Austudy payments for studying full time

[Karina]

Hello,

I've just realised that full time students can apply for Austudy/Youth Allowance payments through centrelink (yes, I'm a bit slow). So, I am in the process of applying now.

Just wondering if anyone can explain what it means by 'income bank' and 'working credits'. The application is asking me for this information and I dont understand the explanation for them on the centrelink website. Does it mean how much money I have in my bank account?

I'm applying for Austudy as I'm 25, studuying full time, dont work so no income. Do they assess my husbands income if I dont have an income?

I'm confused.

[Rivlas]

I would go and see them as you can be told many things. Because your DH works this may go against you as when my DD1 married she could not get any payments. She also couldn't get it before she married even though she was living out of home because "we still talked to each other".
DD2 had to prove she had earnt a certain amount in a given time to get it. Even though she did meet the requirements we still had to jump through hoops to get it.
I found going in to see them did answer alot of questions, just depends on who you get.

[Visitor7]

What Rivlas is talking about is the Independent vs Dependent rate. As you have had a child, you are automatically classed as Independent.
The Student Income Bank is basically, if you earn over the income cut off (which at the moment is $236 p/f) your credits will be used before your Austudy payments are affected by your income (providing you have sufficient income bank credits accrued). You accrue income bank credits each fortnight, and they decrease when you earn over the income limit.

Austudy is income and asset tested. So you will need to take into account yours (and partners) assets, income, and how much money you have in your bank accounts.

[Karina]

Thanks for the info. I'm still a bit confused, LOL. I might just have to give them a call during the week and get clarification. I hope I am eligible. The payments would really help me out with buying the zillions of books I need and uniforms and other bits and peices I need for my course.

[HotI]

You will be indeendent from your parents, but not your partner. So if your partner works, his income will affect whether you qualify for payments or not.

i received payments prior to getting married, but not after.

[bon]

I have never been eligible - when I was in school and then uni, I couldn't get it because my parents income was too high. Even when I moved out of home because my mum and dad moved up the coast over 100km away, I still couldn't get it because 'technically' (according to centrelink's distance rules) my parents still lived close enough to my uni for me to be able to live with them and commute, so 'technically' it wasn't seen as a necessity for me to live out of home, so I was still classed as dependent and ineligible for the payment.

Now that I am studying again, I am part time so I am not able to claim it, but even if I was full time I am not eligible because my DH's income is too high.

Karina - definitely talk to them about it. But I wouldn't get your hopes up too high - I don't know what the current income cutoff levels are, but in my experience with centrelink, you have to be virtually broke and have no assets before they will give you any payments for study.