3.2.7.110 YA Full-time Students Satisfactory Progress - Study at the Same Level

Study at the same level

If a student wishes to do more than one course at the SAME LEVEL the following conditions may apply depending on whether the student has:

• completed a previous course (see table 1),
• withdrawn from a previous course (see table 2), OR
• failed their first and second course (see table 3).

For the level of courses at the tertiary level see (1.1.L.40).

To remain eligible for YA a student must be making satisfactory progress in their course. Satisfactory progress is completing the course within the time period set out in the Youth Allowance (Satisfactory Study Progress Guidelines) Determination 1998 and in this topic. Study in previous courses is not counted when calculating satisfactory progress time allowed for the current course.

Note: Allowable time rules for Austudy do not apply to YA.

If a student has not completed their first course and there are no special circumstances beyond their control, they may be able to do a second course at the same level as part of an agreement. This means they will have to complete the second course within a time negotiated for that course unless the student is affected by 'special circumstances beyond a person's control'. If a person fails to meet the requirement, a participation failure may be incurred. If the person committed 3 or more participation failures during the period of 12 months, the payment may be suspended for 8 weeks.

A young person who ceases 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.

The following special circumstances beyond a person's control, are set out in the Youth Allowance (Satisfactory Study Progress Guidelines) Determination 1998 and may be considered when deciding whether the person has been affected by circumstances beyond his/her control:

• the person is, or has been, disabled by an illness or other medical condition,
• 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, AND
• any other exceptional circumstances that interferes with the person's ability to complete a course of education or study within the standard minimum length of time.

Table 1: Previous course completed at same level

Example 1: James is 22 and has previously completed a 3 year Arts degree. He attends Centrelink to claim YA for a second undergraduate degree studying science. James is granted YA to study the Science degree as there is no limit on the number of courses that James can complete at the same level while on YA. James' satisfactory progress time allowed is reset according to his science course.

Table 2: Withdrawal from previous course

Example 1: Vincent is 20 and has completed one year of a Business degree at university. He withdraws from the Business degree and transfers to Engineering after one year. As Vincent has withdrawn from his previous course for reasons that were NOT beyond his control Vincent needs to sign an activity agreement as a student to agree to complete the Engineering degree within the time allowed for the second course.

Example 2: Lisa is 22 years old, and has completed 2 years of an IT degree. Lisa stopped studying IT at the end of the second year and starts to work. After a 2 year break Lisa returns to university, withdraws from her IT degree and starts a Landscape Architecture degree. Lisa is able to be paid YA to undertake the Landscape Architecture degree. However, as she withdrew from her previous course, she must sign an activity agreement as a full-time student agreeing to finish the Landscape Architecture degree within the satisfactory progress time for this course. All previous study is disregarded and the time allowed is reset for her Landscape Architecture degree.

Table 3: Student failed first & second course

Explanation: Failure in a course is when a student is precluded by the institution from completing the course for any reason.

Example: Peter starts studying a Communication degree when he is 20 years old. He fails this course at the end of the second year. Peter works for a year and then returns to the university to study a 3-year Business degree. As Peter has failed a previous course, he needs to sign an activity agreement as a student to complete his Business degree in his satisfactory progress time for this course. However, if the reason for Peter's failure in the first course is beyond his control, all of Peter's previous study is disregarded and his satisfactory progress time is reset to the course's satisfactory progress time.

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.2.7.100 YA Full-time Students Satisfactory Progress

Non-approved study

A young person is NOT considered to be a full-time student for YA purposes, if they are:

• undertaking a course which is NOT approved under the Ministerial Determination of Education Institutions and Courses, OR
• NOT meeting the satisfactory progress rules.

The following table explains the effect of non-approved study:

Exceeding satisfactory progress time

A YA student who has reached their satisfactory progress time in a course will lose their access to YA-student payments, the income bank, and higher income free area.

However, they MAY be approved to continue their study as a YA job seeker (with the study approved as a short course approved activity) in certain circumstances. These students need to have their study recorded in an EPP.

Students who are under 21 who have reached the satisfactory progress time allowed for their course need to transfer to YA job seeker and enter into an EPP. They can be permitted to satisfy the YA activity test through full-time study or through a combination of activities, including part-time study, which need to be documented within their EPP.

The EPP will need to contain details of:

• suitable activities to be undertaken by the student,
• where full-time study is the sole activity, any conditions on the student finishing the course within a certain period.

Note: Recipients aged 21 or over who are not undertaking full-time study cease to be eligible for YA. They may test their eligibility for NSA but may not be eligible if they remain full-time students. Short course approval cannot be given to full-time students who exceed satisfactory progress time allowed.

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

Youth Allowance (Satisfactory Study Progress Guidelines) Determination 1998

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.2.7.10 Satisfying the YA Activity Test, 3.2.7.30 YA Full-time Students, 3.2.7.100 YA Full-time Students Satisfactory Progress

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Last reviewed: 2 August 2010