Eligibility for Pensioner Education Supplement
You may be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement if you receive one of these payments:
- Carer Payment (adult)
- Carer Payment (child)
- Disability Support Pension
- Parenting Payment (single)
- Special Benefit (as a single parent)
- Widow Allowance
- Widow B Pension
- Wife Pension (if your partner receives Disability Support Pension)
In some cases, you may keep on receiving Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement if you transferred to Newstart Allowance or Youth Allowance and are continuing in the same course.
Department of Veterans' Affairs payment
You may qualify for Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement if you are receiving one of these payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs:
- Invalidity Service Pension
- Partner Service Pension (if your partner is receiving an Invalidity Service Pension)
- Partner Service Pension in combination with Carer Allowance (from us)
You may also qualify if you have a dependent child and you receive:
- Defence Widow (or Widower) Pension
- Special Rate Disability Pension
- War Widow (or Widower) Pension
- weekly compensation under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act
Other eligibility rules
To be eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement, you must also be:
- studying full time or
- a single parent, a carer, have a substantial disability or be an eligible student receiving Youth Allowance or Newstart Allowance and undertaking approved part-time study (part-time study is at least 25 per cent of a full-time study load), and
- studying a secondary or tertiary approved course, including school and adult secondary courses, undergraduate and graduate courses, some Masters courses, TAFE certificate and diploma courses
Note: Students can receive ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement to undertake approved Masters and Doctorate courses.
Previous study can also affect your eligibility in the following ways:
- Time limits may apply to how long a tertiary or Year 12 secondary student can receive Pensioner Education Supplement. Students who have completed a masters degree or doctorate in Australia (or an equivalent qualification overseas) are not eligible for Pensioner Education Supplement.
- Time limits may apply to how long a tertiary student can receive ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement. Students who have completed a masters degree or doctorate may still be eligible for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement.
In order to meet the residence requirements for Pensioner Education Supplement, you must also be an Australian resident and normally living in Australia. If you are claiming ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement, you must also meet specific eligibility requirements for ABSTUDY.