What the approved reasons are

To get Austudy while you’re overseas, you must travel for an approved reason.

Family crisis or medical treatment

You may get Austudy for up to 6 weeks, if you’re travelling outside Australia for one of these approved reasons:

  • to attend an acute family crisis - for example, to visit a family member who is critically ill
  • to get eligible medical treatment that isn’t available in Australia.

Approved study or work

If you’re doing approved study or work outside Australia, you may get payments for the duration of the activity. But all of the following must apply:

  • you are getting Austudy as a student or Australian Apprentice
  • you have already started your approved course or work activity in Australia
  • you submitted your Austudy claim before you left Australia.

Evidence we need

We need evidence that your overseas work or study counts towards your Australian course. If you don’t give us the evidence before you leave Australia, your payment will stop when you depart.

If we’ve stopped your payment, we’ll reassess it if we get your supporting documents within 13 weeks.

If you’re travelling for an approved reason you will need to meet specific criteria for payment. We will assess your payment when you give us evidence. If you’re eligible, we’ll restore your payment and pay you any missing payments.

Students

If you’re a student studying outside Australia, you need to give us a written statement from your Australian educational institution. It must be on their official letterhead and confirm all of the following:

  • your name, date of birth and student ID number
  • the course name and code you’re enrolled in at your Australian institution
  • that you’ll stay enrolled with your Australian institution
  • your study load at your Australian institution while you’re overseas
  • the name of the overseas education institution
  • start and end dates for your overseas study - don’t include overseas vacation periods after you complete your study
  • that your overseas study counts towards your Australian course.

Australian Apprentices

If you’re an Australian Apprentice working or training outside Australia, you need to give us a written statement. This can be from either your:

  • employer
  • State Training Authority.

The statement must be on their official letterhead and confirm all of the following:

  • you’re working or studying outside Australia
  • your overseas work or study counts towards your apprenticeship
  • your Commonwealth Registration Number will remain current.

Defence training

If you’re attending an Australian Defence Force Reserves training camp, you’ll get your payment for the duration of the training.

Evidence we need

You need to give us a written statement from the camp commander or the person in charge. It must show all of the following:

  • camp details
  • duration of the camp including the start and end dates of the camp
  • camp location.
Page last updated: 14 January 2022.
QC 61851