Study loads

If your study load changes, you must tell us within 14 days. If you don’t tell us, you may end up having to pay money back.

If your Centrelink online account is linked to myGov, sign in now to tell us about changes.

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You can also use the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.

If you don’t have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account you’ll need to create them.

Full time study

You’re studying full time if you’re doing 75% or more of your course’s full time study load. We work this out using one of the following:

• your Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
• your credit points
• the amount of hours you study.

If you’re not sure what your study load, or education provider’s EFTSL weighting system is, you can do any of the following:

• check the education provider’s website
• check the education provider’s handbook
• contact them and request your confirmation of enrolment.

Example 1 - you’re studying a course based on EFTSL

Your university works out your study load using EFTSL. You can do up to 8 subjects per year, and the EFTSL weighting for each subject is the same.

In this example, 3 subjects in semester 1 and semester 2 equals 0.375 EFTSL for each semester. If you’re doing less than this in either semester, you’re usually part time.

Example 2 - you’re studying a course based on credit points

The place you’re studying at says the total number of credit points for your course is 24 per semester. In this example, you’re studying 3 subjects worth 6 credit points each.

In this example, the 75% study load is 18 credit points per semester. Because you’re completing 18 credit points, you’re full time. If you’re doing less than this you’re part time.

Example 3 - you’re studying a course based on hours

The place you’re studying at says your course is 200 hours in total and the course length is 10 weeks.

In this example, if you’re doing at least 15 hours per week you’re full time. If you’re doing less than this you’re part time.

Allowable time

You can only get Austudy or Youth Allowance as a student for a set amount of time. We call this allowable time.

If your study load is 75% instead of 100% you may run out of allowable time. This means you may not get your student payment for the whole time it takes to finish your course.

Read more about allowable time for Youth Allowance or allowable time for Austudy.

Part time study

You’re studying part time if you’re doing less than 75% of your course’s full time study load.

If you’re under 22 and studying part time, you might get Youth Allowance as a job seeker. You’ll need to have a Job Plan and do some other activities as well.

Reducing your study load

You might change to a lower study load because of any or all of the following:

• you want to drop a subject
• your course changes and you don’t have a choice
• you have a disability
• you’re sick or injured.

You must tell us if your study load goes below 75% by calling the Youth and students line. This usually means we can’t pay you a student payment.

If you drop a subject

If you decide to study less than 75% it means you’re part time. In most cases you can’t get Austudy or Youth Allowance as a student.

If you're unable to study full time

You might not have a choice about reducing your study load. For example, you might:

• have a timetable clash
• fail a subject you need to pass to get into the one you want to do.

Your course provider might:

• cancel one of your subjects
• have no vacancies in one of your subjects
• reduce your study load for academic or vocational reasons.

If your study load goes below 75% you may be able to stay on Youth Allowance or Austudy. This is if it was for any of these reasons and you didn’t have a choice about it.

You’ll need to do both of the following:

• give us a letter from your academic registrar or similar that includes one of the reasons above
• keep a study load of at least 66%.

You may be studying a 66% study load because your education provider recommended that you reduce your study. If they didn’t give a specific reason for this, you can only keep your payments for half the academic year. After this you’ll need a study load of at least 75% to stay on Youth Allowance or Austudy.

If you're an Austudy student living with disability

If you live with substantial physical, psychiatric or intellectual disability, you may not be able to either:

• study full time
• finish in the allowable time.

You may still be eligible for Austudy if you do at least 25% of the full time study load.

You need to give us a medical certificate. This should be from a practitioner who specialises in the area of your disability. It must show you’re unable to study full time.

If you’re sick or injured

You may be eligible for Youth Allowance or Austudy if you can’t study full time temporarily because you’re either:

• sick
• injured.

You’ll need to give us a medical certificate showing why you can’t study full time. You also need to remain enrolled in your course while you’re sick or injured.