6 Mar 2024

Calls for a universal student allowance: Students gaming the allowance system

From Checkpoint, 4:06 pm on 6 March 2024

Some university students are crying foul over people gaming the student allowance scheme.

Checkpoint has uncovered instances where parents have funnelled money into trusts, so their household income is low enough for their children to be eligible for the student allowance.

Unlike a student loan, the $300 a week allowance doesn't need to be paid back.

To be eligible for it, a student's parents must earn less than $118,000 if they're living away from home, or $128,000 if they're living at home.

Marcail Parkinson, the president of the Victoria University Students Association speaks to Lisa Owen.