ABSTUDY Study Requirement: Chapter 47 - Study-load Requirements

In order to qualify for the Schooling A, Schooling B, Tertiary or Masters and Doctorate Awards, a student must either:

• study a full-time study-load or
• qualify for a study-load concession.

The provisions for approving a study-load concession are set out in Chapter 48 Study-load Concessions.

The definition of what it means to study a full-time study-load depends on whether the student is undertaking:

• secondary school studies(or Primary school studies for students aged 14 years or over at 1 January of the study year);
• secondary non-school or Tertiary level studies; or
• Masters and Doctorate studies.

Secondary school students are considered to be studying a full-time study-load if they:

• attend school daily;
• do not attend school daily but the school advises that the student is studying a full-time study-load; or
• do not attend school daily but undertake home-based schooling where:
• the student has been approved by the relevant State/Territory education authority to study course work at home; and
• the authority confirms that the study is full-time and conforms with, and will be accredited towards, the secondary qualification accredited by that authority; or
• do not attend school daily but study course work at home where:
• the student is formally registered at a secondary school; and
• the course work is set by the school; and
• the student is undertaking a workload deemed to be full-time by the school; and 
• the student is supervised regularly by the school; and
• the study mode is approved by the school. This study mode will only be approved because of injury, illness or other circumstances beyond the student's control; or
• do not attend school daily but meet the requirements of their school programme as determined by the secondary school, e.g. modified school programme aimed at high-risk students or students with a disability or health-related condition.

The above study-load requirements also apply to primary school students aged 14 years or over at 1 January of the school year.

47.2.1 Secondary school studies at more than one institution

A secondary school student may study at more than one institution, providing her/his total study-load is full-time.

47.2.2 School students who are also undertaking Vocation and Technical Education  (VTE) studies

Secondary school students who attend  a Vocation and Technical Education institution for one or more days a week as part of their secondary school requirements, including students participating in a school-based apprenticeship/traineeship, are considered to be undertaking full-time secondary school studies for ABSTUDY purposes.

The normal study-load for secondary non-school courses and Vocation and Technical Education courses is the normal study programme as set down in course documentation. Students who are enrolled in at least three-quarters (75%) of the normal full-time study-load for any given enrolment period are regarded as full-time students for that enrolment period.

A higher education student is to be considered to be undertaking a full-time study load over a particular study period if they meet at least one of the following criteria:

1.       The student has an aggregated Equivalent Full Time Study Load (EFTSL) of at least 0.375 allocated to a particular half-year period. The half-year periods are 1 January to 30 June and 1 July to 31 December. 

• Where the student is undertaking a subject/unit that begins and ends in the same half-year period, the EFTSL weighting is allocated to that half-year period.
• Where the person is undertaking a subject/unit that begins and ends in different half-year periods, the EFTSL weighting may be allocated to either half-year period, depending upon which alternative provides the most beneficial outcome for the student.

OR

2.       The student is undertaking at least ¾ of the normal full-time study load for a shorter period of enrolment (e.g. summer school), where the institution can define a full-time study load for that period.

OR

3.       The student has an aggregated EFTSL of at least 0.750 over the calendar year where either:

• the institution's normal period of enrolment is a year; or
• the student is undertaking a year-long subject/unit within their course of study.

Where a student is undertaking a subject/unit that begins and ends in different half-year periods, or different calendar years, or in separate shorter periods of enrolment, the EFTSL weighting may be allocated to whichever half-year period or calendar year or shorter period of enrolment provides the most beneficial outcome for the student.

Provided that the student meets any one of these criteria at any given point in time, they should be considered to be a full-time student for the length of the course (and through the period of study break if they meet the criteria for remaining a full-time continuing student).  It is possible for an individual student to meet more than one of these definitions of full-time study load at any one point in time.  

In all three scenarios, the “particular study period” is taken to start from the earliest commencement of the first subject/unit that is included in the study load and ends at the conclusion of the latest subject/unit that is included in the study load.

The “additional period” for allowable/reasonable time purposes is also taken to start from the earliest commencement of the subject/unit that is included in the study load and ends at the conclusion of the latest subject/unit that is included in the study load.

47.4.1 Withdrawal from study before or after the census date

A student who withdraws from or ceases studying in a unit of study after the census date for that unit of study decreases her/his study-load by that unit of study’s EFTSL value from the date of withdrawal or cessation, irrespective of whether the student remains liable for the student contribution amount or HECS-HELP debt associated with that unit of study.

A student who withdraws from a unit of study before the unit of study census date and who undertook, and was enrolled in, the unit of study is considered to be undertaking that unit of study until the date of withdrawal.

Note: A student becomes liable to pay student contributions on the census date for each unit of study in which the student is enrolled.

Students studying a Masters or Doctorate course are considered to be studying a full-time study-load if they meet the requirements of the university for studying full-time in the particular Masters or Doctorate course being undertaken, or the workload provisions at 47.4 are met.

A student may be eligible for ABSTUDY to study more than one course at one or more institutions in certain circumstances. Where the student is undertaking a full-time or concessional study-load in at least one of those courses, ABSTUDY is payable under normal study-load provisions. ABSTUDY is also payable under the normal study-load provisions for students undertaking a single course at different campuses of the same institution.

However, if the study-load in the additional course(s) needs to be considered in order for the student to meet a full-time or concessional study-load, then studies in the other course(s) can be counted for study-load purposes only where:

• the institution(s) and course(s) are approved for ABSTUDY; and
• either:
• the subjects are recorded as part of the enrolment in the first course; or
• the student provides evidence that the subjects will be counted towards the approved course on completion (eg a statement from the main institution that the results will be recognised towards the student’s main course).

A student cannot add together workloads in subjects that do not form part of an approved course, unless the above dot points apply.

47.7.1 Full-time study-load for Australian Apprenticeships

Australian Apprenticeships combine practical work with structured training to give a nationally recognised qualification and work experience.

Australian Apprenticeships are covered by formal agreements known as either “Training Agreements” or “Contracts of Training”. These agreements set out the training and supervisions an employer must provide for the Australian Apprentice as well as their obligations as an Australian Apprentice. The agreements are registered with the relevant State/Territory Training Authority. 

Training can be delivered on-the-job, off-the-job, or a combination of both. Off-the-job training must be conducted with TAFE colleges, business colleges or other approved training providers.

For Australian Apprentices to qualify for ABSTUDY entitlements they must be undertaking their apprenticeship, traineeship or trainee apprenticeship on a full-time basis as determined by DEEWR.

47.7.2 Full-time study-load for AAAP courses

The following are not counted for the purposes of assessing study-load:

• subjects, units or points credited for work done previously;
• subjects in which the student is not currently enrolled; and
• tutorial assistance sessions funded under the DEEWR Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS).