Student Loan living costs
If you need help to pay for day-to-day living expenses, you may be able to get a weekly payment of living costs.
Living costs are part of a Student Loan so you'll need to pay them back.
The Student Loan living costs is similar to the Student Allowance but you have to pay it back. You don't have to pay back the Student Allowance but you need to meet the criteria
Who can get it
You can get a Student Loan for living costs if you're:
- studying full-time
- under 55
You also need to meet the criteria for a Student Loan.
What you can get
You can get up to $316.39 a week for living costs but you don't have to borrow the full amount.
When you apply for living costs you can choose to get the Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment on 1 April each year. If you choose this your living costs will be automatically increased to reflect any increases in the consumer price index.
The living costs is a weekly payment. It won't cover any lump sum (for example a deposit) payments to your hostel or hall of residence.
Getting a Student Allowance
If your Student Allowance is more than the maximum amount of living costs ($316.39), you can't get living costs as well.
If your Student Allowance is less than $316.39, you can get living costs as well, but your total cannot be more than $316.39.
For example:
- Your Student Allowance is $100. You can get up to $216.39 for living costs.
- Your Student Allowance is $200. You can get up to $116.39 for living costs.
How to apply
Apply online for a Student Loan (if you haven't already) and enter the amount of living costs you want each week.
If you've already applied for a Student Loan, you can change your living costs online, in MyStudyLink.
Payments
We pay your living costs to you as long as:
- you qualify for living costs
- you've nominated living costs, and
- your Student Loan application is approved.
When you get paid depends on when you nominate them.
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