Parents supporting other dependent students
Parents supporting other dependent students
For the purposes of the parental income test, there is a provision that where one or both of the parents of a student, who has applied for a Student Allowance, has more than one dependent student, the parent's combined income is reduced by $7,000 for each additional dependent student.
Definition of dependent student
The additional dependent student must:
be a child of the parent(s) (this includes a step-child or a relationship where the parent has an on-going responsibility for that child's well-being and financial support) and
the student must not be younger than 16 on 31 December in the year prior to the application and not older than 23 on 1 January in the year of the application and
be attending a full-time course at a tertiary provider or secondary school and
- not be studying overseas unless they are undertaking a recognised exchange programme and
- not have been awarded an Independent Circumstances Allowance and
- be financially supported by the parent(s) who must not be receiving an Unsupported Childs Benefit or Orphans Benefit for the student
Note to be attending a full-time course at a tertiary provider or secondary school means they are enrolled, whether or not classes have commenced for the year.
Additional dependent student is no longer a full-time student
If an additional dependent student has a change in circumstances after the parental income adjustment has been made, and they are no longer a full-time student, the parental income adjustment remains at the initially assessed level for the rest of the application period. It does not need to be reassessed.
Separated parents
A parent can include an additional dependent student who is living separately with another parent if the criteria are met.
For more information see:
Legislation
- Interpretation regulation 2(1) Student Allowances Regulations 1998
- Assessment of parental and spousal or partner's income regulation 4(2)(d) Student Allowances Regulations 1998
