Apply for Austudy: Get Paid to Study in Australia

Through Austudy, you can earn up to AUS$836.60 per fortnight if you’re an Australian citizen, 25 or older and enrolled on a full-time Australian Masters. The exact amount you’ll earn depends on residency, income and asset tests.

Australia is taking ‘earn while you study’ to the next step. . . sort of!

Austudy is the Australian government’s income support scheme for full-time Masters students. On this page, I’m going to give you a complete overview of everything Austudy including amounts, eligibility and applications.

Who can get an Austudy payment?

To be eligible for Austudy payments as a student, you need to be:

• 25 years or older;
• and enrolled on an Austudy approved course.

You’ll also need to meet certain rules and tests that’ll determine if (and how much) you’re eligible for. These are:

• Residence rules
• Income test
• Assets test

Your Austudy payments also depend on whether you’re currently receiving any other income support.

For example, if you’re receiving a Youth Allowance when you turn 25, you won’t move to Austudy payments. You’ll continue to get the Youth Allowance until you finish your current course. Any other income support payments will stop when your Austudy payments begin.

Austudy approved courses

To be eligible for Austudy payments, you must be enrolled into an approved course.

As a general rule, full-time Masters degrees should be eligible for the Austudy payments.

Your university must also be approved for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) by the Department of Education. You don’t need to take a HELP loan, only the course needs to be approved for it.

There is a full list of approved courses on the official government website.

Residence rules

Austudy is open to students who, on the day they make the claim:

• are living in Australia;
• are physically in Australia;
• are an Australian resident.

If you’re an Australian citizen and it is your usual place of residence, you’ll be eligible for Austudy.

If you have a permanent residence visa or a protected Special Category visa, you may also be eligible for these payments.

If you’ve recently arrived as a resident in Australia, you might have to wait before you can apply for the Austudy payments. The wait time is usually between two to four years.

The Services Australia website defines exactly what each of the rules of residency mean.

Income test

The income test is designed to determine the amount you’ll get.

Both your and your partner’s income can affect the amount of Austudy payment you receive.

Your income will be checked on the day you make the claim and then every fortnight for the duration of your claim.

The income test considers your income (excluding child support) before any deductions, like tax. The Services Australia lists everything that is counted as an income for these tests.

If your income exceeds AUS$528 per fortnight, your Austudy payments will reduce. However, there is a provision through the Income Bank, where you can earn and store credit on the fortnights where your income is below AUS$528 to be used when your income increases.

There are different thresholds that determine by how much your income reduces.

• If you earn between AUS$528-AUS$633 per fortnight, your payment will be reduced by 50 cents for every dollar over AUS$528.
• If you earn over AUS$633 per fortnight, your payment will be reduced by AUS$52.50 plus 60 cents for every dollar over AUS$633.

If you earn over certain thresholds (depending on your personal circumstances), your payment can reduce to AUS$0.

• If you’re single or in a couple with no children, you can earn up to AUS$1,662.67 before your payments are reduced to AUS$0.
• If you’re a member of a couple with children, you can earn up to AUS$1,755.17 before your payments are reduced to AUS$0.
• If you’re single with children, you can earn up to AUS$1,955.17 before your payments are reduced to AUS$0.

If your payments are AUS$0 for 12 consecutive weeks, they will be automatically cancelled. If your income reduces after the 12 weeks, you’ll have to reapply.

Assets test

The assets test determines how much Austudy allowance you’ll get.

These are usually reviewed in January, March, July and September each year.

Assets are any property or possession you own fully, partially or have an interest in. These include any debt owed to you and any assets you hold outside Australia.

There are limits and cut-offs after which your Austudy payments will reduce.

These limits are decided depending on whether you’re single and whether you own a house.

This table tells you about the cut-off after which your payments will stop:

The Services Australia website has more information on what counts as an asset and how it affects your payments.

How much can you get in Austudy payments?

The government sets out basic rates, but depending on your income and asset tests, your actual payment can vary.

This table gives you the basic rates:

Most people are eligible for the basic rates but, depending on how you perform in the income and asset tests, your payments can reduce.

You’ll have to report on your circumstances at regular intervals so that you can continue receiving the right payment.

You might be eligible for different rates if you’ve been getting an income support payment previously. Check the Services Australia website to know if you’re eligible for different rates and the amounts you can get.

How can you apply for Austudy payments?

You can apply for an Austudy claim up to 13 weeks before the start of your course.

We recommend that you get your application in as early as possible for it to be processed in time for when you actually need the money.

There are three simple steps to make an application for Austudy.

Step #1 Set up an online account

You need an online account with myGov and link it to Centrelink.

If this is your first time making a claim, you’ll need to prove your identity online by providing personal details and two acceptable identity documents as well as your Medicare card.

If you have made a claim before, you can use your existing Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) to link your accounts.

Step #2 Prove your identity

You’ll need to prove your identity before you make the claim. You can do this online, over the phone or in-person.

• You can prove your identity online using your myGov account. You’ll need your identity documents for this.
• To prove your identity over the phone, you’ll need to call Services Australia. They’ll ask you for details from documents that can show your birth or arrival in Australia and the use of your identity in the country. Check the Services Australia website for the entire list of accepted documents.
• You can also prove your identity in-person at a service centre. You’ll need the same documents you would if you were doing it over the phone.

Step #3 Gather and submit supporting documents

The documents you’ll need to submit will be specified when you make the claim.

You’ll need to submit the ones listed as ‘required’ before you can submit your claim.

There may be a list of ‘supplementary’ documents you’ll need to give. You have 14 days after you submit your claim to provide these.

There is a full list of documents that are commonly asked from applicants on the official Services Australia website, however, you might not need all of them.

You can expect to hear back within 42 days of submitting your claim. However, claims can take longer to process during busier times.

When do you get the Austudy payments?

You’ll get your first payment two weeks after you’re granted the claim and all subsequent payments will be made each fortnight.

However, there are some waiting periods that might delay your payment. These vary depending on why you’re being asked to wait and will usually only affect the first payment.

Tips from the author

Writing this guide, all I can think about is how many rules and criteria you need to meet to be eligible for the Austudy payments. Nothing to worry about, but some of my practical advice for you is:

• Keep a notepad ready! Make notes of exactly which income and assets thresholds apply to you and keep that record handy when applying.
• Always err on the side of caution and check with Services Australia if you’re unsure about anything.
• Start early and apply with plenty of time! You’ll need this to get all your documents together and save yourself from any last-minute mistakes.

Frequently asked questions