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You are here: ABSTUDY > 4
Study Requirements > 4.4 Workload Concessions
To be eligible for a workload concession, students must meet certain study criteria.
This chapter explains the qualification requirements of the workload concessions.
There are five ABSTUDY workload concessions to a Tertiary Award:
There are three ABSTUDY workload concessions to a Schooling Award:
These concessions are explained in the following topic.
Tertiary students studying two associated courses where one merges with or leads into the other course may be considered full-time if the workload of the two course elements total at least 75% of the accredited full-time workload, eg a bridging course leading into, or a supplementary programme studied concurrently with, a degree course. The institution’s confirmation should be obtained where appropriate.
Special arrangements for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students made to facilitate take up of higher education courses where the HECS assessment would normally be .375 points (75% of a full time workload but where the load has been reduced to meet these students study requirements. Where the institution classifies these studies as being full-time and leading into a full-time degree course these courses will be considered to be full-time courses. Written advice is needed from the institution.
A student can get ABSTUDY if:
Examples of an institution’s normal requirements which restrict a student’s workload in a course include:
Note: The ‘institution’s normal requirements’ concession does not need written confirmation from the academic registrar, but can be obtained from the relevant faculty/school of the institution or, in the case of a reduced workload needed to complete a course, the institutions’ handbook or official course structure.
To receive the disability concession a student must be assessed as eligible by reason of disability in accordance with the provisions outlined in 4.4.3 and undertake at least 25% of the accredited full-time workload.
Evidence requirements are detailed at 4.4.3.3 and 4.4.3.4.
Note: A Disability Support pensioner who stops getting the pension (and therefore no longer qualifies for the Pensioner Education Supplement) can retain eligibility for the disability concession and get the ABSTUDY Living Allowance (subject to income testing) for the remainder of the calendar year.
Students who are undertaking at least 25% of the normal full-time workload (at all times) are to be regarded as full-time students and a Pensioner Education Supplement can be paid if they are receiving one of the following Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) or Family and Community Services (FaCS) pensions or allowance;
Note: Subject to the passage of legislation from 1 March 2000 the workload concession will be changed:-
A pensioner getting the 25% workload concession who stops getting the pension (and therefore no longer qualifies for the ABSTUDY PES) during the academic year and who is unable to increase her/his enrolment to at least 75% (or 66.66% where the workload concession applies) can get ABSTUDY Living Allowance (subject to the usual income tests) to:
If a student getting the pensioner workload concession stops getting the pension outside an enrolment period (ie during a mid-year or long vacation) s/he will only qualify for the ABSTUDY Living Allowance if s/he meets the normal workload (ie 75% or 66.6% as appropriate) from the start of the next enrolment period (ie semester or term) in the year. Such a student can get an ABSTUDY Living Allowance subject to the usual means tests from the date the pension and PES entitlement stops.
Note: A disability support pensioner who stops getting the pension (and therefore no longer qualifies for PES) can retain eligibility for the disability concession (see Policy Manual 4.4.2.3) and get the ABSTUDY Living Allowance (subject to income testing) for the remainder of the calendar year.
A tertiary student who suffers an illness or injury and is unable to maintain a full-time workload may continue to be regarded as a full-time student under the conditions set down for extended periods of approved absence (see 4.6.4).
This concession is intended to be used beneficially in circumstances where a student is incapable of, or would face additional educational barriers or disadvantage through studying under normal ABSTUDY workload and reasonable time requirements because of substantial physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability.
Centrelink assessment practices require sufficient proof of disability, and its effects on study, to:
To apply for the concession, a student can either provide a statement with their claim or complete a separate form stating:
If the student is not getting a disability support pension or DVA invalidity service pension, s/he may need to provide supporting medical evidence.
A student should be accepted as having a substantial physical disability for the purposes of ABSTUDY if:
Where such evidence is not available, or is unclear or ambiguous, or substantial doubt is held about whether a student satisfies the conditions for the concession, advice should be sought from CRS Australia.
The procedures for assessment of students with substantial psychiatric or intellectual disabilities are similar to those for students with a physical disability, except that students who do not get a disability support pension or DVA invalidity service pension must provide:
Thus, a student should be accepted as having a substantial psychiatric disability for the purposes of ABSTUDY, if s/he:
The concession is not available to non-pensioners who cannot supply such a statement.
A new statement can be waived if sufficient evidence is available from previous records. If doubt exists or previous records cannot be obtained, a new statement will be required.
Assessment by CRS Australia should be sought if substantial doubt exists about a student’s eligibility for the concession on disability grounds.
CRS Australia charges Centrelink on a user-pays basis for referrals for ABSTUDY assessment purposes.
A copy of the student’s claim form and any supporting statement or evidence about the disability should be forwarded to the local or regional office of CRS Australia.
In preparing its assessment, the CRS Australia will have regard to normal full-time workload and course requirements for the course concerned. Centrelink should forward details of the normal workload of the given course, including formal and informal study hours, to the CRS Australia.
CRS Australia has counsellors and professional staff (such as doctors, occupational therapists etc) to assess the nature of assistance which might be needed by a person with a substantial disability.
CRS Australia’s assessment process normally involves:
CRS Australia can sponsor studies by disabled people if they meet certain criteria that show they would enhance a person’s vocational potential and lead to reasonable employment prospects.
If a student is assessed by CRS Australia as meeting its criteria for sponsorship, s/he may be entitled to a FaCS sickness allowance and offered a CRS Australia training allowance. A person cannot get both a FaCS sickness allowance or CRS Australia training allowance and ABSTUDY.
Note: Some students may still be receiving a rehabilitation allowance under former arrangements (ie before Disability Reform Package changes). These students can receive the ABSTUDY PES if they meet the disability concession criteria. Students receiving a rehabilitation allowance who do not meet the disability concession criteria, can receive the ABSTUDY PES under the standard workload rules.
If not eligible for CRS Australia assistance or if the student chooses not to accept the assistance, the CRS Australia will:
If CRS Australia advises that the person with a disability is not able to undertake a normal workload, the concession should be granted.
If CRS Australia advises that the person could make satisfactory progress while undertaking the normal full-time workload, the student’s claim should be assessed on the basis of normal (non-concessional) ABSTUDY workload requirements.
If the concession is not granted, the student should be advised promptly so that he or she knows that ABSTUDY cannot be granted on reduced workload. This will allow the student to vary enrolment and workload accordingly.
For the purpose of assessment, CRS Australia clients have the cost of their return travel from their home to a CRS Australia office, met by CRS Australia. This will apply also to students referred to the CRS Australia, for whom an interview or assessment is arranged.
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