3.2.7.60 YA Study-load - Full-time Secondary Students

Students attending school

A secondary student must attend secondary school full-time to satisfy the activity test (1.1.A.40) as a full-time student. Full-time study is a set amount of work that is accepted by the school as being full-time for any given period. If full-time study is not possible, then activity test requirements need to be adjusted and an activity agreement or EPP (1.1.E.103) may be required.

Example: A student with a disability (1.1.D.160) would have modified activity test requirements.

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.

Satisfactory attendance

Students are required to maintain satisfactory full-time attendance. When it is identified that a YA recipient has had more than 5 days of unauthorised absence in a term, Centrelink should make an appointment to discuss the situation with the young person. An activity agreement should then be negotiated taking into account their individual needs. A condition of the activity agreement would also be that the young person would not have more than 5 days of unauthorised absences a term for the length of the agreement. If the young person has more than 5 days of unauthorised absences a participation failure may be incurred. If the person committed 3 or more participation failures during a period of 12 months without reasonable excuse, the payment may be suspended for 8 weeks. A student's suspensions from school of up to 30 days are regarded as authorised absences.

A young person who ceased to be qualified for YA as a full-time student may apply for YA (job seeker), providing they are able to satisfy the activity test by undertaking other approved activities, which would normally involve some kind of study or training.

Young people aged under 21 will generally be unable to satisfy the activity test by undertaking job search activities in their EPP, unless they have completed the final year of secondary school or an equivalent qualification (Certificate level II or above).

An early school leaver (1.1.E.05) may volunteer to undertake job search in addition to their EPP activities, but will not be required to report job search efforts.

Act reference: SSAct section 550 Youth allowance participation failures, section 551 Allowance not payable because of repeated failure

Students attending non-school institutions

Secondary students who attend institutions other than secondary schools, or study by correspondence/distance education at an institution other than a secondary school must normally be enrolled in and studying at least 75% of the normal full-time study-load for their course.

Act reference: SSAct section 541 Activity test, section 541B Undertaking full-time study

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.2.7.90 YA Study-load - Full-time Students in Non-traditional Courses

Previous year 12 study

Students aged 18 and over will not usually be considered a full-time student for YA purposes while attempting year 12 for a THIRD time. However, a previous attempt at year 12 can be disregarded if the student was affected by circumstances beyond his or her control, such as:

• the person is, or has been disabled by an illness or other medical condition (permanently or temporary),
• the person has suffered family trauma,
• the person has experienced a natural disaster,
• the person is obliged to relocate, necessitating repeating part of a course of study, or starting a course again (because of the requirements of the educational institution concerned),
• the person has caring responsibilities for another member of the person's family,
• another exceptional circumstance that interferes with the person's ability to complete a course of education or study within the standard minimum length of time.

Under exceptional circumstances, students who have failed 2 attempts at year 12 for reasons, other than those above, may be able to study year 12 subjects at a tertiary institution such as TAFE as an approved activity under YA.

Act reference: SSAct section 541B(1) Undertaking full-time study-General, section 541B(3A) Meaning of satisfactory progress, section 541B(3B) The Minister, by legislative instrument...

Youth Allowance (Satisfactory Study Progress Guidelines) Determination 1998

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.1.13 Compliance Framework for Participation Payments, 3.2.7.40 Approved Courses of Study for YA, 3.2.7.110 YA Full-time Students Satisfactory Progress - Study at the Same Level

Course end date

The course end date for full-time secondary students, who do not intend to re-enrol at the next available opportunity, is deemed to be the last day of fourth term (or third term in Tasmania), as set by the relevant State/Territory government.

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Last reviewed: 3 January 2012