13.2.5.1 Part Time Study

A student undertaking part time study may be deemed to be studying full time under the Schemes where:

(a) the Commission is satisfied that the amount of study that the student must complete in order to finish a course constitutes less than one year full-time study; or

(b) through geographical isolation, the student is unable to take advantage of full-time study facilities; or

(c) for health, economic or academic reasons, the student has shown ability to undertake full-time studies but needs to study part-time temporarily.

Advice received from the Department of Human Services (DHS) (Now Services Australia) in April 2013 stated that Youth Allowance and Austudy both have provisions for full time students who are unable to maintain a full time study load due to illness or other circumstances. To be approved, the student must present a medical certificate from a medical practitioner stating that the student is incapacitated for study. The medical practitioner must state the diagnosis, prognosis and the period of incapacity. The incapacity must be due to illness or an accident and must be temporary in nature.

Services Australia practice and policy may be considered a guide but decisions will need to be made on a case-by-case basis to permit flexibility in light of the particular circumstances of the student.