Further information on individual student income support payment including ABSTUDY, Austudy and Youth Allowance can be found on the Youth Allowance page.

To assist with defining education institutions and courses for the purposes of eligibility for student income support, please see:

• Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Amendment Determination 2011 (No. 2). This is the most recent amendment including newly approved masters courses
  (PDF 256KB | RTF 1.29MB)
• Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Determination 2009 (No. 2), incorporating amendments up to Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Amendment Determination 2011 (No. 1) ( PDF 249KB | RTF 1.3MB)
• The Explanatory Statement to the Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Amendment Determination 2011 (No. 1) ( PDF 322KB | RTF 202KB)
  

Masters courses approval for the payment of student income support

Since 1 January 2008, eligible students have been able to receive Youth Allowance, Austudy or Pensioner Education Supplement while undertaking approved masters by coursework programs that are required for entry to a profession.

Twice yearly, the Department invites Higher Education Providers to consider the eligibility of their professionally oriented masters courses against the criteria set out in the Guidelines for the Approval of Masters Courses for Student Income Support Payments (the Guidelines) and, if appropriate, to submit applications for consideration.

Coursework masters programs may be eligible for approval for student income support where the qualification is essential for entry to or employment in a profession, and:

• the qualification is the minimum requirement for registration with a professional body and for entry to a profession; or
• the course provides the fastest pathway to professional entry; or
• the course is the only pathway to professional entry offered by the higher education institution.

The Department assesses applications in accordance with the Guidelines and eligible masters courses are submitted to the Minister for Tertiary Education for consideration.

• Approved masters courses are listed in Schedule 3 of the Student Assistance (Education Institutions and Courses) Determination (the Determination) ( PDF 249KB | RTF 1.3MB)

Students who have queries about masters courses and their income support entitlements should contact Centrelink on 13 2490 for further information.

• Guidelines for the approval of masters courses for student income support payments (September 2010) ( PDF 697KB | RTF 9.17MB)
• Application forms for the approval of masters courses for student income support payments 
  ( PDF 146KB | RTF 9.1MB)
• Change of course code form (institutions should use this form if the course code for an approved masters course has changed) ( PDF 335KB | RTF 72KB)