A primary or secondary school, secondary non-school, tertiary, or Masters and Doctorate level student can be considered a concessional study-load student in the following circumstances:
A secondary non-school, tertiary, or Masters and Doctorate level student can be considered a concessional study-load student in the following circumstance:
Where a study-load concession has been approved, a student’s concessional study-load will be assessed against the normal full-time study-load for their course, as set out in Chapter 47 Study-load Requirements.
As determined by Centrelink, evidence may be required to support a student’s claim for a study-load concession.
A secondary non-school, tertiary or Masters and Doctorate level student may be considered a two-thirds concessional study-load student if:
- s/he is enrolled in at least two-thirds of the normal full-time workload for that course; and
- it is not possible to study 75per cent of the normal study-load because of one of the following:
- the institution's normal requirements for the course; or
- a specific direction in writing from the academic registrar or an equivalent officer; or
- a recommendation in writing from the academic registrar or equivalent officer, for academic or vocational reasons. The institution does not have to specify the reasons on which the recommendation is based.
Study-load requirements cannot be reduced for academic or vocational reasons for more than one semester or half of the academic year.
A student may be considered a disability concessional study-load student if:
- s/he is enrolled in at least 25 per cent of the normal full-time study-load for that course; and
- s/he is unable to study under normal study-load requirements because of substantial physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability.
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 study-load requirements because of substantial physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability.
Where a recipient of Disability Support Pension ceases to receive this pension, s/he is considered to be eligible for the 25% disability concessional study-load for the remainder of the enrolment period, for the purposes of assessing eligibility for Living Allowance.
A student may be considered a concessional study-load student for the purposes of the ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) if:
- Parenting Payment (Single);
- Disability Support Pension;
- Carer Payment;
- Special Benefit (as a sole parent, if s/he has a dependent child under 16 years of age);
- Widow B Pension (if s/he has a dependent child under 16 years of age);
- Widow Allowance (if s/he has a dependent child under 16 years of age); or
- Invalidity Service Pension;
- Carer Service Pension;
- Defence Widow/er Pension (if s/he has a dependent child under 16 years of age);
- War Widow/er Pension (if s/he has a dependent child under 16 years of age).
A student who is qualified for ABSTUDY PES, but whose circumstances are not listed above, may qualify for a two-thirds concessional study-load or a disability concessional study-load if s/he meets the provisions set out in 48.2 or 48.3.
An ABSTUDY PES customer who ceases to be in receipt of one of the payments listed in 48.4 during an enrolment period can retain the 25% study-load concession until the end of that enrolment period for the purposes of assessing eligibility for Living Allowance.
An ABSTUDY PES customer who ceases to be in receipt of one of the payments listed in 48.4 outside an enrolment period, that is, during a mid-year or long vacation, will need to meet normal study-load requirements from the start of the next enrolment period for the purposes of assessing eligibility for Living Allowance.
See also 48.3.2 for policy when a Disability Support pensioner ceases to be in receipt of that pension.