Partner engaged in study

Partners with no children or with their youngest child aged 3 years or over, may be a part or full-time student without it affecting their Jobseeker Support if they have been granted an exemption from meeting their work obligations because they:

• were part way through a course of study at the time that the client applied for Jobseeker Support or
• were part way through a course of study when their youngest child reached the age of 3 years

A partner can be considered to be meeting their work obligations if their study timetable allows enough time for job search activity, for example, if the hours of the part-time study are outside of normal working hours.

If a partner starts study and they can no longer meet their work obligations and they do not have an exemption from meeting their work obligations you may need to initiate an obligations failure.

For more information see:

• Work or work preparation obligations
• Obligations failures
• In approved study before subject to work obligations

If a partner is engaged in full time study and does not meet the criteria for an exemption they can apply for a Student Allowance. If they are qualified for a Student Allowance the client can be included in the Student Allowance when:

• they are legally married, in a civil union or de facto relationship and
• both are aged 24 years or more or
• they have a dependent child

Where the client cannot be included, the partner will be regarded as single and will receive the single rate of Student Allowance.

For Jobseeker Support purposes we still regard them as a married, civil union or de facto couple. You will need to charge the student allowance against the married, civil union or de facto rate of Jobseeker Support and pay the client half of the abated benefit.

Because the Jobseeker Support and Student Allowance rules are different in this situation there are particular procedures to follow. There is a flowchart to help you, see:

• Couple under 24 years - partner not granted an exemption in non-approved study

For more information see:

• Work or work preparation obligations
• Obligations failures
• Exemptions
• Student Allowance
• Student Allowance Student with a partner
• Client intends to study full-time