How to claim

Complete the following steps to claim Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices. Before you start, check if you can get it.

1: Youth Allowance for students and apprentices – guide to claim

We'll guide you through the claim process.

You can claim Youth Allowance up to 13 weeks before you start full time study or an Australian Apprenticeship.

If you want to claim as independent because you’re turning 22, you can submit your claim up to 13 weeks before your birthday. If you claim early, you can be considered independent as soon as you turn 22.

Before you start, check if you’re eligible.

2: Do you have a Youth Allowance for students and apprentices claim in progress?

Yes: Go to 3 No: Go to 4

3: You can track your claim for Youth Allowance for students and apprentices

You may need to supply supporting documents to progress your claim.

To track your claim you can use either your:

We’ll let you know the result of your claim. We'll send a message to your myGov Inbox.

If you don’t get electronic letters, we’ll send you a letter in the mail.

If you think we’ve made a mistake you can ask us to review our decision.

We can help if you’re in crisis or need special help while we process your claim.

Sign in to myGov

4: Are you claiming Youth Allowance for students and apprentices for yourself?

Yes: Go to 7 No: Go to 5

5: Do you have a Nominee arrangement in place?

To claim on someone else’s behalf you must be authorised.

This includes if you’re claiming for your child.

The person you're claiming for must nominate you to be their Centrelink Correspondence Nominee.

Yes: Go to 7 No: Go to 6

6: Adding a Nominee arrangement

You need to have an arrangement in place to claim on someone else’s behalf.

The person you're claiming for will need to start the process. Read about how to add a Nominee arrangement using your online account.

7: Do you want to claim online?

The easiest way to claim is online.

Yes: Go to 9 No: Go to 8

8: You can claim over the phone

If you can’t claim online, call us on the Youth and Students line.

You don’t need to go to a service centre to make a claim. If you're feeling unwell, or need to isolate yourself at home, please don't visit our service centres.

After you claim by phone: Go to 22

9: Do you have a myGov account?

Yes: Go to 16 No: Go to 10

10: Do you have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)?

If you don’t have one or can’t remember your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), select No.

Yes: Go to 11 No: Go to 13

11: Create a myGov account and link Centrelink to claim

To claim a payment you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. If you don’t have a myGov account, it’s easy to create one.

Follow these steps.

  1. Go to myGov and select Create an account.
  2. Read the Terms of use. If you agree to the terms, select I agree.
  3. Enter your email address, then confirm this address using a code we email to you. Your myGov account must use a unique email address. You can’t use the same email for another myGov account.
  4. Enter your mobile number, if you have one. If you enter a number you’ll get a code sent to it each time you sign in to your myGov account.
  5. Create a password and 3 secret questions and enter answers.
  6. You’ve created your myGov account, select Continue to myGov.

To link Centrelink you’ll need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN).

Go to myGov

Link Centrelink and make your claim: Go to 12

12: Link Centrelink with your CRN and make your claim

To claim a payment you need Centrelink linked to your myGov account. If you have a CRN you can link Centrelink to your myGov account.

Follow these steps to link to Centrelink and make a claim.

  1. In myGov, select Continuefrom the Government support for Coronavirus alert.
  2. Select I have a CRN and follow the prompts to link Centrelink to your myGov account.
  3. Select Centrelink from your linked services.
  4. Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
  5. Select Get Started from the Students, Trainees and Apprentices menu.
  6. Select Youth Allowance for students and trainees.
  7. Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
  8. Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
  9. Review and confirm your claim.

Sign in to myGov

After you claim online: Go to 23

13: Create a myGov account and prove who you are to link to Centrelink

To claim a payment you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. If you don’t have a myGov account, it’s easy to create one.

Follow these steps.

  1. Go to myGov and select Create an account.
  2. Read the Terms of use. If you agree to the terms, select I agree.
  3. Enter your email address, then confirm this address using a code we email to you. Your myGov account must use a unique email address. You can’t use the same email for another myGov account.
  4. Enter your mobile number, if you have one. If you enter a number you’ll get a code sent to it each time you sign in to your myGov account.
  5. Create a password and 3 secret questions and enter answers.
  6. You’ve created your myGov account, select Continue to myGov.

After you prove who you are through myGov by entering some details about you, you’ll get a CRN. We’ll check if you already have a CRN or create one and link Centrelink to your myGov account.

Prove your identity to link Centrelink: Go to 14

14: Prove who you are to link Centrelink

  1. In myGov, select Continue from the Government support for Coronavirus alert.
  2. Select I need a CRN.
  3. Follow the prompts to enter your identity details.
  4. Enter information from your Medicare card.
  5. Enter some personal details and we’ll check them against our records.
  6. We’ll link Centrelink to your myGov account and you’ll then have a Centrelink online account.
  7. You’ll need identity details from one of these documents:
    • current Australian passport
    • Australian birth certificate
    • Australian citizenship certificate
    • Australian visa.

You’ll also need identity details from one of these documents:

You can now start your claim for a payment. Before you can submit your claim, you’ll need to visit a service centre to complete our identity requirements. You’ll need to give us an acceptable photo identity document as well as any other documents we may ask for.

If you can’t prove who you are online to get a CRN, call us on the Youth and students line.

Sign in to myGov

Find out how to claim: Go to 15

15: How to claim after you create your myGov account and link to Centrelink

  • Once you’ve signed into myGov and linked Centrelink, follow these steps:
  • Select Centrelink.
  • Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
  • Select Get started from the Students, Trainees and Apprentices menu.
  • Select Youth Allowance for students and trainees.
  • Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
  • Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
  • Review and confirm your claim.
  • We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents

Sign in to myGov

After you claim online: Go to 23

16: Is your myGov account linked to Centrelink?

You need to link your myGov account to Centrelink to make your claim.

Yes: Go to 20 No: Go to 17

17: Do you have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN)?

If you don’t have one or can’t remember your CRN, select No.
Yes: Go to 21 No: Go to 18

18: Sign in to myGov and prove your identity to link Centrelink

To claim a payment online, you’ll need to do both the following:

  • link Centrelink and your myGov account
  • prove your identity to Centrelink.

You can do both of these with a strong Digital Identity.

myGovID is currently the only Digital Identity provider that provides the strong level Digital Identity required for Centrelink.

Download and use the myGovID app to get a strong level Digital Identity. You’ll need to enter your personal details, details from your identity documents and verify your photo.

Find out how to set up the myGovID app on the myGovID website.

Once you have a strong level Digital Identity, follow these steps to link Centrelink and prove your identity.

Follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to myGov
  2. Select View and link services, then select Centrelink.
  3. Give your consent to share your details with Centrelink.
  4. Select No to Do you have or know your CRN?
  5. Select Get started in the Digital Identity (Recommended) box.
  6. Connect your Digital Identity to myGov.
  7. Enter other details about you.

If you can’t prove your identity online, call us on the Youth and students line.

Sign in to myGov

Find out how to claim: Go to 19

19: Steps to claim after linking Centrelink to your myGov

Once you’ve signed in to myGov and linked Centrelink, follow these steps:

  1. Select Centrelink.
  2. Selec Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
  3. Select Get started from the Students, Trainees and Apprentices category.
  4. Select Youth Allowance for students and trainees.
  5. Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
  6. Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
  7. Review and confirm your claim.

We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.

Sign in to myGov

After you claim online: Go to 23

20: Sign in to myGov and make a claim in Centrelink

If your myGov account is linked to Centrelink, sign in now. Select Apply for Youth Allowance and Austudy to start your claim.

Sign in to myGov

We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you submit supporting documents to submit your claim.

After you claim online: Go to 23

21: Sign in to myGov and link to Centrelink with your CRN to claim

To claim a payment you need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. When you have a CRN we can created an online account for you and link Centrelink to your myGov account.

Follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to myGov.
  2. Select View and link services, then select Centrelink.
  3. Select I have a CRN and follow the prompts to link Centrelink to your myGov account.
  4. Select Centrelink from your linked services to go to your Centrelink online account.
  5. Select Make a claim or view claim status from your homepage.
  6. Select Get Started from the Students, Trainees and Apprentices category.
  7. Select Youth Allowance for students and trainees.
  8. Answer the Eligibility check questions first.
  9. Start your claim and answer the questions about your situation.
  10. Review and confirm your claim.

We’ll tell you if you need to do anything else to complete your claim. We may ask you for supporting documents to submit your claim.

Sign in to myGov

After you claim online: Go to 23

22: After you claim by phone

We'll contact you if we need more details.

We'll send you a letter to let you know your claim outcome. If your claim is successful, we’ll let you know:

  • when you’ll get your first payment
  • how much you’ll get.

To track your claim you can use either your:

If you don’t agree with our decision call us on the Youth and students line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.

23: After you claim online

After you submit your claim online, you’ll get a receipt telling you:

  • the ID number of your claim
  • the date we estimate your claim will be complete.

To track your claim you can use either your:

If you don’t agree with our decision call us on the Youth and students line. If you still don’t agree, you can ask us to review our decision.

Sign in to myGov

Page last updated: 10 January 2023.
QC 43936

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