Uni Courses Eligible For Austudy, Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY

Most full-time bachelor’s, honours, graduate diplomas, and master’s degrees are eligible for Centrelink student payments like Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY and Austudy. PhDs are not (unless you qualify for ABSTUDY). The course must be studied full-time (usually 3 or 4 subjects a semester), and be an approved course.

If you’re studying at university in Australia and relying on Centrelink support, it’s important to know which degrees and qualifications are eligible for Austudy, Youth Allowance, or ABSTUDY. So here it is. This guide explains exactly what you can claim support for (and what you can’t), in simple terms (and without the Centrelink wait times).

Who These Payments Are For

Before we jump into the course types, here’s a quick refresher on the three main study payments:

• Youth Allowance (Student) – for full-time students aged 24 or under
• Austudy – for full-time students aged 25 and over
• ABSTUDY – for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students (any age)

These are income-tested support payments through Centrelink, designed to help while you study. But they only apply to approved courses—and that’s where things get confusing.

Uni Courses Eligible For Centrelink Payments

Here’s what Centrelink usually will or won’t support:

Type of Study	Eligible (Yes/No)	Notes
Bachelor’s Degree (3–4 years)	✅ Yes	Standard full-time undergrad study.
Honours Year	✅ Yes	Must be full-time and in a recognised honours program.
Graduate Certificate	❌ No	Usually not eligible on its own.
Graduate Diploma	✅ Yes	As long as it’s full-time and approved by Centrelink.
Master’s by Coursework	✅ Yes	Full-time and in an approved field (check with your uni).
Master’s by Research	✅ Yes	Still counts if full-time.
PhD / Doctoral Degree	❌ Austudy / Youth Allowance ✅ ABSTUDY (Indigenous students only)	You can’t claim Austudy or Youth Allowance for PhDs.

Important: The course must also be approved by Centrelink – which your university can confirm for you (keep reading for more on approved courses). Some niche programs may not be on the approved list.

What ‘Full-Time Study’ Actually Means

Centrelink defines full-time study as:

• At least 75% of a full-time study load, or
• Usually 3 or 4 subjects per semester (depending on your degree)

So if your degree requires 8 subjects per year (4 per semester), you need to be doing at least 6 subjects per year to stay eligible. If you drop to part-time, defer, or fail a subject and fall below the required load, your payments can be reduced or stopped. Always talk to student support or Centrelink if your enrolment changes.

Some students with special circumstances (e.g., a disability) may be able to study part-time and still receive payment.

You can read my complete guide on what you need to know BEFORE you start university here.

Honours and Postgraduate Eligibility

Honours is eligible for Centrelink payments, as long as you:

• Are enrolled full-time
• Meet the age and income rules for your specific Centrelink payment
• Are in an approved honours program at a recognised university

This applies even if your honours year is added on after a 3-year degree (which is how most science, business or arts students do it). I personally had to dig through Centrelink’s pages to find this out – so I know how hard it is to get a straight answer!

Want to know if honours is right for you? Read this next.

PhD and Research Degrees

If you’re doing a PhD, the rules change.

• You can’t claim Austudy or Youth Allowance for a PhD
• You can claim ABSTUDY, if you’re an Indigenous student and meet other criteria

Most PhD students in Australia support themselves through research scholarships (like the RTP stipend) or paid research/teaching work through their faculty. These scholarships and stipends (living income payments) are paid for by the federal government. Your application for a scholarship just needs to be accepted. Most students that obtain a Class I honours or a High Distinction in their Masters receive scholarships. Although, many other students do as well.

How to Check If Your Course Is Approved For Centrelink Payments

Courses that you can enrol in and receive ABSTUDY, Austudy or Youth Allowance must be approved by the Department of Education for the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). You don’t need to get a HELP (or HECS) loan for your course, but the course must be on the approved list for these loans to also be approved for Centrelink payments.

You can waste your life trying to find this information online and end up going down a rabbit-hole of government pages – or you can just ask your uni. Your university is called the course ‘provider’ and only they have the secret information you need. They can tell you exactly which courses at their university are eligible or not.

Or to check if your university course is approved for Centrelink you can:

• Ask your university’s scholarships or student services team
• Search the Services Australia course database (it’s a nightmare that will soon lead you to the Study Assist government site, where the search continues….)
• Call Centrelink and ask if your specific course is listed (which we all know takes forever, and usually ends up with the phoneline dropping out after waiting for 2 hours)

Domestic vs International Student Eligibility

Austudy, ABSTUDY, and Youth Allowance are only available to Australian citizens, permanent residents, or eligible New Zealand citizens who meet residency and enrolment requirements.

International students are not eligible for these payments, even if they’re studying full-time at an Australian university. If you’re an international student looking for financial help, you may want to check:

• Your university’s scholarship or bursary options
• Government scholarships through the Australia Awards

Always double-check eligibility on Services Australia or talk to your university’s student services team.

You’re right—thanks for catching that! Here are the last two suggested sections with non-question headings and friendly, helpful language to match the rest of your post.

Helpful Resources and Official Links

These are the best places to check if you’re unsure about your payment, eligibility, or what your course load means:

• Services Australia – Students and Trainees
  (Main hub for student payments)
• Youth Allowance – for students under 25
• Austudy – for students 25 and older
• ABSTUDY – for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
• How Study Load Affects Your Payment
• Research Training Program (for PhD support)