1.1.A.210 Approved course of education or study (YA (full-time student), Austudy, PES)

Definition

For the purposes of YA (full-time student), Austudy and PES, an approved course of education or study is one approved by the Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations who has the authority to approve courses and institutions. To exercise this power the Minister issues an instrument called the 'Ministerial Determination of Education Institutions and Courses'.

The courses set out in the Determination are:

• secondary courses including an accredited secondary course through a secondary school or TAFE institution, higher education institution or special school and ESL courses, Stream 2000 courses or preparatory courses for tertiary education,
• tertiary courses including Stream 3000 and 4000 courses,
• Open Learning (1.1.O.20) courses,
• Certificate courses,
• Advanced Certificate courses,
• Bachelor Degree courses,
• Graduate Certificate courses,
• Graduate Certificate Diplomas or Degrees,
• Master qualifying courses, or
• Approved Masters by coursework programs.

Note: A course at Masters or Doctorate level offered by a higher education institution, whether it forms a part or the whole of an integrated undergraduate/Master or Doctorate level course, is not an approved tertiary course for student income support purposes unless the course is specified in Schedule 3 of the Determination.

There is NO minimum duration for a course to be approved, but the length of a course may influence the date from which a young person is considered to be a full-time student.

If a young person is undertaking a course which is not approved under the Ministerial Determination, they will not be considered to be a full-time student for YA purposes, nor undertaking qualifying study for Austudy or PES purposes.

Act reference: SSAct section 541B Undertaking full-time study, section 569B Approved course of education or study, section 1061PC Approved course of education or study

_______________________________________________________

Last reviewed: 2 March 2009