Scholarships & Financial Assistance Latest News

Information about Youth Allowance and Scholarships through Centrelink

Students who receive ABSTUDY Living Allowance, Austudy or Youth Allowance will receive a $2 050 start up scholarship ($1 025 for each 6 months of eligible study). Students who move to study may be eligible for an additional relocation scholarship, worth $4 000, in the first year of study, $2 000 for the 2nd and 3rd year, and $1 000 for the fourth or subsequent year.

For further information on the Student Start-up Scholarship and Relocation Scholarship available through Centrelink please visit:

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/start_up_scholarship.htm for some Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY and Austudy customers, and

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/relocation_scholarship.htm for some Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY customers who need to live away from home to study.

You can also go to Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to download fact sheets about the scholarships and other changes that will affect tertiary students. This page also contains a link to an Online Estimator which allows you to estimate or compare payments you may be eligible to receive, based on your current or proposed circumstances from Centrelink.

For complete information about Centrelink income support for students, all students are advised to visit Centrelink information about studying or training available at: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/st_index.htm

Impact of your Scholarship Payment on Taxable Income and Centrelink Benefits

If you are awarded an Equity Merit Scholarship (EMS) you should NOT show your scholarship as assessable income in your tax return:

if you are a full-time student enrolled at university and
the purpose of the scholarship payment provided is principally for educational purposes.

However individual circumstances vary according to study load and employment. It is advised that you contact the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or visit their website. http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/

You can also use the ATO ‘Is your scholarship taxable? Tool' available at http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/34815.htm to assess your individual circumstances.

If you are in receipt of Centrelink benefits you should notify Centrelink of receiving a scholarship.

In most cases this will NOT affect your Centrelink payments. Up to $7,223 of Equity and merit-based scholarships will be exempt from Centrelink personal and partner income tests. This applies to all payments with a personal, partner or parental income test. This means that these scholarships, usually paid by universities to students, will have less of an impact on your fortnightly Centrelink payment.

For further information about the impact of your Equity or merit-based scholarship on your Centrelink payment, visit: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/exempt_equity.htm