Portability of benefits
Absence from Australia
Payment of benefits whilst overseas. Centrelink calls this: the 'Portability of Payments'
Changes have been introduced in January 2015. This includes the removal of the previous six week period in which a student could receive ongoing payments whilst overseas and not studying.
From 2015 a full-time student may still continue to receive Youth Allowance/Austudy/Abstudy payments if you leave Australia to do approved study at an institution in another country, when those studies count towards your full-time Australian award course. However, benefit payments are for the period of the studies only. Please contact Centrelink well in advance of your planned travel to find out how your payment may be affected - and to enquire if you will need to re-register for Centrelink should you spend any additional or holiday time overseas.
New rulings also apply to students receiving the Disability Support Pension DSP (opens an external page).