The purpose of the Masters and Doctorate Allowances is to provide assistance to students undertaking higher degrees at the Masters and Doctorate level to assist with the cost of student contributions (formerly HECS), tuition fees and other expenses.
To qualify for the Masters and Doctorate Allowances, a student must:
The following supplementary Masters and Doctorate allowances are available:
These allowances are based on those that apply for the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) - refer APA
The rates of ABSTUDY Masters and Doctorate Allowances are aligned with those that apply for the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA).
For details of the tax status of Relocation Allowance, Thesis Allowance and payment of student contribution or tuition fees, see Chapter 5 Taxation.
The Masters and Doctorate Allowances (Relocation Allowance, Thesis Allowance and payment of student contribution or tuition fees) are not subject to means testing.
Where payments in excess of entitlement have occurred, refer to Chapter 3 Overpayment and Recovery of Allowances to determine what is a recoverable debt and from whom this amount should be recovered.
Relocation Allowance is available where a student has to move to another town or city to take up a Masters and Doctorate Award. Relocation allowance is to assist with:
The maximum amount of Relocation Allowance that may be payable to meet removal costs is specified in “A Guide to Australian Government Payments 
”.
The removal costs that can be paid include:
- removals through a removalist company, or
- a hire truck if the student chooses to undertake her/his own removal.
Qualified students are entitled to reasonable removal costs, up to the maximum amount of Relocation Allowance payable.
Removal costs must be paid either:
- direct to the removal/hire truck company on receipt of their invoice; or
- as a reimbursement to the student on submission of original receipts.
Relocation Allowance does not cover the costs of establishing the student's new home.
Eligible students may receive a Thesis Allowance to assist with costs associated with the presentation of a thesis or other similar course requirement, e.g. the costs of printing, publishing and binding the thesis. This allowance is a contribution to the costs of production of the thesis, and does not include costs such as a purchase of computer equipment.
Qualified students are entitled to actual costs, where reasonable, up to the maximum amount of Thesis Allowance payable.
Different maximum rates of Thesis Allowance apply, depending upon whether the student is undertaking Masters or Doctorate level study. For details of these maximum rates, see “A Guide to Australian Government Payments ”.
Thesis Allowance must be claimed within two years of the expiry of the Award.
Eligible students may apply for assistance to pay their student contributions (previously known as HECS) or tuition fees incurred for the approved course. ABSTUDY will pay the student contributions or the tuition fees payable (less any fee scholarship received from the higher education provider).
Qualified students are entitled to actual costs of the student contributions or the tuition fees payable (less any fee scholarship received from the higher education provider). There is no upper limit to the amount payable.
Claims for payment of student contributions must be lodged before the census date or the date set by the provider if earlier, in order that the advance payment discount be received.
Students claiming payment of student contributions must choose the up-front payment option. Where a student has incorrectly nominated to defer their student contribution instead of choosing the up-front payment option, or has lodged their Request for Commonwealth support and HECS-HELP form late, and the provider is unable to accept payment, the student must then obtain a statement of their student contributions payable from the provider before payment can be made to the Tax Office. In such cases, the early repayment discount would need to be deducted from the notified amount.
For both student contributions and tuition fees, payment must be made direct to the higher education provider.