How to Apply for Austudy if You Are 25 or Older and Studying Full Time

Who can get Austudy?

Austudy is a Centrelink income support payment for eligible people aged 25 or older who are studying or completing an Australian Apprenticeship.

For students, the central rule is that you must be studying full time in an approved course at an approved education provider. Australian Apprentices must be registered with the Australian Apprenticeships scheme and undertaking a full-time apprenticeship or traineeship.

Austudy is different from Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices, which generally covers younger students and apprentices. Importantly, if you are already receiving Youth Allowance as a student or apprentice when you turn 25, Services Australia says you stay on Youth Allowance until you finish your current course or apprenticeship rather than moving immediately to Austudy.

What counts as full-time study for Austudy?

Services Australia normally considers you a full-time student when you undertake 75% or more of your course's normal full-time study load. The calculation can use EFTSL, credit points or study hours, depending on how your education provider measures the course.

For example, if the provider defines 24 credit points per semester as a full-time load, 18 credit points represents 75% and normally satisfies the full-time study requirement.

There are limited circumstances in which a concessional study load may be accepted, including certain academic or vocational circumstances or disability-related situations. These exceptions have specific evidence and eligibility requirements and should not be assumed simply because you are studying below 75%.

If your study load changes while you receive Austudy, tell Services Australia within 14 days. Dropping below the required load without an applicable concession can affect your entitlement and may result in an overpayment.

Your course and education provider must be approved

Being enrolled is not enough by itself. Services Australia requires Austudy students to undertake an approved course at an approved education provider. Check this before relying on Austudy to support your studies.

If you are entering higher education, Austudy is income support for living expenses and is separate from study-financing arrangements such as HECS-HELP for a Commonwealth Supported Place. Students may also need a Unique Student Identifier (USI) for their study or training arrangements.

Check the residence, income and assets tests before claiming

Age and full-time study do not guarantee Austudy. You must also satisfy the applicable residence, income and assets tests.

Residence rules

On the day you claim, Services Australia says you must be living in Australia, physically in Australia and an Australian resident. To continue receiving Austudy, you must continue living in Australia as an Australian resident. Some recently arrived residents may need to serve a 2-year or 4-year waiting period, although exemptions can apply.

Income test

Services Australia assesses your gross personal income when you claim and when you report income. As verified on 15 September 2026, Austudy starts reducing when personal income exceeds $539 per fortnight. Income Bank credits may help when your income varies between fortnights. If you have a partner, their income can also affect your payment.

The exact cut-off at which Austudy becomes nil depends on your circumstances, so do not use the $539 threshold as an overall eligibility limit. Services Australia applies different reduction and cut-off rules according to your situation.

Assets test

Services Australia also assesses assets owned by you and, where relevant, your partner. As verified on 15 September 2026, the allowance asset cut-off is $333,000 for a single homeowner and $600,000 for a single non-homeowner. For a couple, the combined limits shown by Services Australia are $499,000 for homeowners and $766,000 for non-homeowners. These thresholds are reviewed periodically, so the current figure should be checked when claiming.

You can claim Austudy up to 13 weeks before starting

You do not have to wait until classes begin. Services Australia allows you to claim up to 13 weeks before you start full-time study or an Australian Apprenticeship. Claiming early can give Centrelink more time to assess the application before your course or apprenticeship begins.

What documents should you prepare?

The exact evidence depends on your circumstances, and the online claim tells you which documents are required. Common information and evidence can include:

• your tax file number and bank account details;
• savings, term deposits, mortgage offset and overseas account details;
• payslips, investment information and details of assets including real estate;
• planned and previous course details;
• scholarship details;
• course acceptance notices and academic transcripts;
• proof of enrolment or fee receipts;
• employment, small-business or investment-property income;
• your address and student or campus accommodation details;
• partner details, including relevant citizenship, study, work and income information.

If Centrelink asks for proof of enrolment, Services Australia says the official document from your provider must include your full name, course name and the study period for which you are enrolled. You may also be asked for evidence of your study load.

How to claim Austudy online

The standard online route is through a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. If you have not used Centrelink before, you may need to prove your identity and establish or retrieve a Customer Reference Number (CRN).

1. Sign in to myGov and open Centrelink.
2. Select Make a claim or view claim status, then Make a claim.
3. Under Students, Trainees and Apprentices, select Get started.
4. Select Apply for Youth Allowance and Austudy.
5. Answer the questions about your study or apprenticeship, income, assets, relationships and other circumstances.
6. Upload the documents Centrelink marks as required and submit the claim.

Required documents must be supplied before you can submit the claim. Documents identified as supplementary can generally be supplied within 14 days after submission. Centrelink can also request further evidence while assessing the claim; if it does, provide it promptly because Services Australia states that failure to provide requested information within 14 days may result in the claim being rejected.

How long does an Austudy claim take?

Services Australia says you can expect to hear from them within 42 days of submitting an Austudy claim. When you submit online, your receipt includes a claim ID and an estimated completion date. Busy periods, including the period before semester one, can result in longer processing times.

A claim processing time is separate from any waiting period that applies to you. If the claim succeeds and you have no waiting period, Services Australia says your first Austudy payment is made within 2 weeks after the payment is granted, followed by fortnightly payments.

How much Austudy can you receive?

The amount depends on your circumstances, income and assets. From 1 January 2026, Services Australia lists basic maximum fortnightly rates of $677.20 for a single person with no children, $854.20 for a single person with children, $677.20 for a member of a couple with no children and $733.20 for a member of a couple with children.

These are maximum basic rates, not guaranteed payment amounts. Income and assets can reduce the amount, and some people qualify for different rates, including certain people who were receiving another income support payment long term before starting study.

Common mistakes that can delay or affect your claim

• Assuming age alone qualifies you: students also need approved full-time study and must meet residence, income and assets rules.
• Assuming any course qualifies: both the course and education provider must meet the approved-course rules.
• Confusing Austudy with Youth Allowance: if you are already receiving Youth Allowance when you turn 25, you generally stay on it until the current course or apprenticeship ends.
• Dropping subjects without telling Centrelink: a study-load change must generally be reported within 14 days.
• Leaving documents outstanding: missing required or subsequently requested evidence can delay assessment or cause the claim to be rejected.
• Waiting until study starts to claim: you can lodge an Austudy claim up to 13 weeks beforehand.

What happens after you submit the claim?

Your online receipt gives you a claim ID and an estimated completion date. You can track the claim through Centrelink in myGov or the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Centrelink may contact you for additional evidence while assessing the claim.

Services Australia sends the decision to your myGov Inbox if you receive electronic letters, or by post otherwise. If the claim is approved, the decision explains when your payments start and how much you will receive. If you disagree with the decision, you can contact Services Australia and request a review.