The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

3.8.15.20 Payability of relocation scholarship

Payability

The relocation scholarship is payable if:

  • the person is qualified for and receives at least the minimum basic rate of YA and is studying full-time in an approved scholarship course (1.1.A.218)
  • the person is expected to commence or continue undertaking the course in the period of 35 days immediately after qualification for the relocation scholarship
  • the person is not likely to receive a disqualifying accommodation scholarship (1.1.D.233) in the next 12 months, and
  • the person has not qualified for a relocation or similar scholarship payment in the preceding 12 months. This can be shortened to a period of at least 3 months if such a determination would enable the person to qualify for the relocation scholarship on or near 1 January in a year, provided they do not receive more than 2 relocation scholarships in a period of 2 successive calendar years.

Similar scholarship payments are:

  • ABSTUDY relocation scholarship
  • DVA relocation scholarship payment, and
  • disqualifying accommodation scholarship, provided the person has received the amount or was entitled to it but full entitlement was not received as the scholarship was suspended.

Example: Erika becomes qualified for a relocation scholarship in July 2020 (she has commenced her new course in the second semester of 2020). Erika continues her course in 2021. Ordinarily, Erika would not become qualified for another relocation scholarship payment until July 2021 (i.e. 12 months). However, a decision maker decides to reduce the 12 month period to 8 months to allow Erika to qualify for and receive a relocation scholarship in February 2021, in time for the commencement of the 2021 academic year.

Act reference: SSAct section 592J Qualification for relocation scholarship payment, section 592K Circumstances in which person is not qualified for relocation scholarship payment

Disqualifying accommodation scholarship & relocation scholarship

A student cannot qualify for a relocation scholarship if they are likely to receive a disqualifying accommodation scholarship in the same period.

If a student has received a relocation scholarship on the basis that they were not likely to receive a disqualifying accommodation scholarship in the next 12 months, and they are subsequently made an offer of a disqualifying accommodation scholarship for that period that they intend to accept, then the Secretary may review the original decision and find that the student did not qualify for the relocation scholarship at the qualification time. This would mean the relocation scholarship becomes a debt and is subject to existing debt recovery provisions (see below).

Overpayments

If a student is paid an amount of relocation scholarship to which they were not qualified, or cease to be qualified for, the amount paid will be a recoverable amount and an overpayment may be raised.

Unless exceptional circumstances apply which are beyond the student's control, a student will cease to be qualified for a relocation scholarship if they:

  • do not commence full-time study
  • started the course but are not undertaking the same course, or another approved scholarship course, as a full-time student at the end of 35 days after the course commences, or
  • were undertaking a course but are not undertaking the same course, or another approved scholarship course as a full-time student at the end of 35 days after payment qualification.

Where a person has received a disqualifying accommodation scholarship and a relocation scholarship for the same period, the relocation scholarship would normally be raised as an overpayment, unless the disqualifying accommodation scholarship was paid in error.

Act reference: SSAct section 592J Qualification for relocation scholarship payment, section 592K Circumstances in which person is not qualified for relocation scholarship payment, section 1223ABE Debts in respect of relocation scholarship payments

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