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Student Income Support Arrangements for 2010
Despite a strong educational campaign by Universities Australia, legislation to introduce the Government's proposed changes to student payments, including the introduction of new scholarships, has not been approved by Parliament. This means that the current rules for Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY continue to apply for students enrolling to study in 2010.
Youth Allowance
If you apply for Youth Allowance, you will be assessed as either dependent or independent.
- You are considered independent if you are aged 25 or over and a full-time student.
- You may be considered independent if:
- you have worked full-time (at least 30 hours a week) for at least 18 months in the last 2 years, or
- you have worked part-time (at least 15 hours a week) for at least 2 years since leaving school, or
- you have been out of school for at least 18 months and have earned at least 75% of the maximum rate of pay under Wage Level A of the Australian Pay and Classification Scale in an 18 month period, or
- you have partial capacity to work as determined by a Job Capacity Assessment, or
- you are or have been legally married, in a registered relationship or living in a de facto relationship with another person as a member of a couple for at least 12 months, or
- you have, or have had a dependent child, or
- you have parents who cannot exercise their responsibilities, or
- you are unable to live at home due to extreme family breakdown, violence in the home, or serious threats to your health or well-being, or
- you are a refugee without parents living in Australia or you are an orphan, or
- you are in State care, or only stopped being in State care because of your age.
To qualify as independent as a member of a couple, you must be over the age of consent in the State or Territory you live in for that time. Six month relationships are accepted in special circumstances.
Commonwealth Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarship program has been discontinued by the Government. No new Scholarships will be offered in 2010 but students already holding one will not lose them. The Government’s proposed replacements for this program were included in the legislative package voted down by the Senate. The Government will reintroduce this legislation in early 2010.
Queries
If you have any queries about the student income support arrangements for 2010 please contact Centrelink phone 13 24 90
Last Updated: 14 January 2010
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