At 1 April 2017
Introduction
Student Allowance rates are aligned with Jobseeker Support rates. The rates take into account such things as the age of the student and whether they live with their parents.
Rates for students 24 years or over are not subject to the parental income test.
From 1 January 2009 the age threshold for the parental income test was reduced from 25 to 24.
Set out below are Student Allowance weekly rates at 1 April 2017 together with a description of the equivalent Jobseeker Support rate.
Students with a partner in a recognised relationship
For Student Allowance purposes, a recognised relationship is where the student and their partner are both 24 or over, or one or both of them are under 24 and they have a supported child or children. If a relationship is not recognised, the student is treated as being "single" for the purposes of assessing entitlement.
The following couple rates of Student Allowance apply to students in a recognised relationship.
Couple combined weekly income of not more than $428.60 – without supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is not enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and the student is childless | $354.06 | $406.32 |
This (net) rate after "M" tax is deducted is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children. The gross rate is higher than the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children due to the fact that in the benefit system the payment is apportioned between both partners. Therefore the applicable tax calculation is for two "married" individuals. For Student Allowances only one partner receives the payment and is taxed at the single rate. This results in a greater overall amount of tax being calculated for the Student allowance recipient.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course but does not receive, and is not eligible for, a grant, and the student is childless | $212.45 | $237.37 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a single person 25 years of age or over.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student’s spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course and receives a grant, and the student is childless (each) | $177.03 | $197.80 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course but does not receive, although is eligible for, a grant and the student is childless | $177.03 | $197.80 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children.
Couple with a combined weekly income of no more than $428.60 – with supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is not enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and the student has 1 or more supported children | $379.34 | $436.96 |
This (net) rate after "M" tax is deducted is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children. The gross rate is higher than the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children due to the fact that in the benefit system the payment is apportioned between both partners. Therefore the applicable tax calculation is for two "married" individuals. For Student Allowances only one partner receives the payment and is taxed at the single rate. This results in a greater overall amount of tax being calculated for the Student allowance recipient.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course but does not receive, and is not eligible for, a grant, and the student has 1 or more supported children | $329.57 | $376.64 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, that is payable where the partner of the beneficiary isn't eligible for a benefit.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course but does not receive, although is eligible for, a grant and the student has 1 or more supported children | $202.31 | $226.04 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, where the partner of the beneficiary isn't eligible for a benefit.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course and receives a grant, and the student has 1 or more supported children (each) | $189.67 | $211.92 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children.
Couple with a combined weekly income of between $428.60 and $892.72 – without supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is childless and is living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner | $76.76 | $85.77 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children, but is reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowances are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is childless and is not living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner | $114.33 | $127.74 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, without children, but is reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Couple with a combined weekly income of between $428.60 and $892.72 – with supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student's spouse or partner is not enrolled in more than half of a full-time course | $102.03 | $114.00 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but is reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student’s spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and does not receive, or is not eligible for, a grant | $102.03 | $114.00 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and receives a grant (each) | $89.39 | $99.88 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but reduced because of the combined income of the couple. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is not living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student's spouse or partner is not enrolled in more than half of a full-time course | $139.60 | $155.98 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is not living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and does not receive, or is not eligible for, a grant | $139.60 | $155.98 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student has 1 or more supported children, and is not living in the same home as his or her spouse or partner and the student's spouse or partner is enrolled in more than half of a full-time course, and receives a grant (each) | $126.96 | $141.85 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a married, civil union or de facto couple, with children, but reduced because the student has support from their partner. The income thresholds for Student Allowance are higher than those for Jobseeker Support.
Single student without supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is single under 24, childless and living in a parental home | Up to $141.62 | Up to $158.23 |
This rate is subject to the parental income test.
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a single person under the age of 20 living at home.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is single under 24, childless, and not living in a parental home | Up to $177.03 | Up to $197.80 |
This rate is subject to the parental income test.
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for both a single person under the age of 20 living away from home, and a single person 20 - 24 years of age.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
Independent Circumstances Allowance | $177.03 | $197.80 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for both a single person under the age of 20 living away from home, and a single person 20 - 24 years of age.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is single, 24 or older, childless and living in a parental home | $169.94 | $189.88 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a single person 25 years of age or over, but reduced because the student has support from their parents as they are living at home.
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is single, 24 or older, childless and not living in a parental home | $212.45 | $237.37 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a single person 25 years of age or over.
Single student with supported children
Rate description | Net amount after "M" tax rate | Gross amount |
The student is single and has 1 or more supported children | $329.57 | $376.64 |
This rate is equivalent to the Jobseeker Support rate for a sole parent.
Accommodation Benefit – standard rates
Category | Non-taxable rate |
Accommodation benefit | Up to $40 per week (the actual rate varies by region) |
Accommodation benefit, sole parent | Up to $60 per week (the actual rate varies by region) |
A and B Bursary
Category | Non-taxable rate |
"A" bursary | $200 per year |
"B" bursary | $100 per year |
A and B Bursaries were secondary school qualifications awarded to eligible students. To gain a Bursary, students had to achieve an aggregate score of at least 250 from up to five Bursary subjects.
From 2004, A and B Bursaries were replaced by the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and the New Zealand Scholarship. The last A and B Bursary payments were made in 2006.
Current rates
For the current rates see:
