When payments start

Compulsory course fees

This is paid directly to your education provider.

Course-related costs

• This can be paid 2 weeks before your study starts.
• You'll need to apply/claim for this in MyStudyLink once you've returned your Student Loan contract to us.
• You can usually borrow up to $1,000 a year.
• You don’t need to claim the full amount in one go.
• You can apply for partial payments throughout the year.

Living costs

• The earliest we can pay you is in the second week of your course, unless your application's approved after your course starts
• You’ll get paid weekly.
• You can’t get a benefit from Work and Income for the period you get living costs.

• Student Allowance payments start in the second week of your course.
• If you apply after your course starts, you'll get a back payment to when you submitted your application.
• You’ll get paid weekly.
• You can’t get a benefit from Work and Income for the period you get Student Allowance.
• You’ll still get your Student Allowance payments over your study breaks if your break is 3 weeks or less.
• If you’ve been approved for Accommodation Benefit, this is paid automatically with your Student Allowance.

Any other payments (eg Disability Allowance) start either:

• the week after you apply
• when your costs start
• when you start study, whichever is later.