Pensioner Education Supplement
Helps students with the ongoing costs of full-time or part-time study in a secondary or tertiary course.
Eligibility basics
- studying in a secondary or tertiary course
- already receiving a pension or payment
- studying full time in an approved course, undertaking approved activities or in some circumstances, part time
Eligibility & payment rates
Eligibility
You may be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement if you receive 1 of these payments:
- Carer Payment (adult)
- Carer Payment (child)
- Disability Support Pension
- Newstart Allowance (as a single principal carer)
- Parenting Payment (single)
- Special Benefit (as a single parent)
- Widow Allowance
- Widow B Pension
- Wife Pension, if your partner receives Disability Support Pension
If you transferred to Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance and are continuing in the same course, you may keep on receiving Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement in some cases.
If you are a single principal carer receiving Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance you may be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement.
You may also qualify for the supplement if you are receiving 1 of these payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs:
- Invalidity Service Pension
- Partner Service Pension if your partner is receiving an Invalidity Service Pension
- Partner Service Pension in combination with Carer Allowance from us
You may also qualify if you have a dependent child and you receive:
- Defence Widow Pension
- Special Rate Disability Pension
- War Widow Pension
- weekly compensation under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act
Study rules
You must also be studying an approved course at an approved institution and be either:
- studying full time
or - undertaking approved part time study and:
- a single parent with a dependent child aged under 16
- a carer receiving Carer Payment or Department of Veterans' Affairs Partner Service Pension in combination with Carer Allowance from us
- have a substantial disability, illness or injury which affects your ability to study full time or
- be an eligible student receiving Youth Allowance or Newstart Allowance
- studying a secondary or tertiary approved course, including:
- school and adult secondary courses
- undergraduate and graduate courses
- some Master's courses or
- TAFE certificate and diploma courses
Part time study is at least 25% of a full time study load.
Allowable time
Allowable time, referred to as reasonable time for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement, is the length of time you can receive the supplement while studying. Allowable time is based on the minimum time it would normally take to complete a course of study.
Time limits apply to how long a tertiary or Year 12 secondary student can receive the Pensioner Education Supplement.
For ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement time limits will apply for tertiary level or secondary non-school courses.
If you have done some previous study, the time you have already spent studying may be counted as allowable time and may affect your eligibility.
Payment rates
There are 2 supplement payment rates depending on your level of study and personal circumstances.
| If you are receiving Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement and are: | The fortnightly payment is |
|---|---|
| an approved student who is studying full time | $62.40 |
|
an approved student who is studying at least a 25% study load and receiving:
|
|
|
an approved student who is studying at least 50% study load and you are:
|
|
|
an approved student with at least a 25% study load but less than a 50% study load and you are:
|
$31.20 |
You do not have to meet income and assets tests to get the supplement.
The supplement is not taxable.
Residence requirements
To be eligible for the Pensioner Education Supplement you must satisfy residence requirements. You must:
- be an Australian resident
- be physically present in Australia on the day you submit your claim, and
- continue to meet the residence requirements for as long as you get this payment
Newly arrived residents generally have a 104 week waiting period, with some exemptions.
Approved courses of study and institutions
You must study an approved course at an approved institution to get Austudy, Youth Allowance as a student, or Pensioner Education Supplement.
Claiming
You should submit your claim for Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement as soon as possible so that we can pay you from the earliest possible date.
Read more about claiming the supplement.
Managing your payment
While travelling outside Australia
If you leave Australia to live in another country, your Pensioner Education Supplement will stop on departure.
Provided you continue to be paid your main payment such as Disability Support Pension or Carer Payment, and you continue studying for instance during holidays or semester breaks, you will continue to receive your Pensioner Education Supplement for up to 6 weeks outside Australia.
You may be able to be paid for more than 6 weeks if you are studying outside Australia as part of a full time Australian course.
Advising us of your travel outside Australia
Check your main payment type to find out whether you should tell us if you are leaving Australia.
Read more about payments while outside Australia.
What to do if your account is overdrawn
There is support to help you manage your money if you have overdrawn your bank, building society or credit union account.
Resources
Information in your language
Read more about the Pensioner Education Supplement in your language.
Manage your money
Getting control of your money can be hard, but we’ve got some great advice and tools to help. Read more about budgeting, borrowing and credit, and managing debt, to help manage your money.
Page last updated: 12 December 2016