Proposed eligibility changes to Jobseeker Support Student Hardship
14 May 2026.
There are proposed changes taking effect from 2 November 2026 that will affect whether 18- and 19-year-olds can get Jobseeker Support Student Hardship or the equivalent Emergency Benefit.
These are proposed changes at this stage. They are subject to a passing of the Bill.
The Parental Assistance Test is different from the parental income test or the independent circumstances allowance application a student may complete when they receive Student Allowance.
Young people will be able to get Jobseeker Support Student Hardship or the equivalent Emergency Benefit if, along with the usual criteria, they can meet the criteria of a Parental Assistance Test. For this they would need to prove:
- they cannot reasonably be expected to rely on their parents for support – this could be for a reason such as a parent being in long-term hospital care, in prison or a family breakdown, and/or
- their parents combined total income (before tax) is at or below the $67,225 income limit.
These proposed changes generally mean parents are expected to support their young person.
Who would need to do the test
From 2 November 2026, young people aged 18 or 19 and a small number of 16- and 17-year-olds will need to do a Parental Assistance Test to be eligible for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship or the equivalent Emergency Benefit. Partners aged under 20 will also need to prove they meet the test criteria.
If young people have dependent children or are getting Foster Care Allowance for a child in their care, they won't have to do a Parental Assistance Test.
Current 18- and 19-year-olds already getting payments from us
Our clients currently getting Jobseeker Support Student Hardship or equivalent Emergency Benefit will continue getting their payments until the end of their study break.
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