New uni students encouraged to get claims early

Australian students planning to start university in 2020 can now lodge their claim for Youth Allowance or Austudy.

Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta MP said the Morrison Government was committed to supporting students through their studies and the earlier they claim the more likely payments will commence by the time their course begins.

“Claiming online is quick and easy,” Mr Vasta said.

“To avoid the last minute rush to access payments at the start of the semester, it’s best to put your claim in as early as possible.

“The claim process has been streamlined, with tailored questions based on the information provided.”

Minister for Government Services Stuart Robert MP said the delivery of government payments had undergone a minor transformation to modernise their services and provide faster access.

“We’ve reduced the number of questions students need to answer when claiming and they now can make changes online instead of coming into a centre or making a phone call,” Minister Robert said.

“We know many students want to access services quickly, at a time and place that suits them which is why we’re working hard to make improvements with this in mind.”

Other improvements include Digital Assistants ‘Sam’ and ‘Oliver’ which are available 24/7 to answer general questions and have helped respond to over 1.4 million queries since 2017.