To be eligible for assistance a student must live in Australia (see 3.2.3) during the period of study and be:
- an Australian citizen; or
- a New Zealand citizen who meets the rule set out in 3.2.2; or
- an Australian permanent resident within the meaning of regulation 1.03 of the Migration Regulations 1994.
Where the student is not an Australian citizen, evidence must be provided to support the claim of permanent residency or settlement.
A student who is a New Zealand citizen can be eligible for AIC if he or she is permanently settled (see 3.2.3) in Australia and he or she has lived:
- continuously in Australia for 6 months or more; or
- in Australia for the past 12 months with no more than two months absence in that period; or
- in Australia for the past 12 months with more than two months absence but can demonstrate continuity of residence in Australia in that period.
Note: The 26 February 2001 changes to the Trans Tasman social security arrangements do not affect New Zealanders eligibility for AIC.
To be eligible for assistance the student must be living in Australia during the period of study.
That is, AIC should not be paid in respect of a student who is living and/or studying overseas, except where the student is participating in a student exchange as described in 3.2.4.
Applicants can continue receiving AIC for their child who is participating in an international student exchange on condition that:
- the student remains enrolled at an Australian education institution and the overseas study is credited to their Australian studies (i.e. if a student is paid AIC while undertaking study overseas but then needs to repeat all or part of that study on return to Australia, then AIC is not applicable for the period of study overseas which does not count towards their Australian studies); and
- the student is continuing to incur in Australia the costs for which the AIC allowance is being paid (i.e. the Australian boarding school is still charging the full boarding fees while the student is on exchange); and
- all other AIC eligibility criteria continue to apply.