Austudy vs ABSTUDY and JobSeeker
Austudy is one of three payments people often confuse, because all three are paid through Centrelink and all three are means tested. The difference is purpose: Austudy supports mature students and apprentices, ABSTUDY supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and apprentices, and JobSeeker supports people looking for work or temporarily unable to work. You can generally only receive one primary income support payment at a time, so choosing correctly matters.
At a glance
| Payment | Who it is for | Key difference from Austudy |
|---|---|---|
| Austudy | Full-time students and Australian Apprentices aged 25 and over | The baseline for mature students; no parental test |
| ABSTUDY | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and apprentices | Additional allowances for study costs, travel, and boarding that Austudy does not include in the same form |
| JobSeeker Payment | People aged 22 and over looking for work or unable to work | An activity test based on job search and mutual obligations, not full-time study |
Austudy vs ABSTUDY
ABSTUDY is available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and apprentices, including younger students who would otherwise receive Youth Allowance and mature students who would otherwise receive Austudy. Its structure includes a Living Allowance plus additional components such as school fees allowance, incidentals, and travel and boarding help for students who must live away from home to study. If you are eligible for ABSTUDY, compare the total package, not just the headline living allowance rate, before choosing — the extras can make ABSTUDY the better fit even where the basic rates look similar. You cannot receive both ABSTUDY Living Allowance and Austudy for the same study.
Austudy vs JobSeeker
JobSeeker is for people who are looking for work, or who are temporarily unable to work or study, and its activity test is built around job search, appointments, and mutual obligation requirements. Full-time study does not generally satisfy the JobSeeker activity test, which is why students need Austudy or Youth Allowance rather than JobSeeker while they study. The boundary runs both ways: when you finish your course and start looking for work, you may transfer from Austudy to JobSeeker, and the timing of that transfer should be planned before your final semester ends so there is no payment gap. Note also that the income tests differ — JobSeeker's personal free area and taper are not the same as Austudy's $539 free area — so do not carry figures from one payment across to the other.
Choosing the right payment
Ask three questions in order. First, what are you doing: studying full time, training as an apprentice, or looking for work? Second, how old are you: under 25 points to Youth Allowance, 25 or over points to Austudy, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students should also check ABSTUDY. Third, what is your history: have you been on another payment long term, are you a single parent, or do you have a disability or caring role that changes the activity test? Answer those three, and the right payment usually identifies itself. If two payments both seem to fit, ask Services Australia to compare them for your exact circumstances before you claim — a wrong first claim costs weeks, while a question costs minutes.
Sources: Services Australia, Austudy pages (income tests for Austudy; assets test for allowances); Department of Social Services, Guide to Social Policy Law (Austudy current rates, last reviewed 2 January 2026).