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Students

The Budget has provided funding to reform student income support. The following measures have been announced in the 2009-10 Budget and are subject to the passage of legislation:

• aligning the Parental Income Test for Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, and Assistance for Isolated Children with Family Tax Benefit
• reducing the Age of Independence for Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY from 25 years to 22 years
• tightening the rules that allow a Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY customer to be assessed as independent by demonstrating that they have supported themselves through paid employment
• raising the personal income test threshold for students from the current $236 to $400 per fortnight
• extending student income support to all coursework masters programs
• providing a Student Start-Up Scholarship to all university students receiving student income support
• providing a relocation scholarship to Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY students who need to live away from home.

To find out more, visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website.

More information

• Commonwealth Budget 2009-10
• Proposed changes to Youth Allowance