TRIMESTERS + CENTRELINK: Confirmation of 75% load for income support; details; plus Official Ruling
Posted on February 16, 2012 by ED
If you are applying for Centrelink benefits this year (eg Austudy, ABSTUDY) you may be interested to know that Centrelink has ruled that UNE students have the option of being considered a full time student in either two or three teaching periods, as long as their study load is equivalent to at least 0.75 across the whole year.
Under the trimester academic calendar this means that you can either:
- (a) take a 75% load for two teaching periods (eg Trimesters 1 and 2) and have the third Trimester off; or
- (b) spread your 75% load across all three teaching periods.
If you decide to take option (b) you will need to enrol in all three trimesters now, so that your study plan intentions are evident to Centrelink.
The official ruling from Centrelink is attached for your information.
Filed under: Tip | Tagged: Centrelink, Trimesters
That’s good, unfortunately I can’t get it as Masters of Info Tech is not an approved postgrad course at UNE (it is at other Uni’s just not UNE for some reason)… doh…
23/04/12
Centrelink suspended my student benefits upon review of my studies.
I contacted Centrelink showing the required information including this letter. Their reply was that:
A) A Student must be enrolled full- time in each relevant semester and this cannot be accumalated over a relevant calendar period and;
B) Disregard this letter as it is incorrect and;
C) You are not considered a full- time student for Centrelink purposes.
This is depite being enrolled in 6 subjects over the calendar year being 75% load over the calendar year.
Scott,
Get in contact with Centrelink complaints asap: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/about_us/complaints.htm
And they’ll iron it out for you.
Thanks Ed, I’ll keep the site updated for future student encounters with the same problem.
UPDATE – Centrelink Eligibilty
After review of my current benefits, it was FINALLY decided that I am a full- time student and student can study over the year provided they do meet a 75% loading for the year.
Quite simply, I provided this letter as well as my current studies and they fixed it up for me and apologised for the misunderstanding.
It seems you have to send your details to both the youth and students deparment as well as their complaints department.
Thanks for your help Ed!