screen in Customer First, 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.
13	Match result 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 Record details on a Note/DOC
14	SSL assessment letters 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 SSLS screen in Process Direct and the !SSLS and SSLD screens in Customer First A loan rejection paragraph is not added to the letter
15	Payment and review of SSL 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 SSLs 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 use unapproved workarounds. 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.

SSL future claiming and historical information

Table 3: this table describes information about ongoing claims, cancelling claims and historical data.

Step	Description
1	SSL ATO Summary Screen The SSL will display on the: Student Start-up ATO Details (SSLATO) screen in Process Direct, or Student Start-up Loan 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/!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). Note: this is calculated based on QTD and date the SSL is paid. The ATO use the LLD to determine when to start applying indexation 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.
2	Customer wants to change decision Customers can apply for SSLs 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/!SSLS. Go to Table 2 > Step 9.