1.1.A.210 Approved course of education or study (YA (full-time student), Austudy, PES)

Definition

For the purposes of YA (full-time student), Austudy and PES, an approved course of education or study is one approved by the Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations who has the authority to approve courses and institutions. To exercise this power the Minister issues an instrument called the 'Ministerial Determination of Education Institutions and Courses'.

The courses set out in the Determination are:

• secondary courses including an accredited secondary course through a secondary school or TAFE institution, higher education institution or special school and ESL courses, Stream 2000 courses or preparatory courses for tertiary education,
• tertiary courses including Stream 3000 and 4000 courses,
• Open Learning (1.1.O.20) courses,
• Certificate courses,
• Advanced Certificate courses,
• Bachelor Degree courses,
• Graduate Certificate courses,
• Graduate Certificate Diplomas or Degrees,
• Master qualifying courses, or
• Approved Masters by coursework programs.

Note: A course at Masters or Doctorate level offered by a higher education institution, whether it forms a part or the whole of an integrated undergraduate/Master or Doctorate level course, is not an approved tertiary course for student income support purposes unless the course is specified in Schedule 3 of the Determination.

There is NO minimum duration for a course to be approved, but the length of a course may influence the date from which a young person is considered to be a full-time student.

If a young person is undertaking a course which is not approved under the Ministerial Determination, they will not be considered to be a full-time student for YA purposes, nor undertaking qualifying study for Austudy or PES purposes.

Where a person undertakes an internship, they will not be considered to be a full-time student for YA purposes, nor undertaking qualifying study for Austudy or PES purposes unless the internship is part of an approved course.

Note: From 1 January 2012, dependent young people undertaking full-time secondary study will not be able to apply for YA until they turn 18, unless they:

• become independent,
• are required to live away from home to study, or
• are determined by the Secretary to be not benefiting from FTB that is being paid to the person's parents.

Young people in receipt of YA on 31 December 2011 can choose to remain on YA if they remain eligible or instead, relinquish their YA payment and have their parent(s) claim FTB for them from 1 January 2012 if their parent is otherwise eligible for FTB.

Act reference: SSAct section 541B Undertaking full-time study, section 569B Approved course of education or study, section 1061PC Approved course of education or study

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Last reviewed: 3 January 2012