Written by Karen Bollinger of YBM

Youth Allowance for Students

Who can get it?

You must be one of the following:

• 18 to 24 and studying full time
• 16 to 17, studying full time and either independent or needing to live away from home to study
• 16 to 17, studying full time and have completed year 12 or equivalent
• 16 to 24 and doing a full time Australian Apprenticeship

Who is independent?

• If you are 22 or older
• You have worked full time (average of 30 hours per week) for at least 18 months within any 2 year period.
• Rural and remote students (parental income limit applies) need to have either:
• Earned 75% or more of the National Training Wage Schedule (currently $26,550) in any 14 month period
• Worked at least 15 hours a week for at least 2 years, not including hours worked while still at school.

Parental income limit

Parents combined income can be $160,000 per year.

There is also an extra $10,000 added for each of the eligible siblings.

Eligible siblings are those under 22 years unless:

• They are living away from home and are, or have been, a member of a couple
• They are living away from home and have, or have had, a dependent child
• They are receiving Youth Allowance or Disability Support Pension as an independent person
• They are in state care.

The Parental income can be calculated in any of the following financial years:

• Before you take a gap year
• The year of your gap year
• The year following your gap year.