More confusion about Austudy

[Nimra]

Just stuck the more Iam searching and reading more Iam getting confused.Presuming Austudy is a lonce a lifetime opportunity is it?

As I am on PP payments and Austudy is on my mind ( still have to confirm wit CL though)

Do I have to pay back course fee once I get employment? its not mentioned anywhere .

now my main concern is Before getting enrol in Bachelors in Feb 2014 intake I want to get enrol in a one year TAFE diploma and that would be great help and on behalf of that diploma I will get some exemption in my bachelors course.

I am thinking to go for Diploma course on VET Fee Help and then for bachelors I will go Austudy.


Would CL allow me to do that? (both Diploma and Austudy will be in graphic designing)

I explain it here I am a graphic designer and in the same field i want to study new subjects like 3D design and games design and for Bachelors There prerequisite
list is pretty strict and diploma will give me that qualification to get eligible to be considered for bachelors otherwise My application will be refused)
I don't know how I explain this all to centerlink.

I apologize if my questions seems a nonsense but Iam just confused,day and night my brain is thinking study and getting back on my foot.

[LimeSlice]

Hi Nimra

I think you are confusing two different things.

1) AUSTUDY is an income supplement payment, paid by Centrelink, to students who meet their eligibility criteria, based on hours studying, the course itself, income and maybe assets (both yours and your husband/live in partner.)

2) VET FEE HELP or FEE HELP are scheme through which most Australians can gain access to Higher Education with no or little up front costs. FEE HELP covers the tuition fees only - so NOT textbooks etc - and only applies to certain courses, degrees or units offered.
There is again eligibility criteria, but most Australian citizens will meet those. There are also pass rates applicable to maintain access to the service.
FEE HELP are LOANS. This is important to remember. There is a ceiling limit to the amount you can 'borrow' and you must begin to repay the debt to the Government once your income goes over $49,000 per year.

So, if you qualify for both, you can access BOTH AUSTUDY and FEE HELP to assist you through your studies. They are not interchangeable, AUSTUDY is administered by Centrelink, FEE HELP has absolutely nothing to do with Centrelink - you will apply for it directly through your higher education institution.

I hope that helps a bit, so you can find the real answers and plan you are looking for.

[Rivlas]

Just check to see if the TAFE course is fees upfront. Many TAFE courses you have to pay at the start of the course.

If you get help with the Uni fees you pay back a % when you start working and earn a certain amount.

Go and visit a centrelink office if you need more answers. They can help with eligibility for austudy

Also have a look at half year entry into your course at Uni

[briggsy's girl]

dont go into the centrelink office!!! it's not going to get you the time and attention you appear to need at the moment to clarify your situation

as LS said, Austudy is administered by centrelink and would replace your PPP - but you have to check with the Youth and Students area whether you are eligible based on previous study and qualifications as well as your current intended course of study. You may not be covered for both the diploma AND the uni study so check with the Youth and Students Team 132490. you may find it's better to stay on ppp while you do the diploma and move to austudy for the uni side of things, provided you don't have previous uni qualifications - definitely check with Youth and Students before you make any decisions. Austudy is a taxable income, the same as parenting payment or newstart. you cannot have parenting payment and Austudy at the same time

Fee HELP is different. it is a loan from the commonwealth. you do have to pay it back when you meet the threshold income (currently about 49k as mentioned above) - depending on your annual income, the percentage of your income you have to pay against the loan varies - minimum is 2%. the loan is also indexed every 12 months so it gets higher every year if you're not repaying it.

[Nimra]

Girls thanks a million for clearing the confusion, definitely calling CL to get to know the better possibility

[Nimra]

Girls,
I spoke to CL.Lady was more confused than me,

she said I can switch to Austudy from PPP and need to do a online claim.
Se said once you done with your studies you have to payback your loan.( that was my actual confusion because Iwas asuming IF i go to Austudy I don't have to payback anything)

she said I might be eligble for student start-up scholarship whic would be a helping money to buy books or material sorta a things.

But she said She thinks Iam better off on PPP, because this way I can get 24 hours per child JET. this way I have to pay a small amount for childcare.

she said think about it and then lodge a claim.

So what you girls suggest me? shall i go for PPP (JET is something I need ) or Austudy (start up scholarship wuld be a great help to buy expensive material for my course.


And yeaa a news to share I got enrolled for my Bachelors straight away (no more diploma thing anymore)

[e_p]

to decide between Austudy and PP you'll need to compare the rates between payments (although the amounts you can earn if you are working) and find out whether you will be eligible for JET if you switch to Austudy

The other thing to consider is that if you are doing bachelor level study and receive Austudy, you should be eligible for the $1000 student start up scholarship at the start of each semester

[Nimra]

yes that scholarship seems to be v attractive and I need it for course material but Iam not eleiible for JET on AUSTUDY

[briggsy's girl]

yes that scholarship seems to be v attractive and I need it for course material but Iam not eleiible for JET on AUSTUDY

Don't rely on this to make your decisions! Based on last nights budget, and passage of legislation, these will not be the same next year!!! They will be making it into a loan like FEE-HELP

[briggsy's girl]

Jet team won't make a call to explain jet. They are a processing team. Fao can explain it thoroughly

[LimeSlice]

Jet team won't make a call to explain jet. They are a processing team. Fao can explain it thoroughly

They have called me 3 times now, purely because FAO team *couldn't* and *didn't* explain it properly.