Think I've worked out how to get the student payment if you're just starting study this year and not yet on youth allowance:
Training and Learning Bonus
The Government's $511 million Training and Learning Bonus provides an up-front, one-off bonus to eligible students to assist with the costs for the 2009 academic year. It also provides a temporary (until June 2010) additional incentive for social security recipients to return to education and training.
The Training and Learning Bonus consists of two categories:
Category 1
- A one-off $950 bonus for recipients of: Youth Allowance (students and apprentices); Austudy; ABSTUDY and related payments
- The one-off bonus will also be available to recipients of Sickness Allowance and Special Benefit (under age pension age).
- If a student attracts the Government's Back to School Bonus they are not eligible for the one-off $950 Learning and Training Bonus.
Category 2
- A temporary supplement (from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2010) to the Education Entry Payment (EdEP) of $950. This is in addition to the existing EdEP payment of $208, which provides assistance with the costs of training courses, for income support recipients who are returning to study.
- A temporary extension (from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2010) of the EdEP to Youth allowance (other); and
- A temporary relaxation (from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2010) of the requirement that recipients must have been receiving social security payments from 12 months to 1 month.
Category 2 is where you would fit in:
Sign up for Youth Allowance now, or anytime between now and 30/6/2010, receive one month of payments, then sign up for the EdEP payment and you should get it. More infor on EdEP here:
How do I Qualify for Education Entry Payment?
You'll actually get more than $950, you'll get 950 + 208 = $1,158, but the $208 is taxable, the $950 isn't though. More info here:
Press Release - $950 One-off Cash Bonus to Support Jobs [03/02/2009]
And see the link at the bottom of that one to the "Fact Sheets" which give all the details.
Of course if Macom has his way.....