Jobseeker Support Student Hardship

You have to:

• be 18 or over (if you're 16 or 17 you may still be able to get it - call us to discuss your situation)
• be either:
  • a New Zealand citizen
  • ordinarily resident in New Zealand while:
    • holding a residence class visa
    • you've been living in New Zealand for at least 2 years
• be actively looking for full-time work (at least 30 hours a week), unless you have a health condition, injury or disability
• be registered for work with Student Job Search or Work and Income
• be intending to study full-time within the next 16 weeks
• have no other way to financially support yourself.

It also depends on any income or assets you and your partner have.

Assets don’t include what you need for day to day living, eg your home or your car. They do include money in the bank, or things like a caravan or a second property.

If you are:	Your assets are worth less than
single	$4,300
have a partner or child	$7,464

Not getting Student Allowance

If you didn't get Student Allowance before your break and you can't get one when you go back to study after your break, we'll also look at:

• why you either:
  • didn't get a Student Allowance
  • won't get a Student Allowance for your next lot of study
• your parents' financial situation, if you couldn't get an allowance because their income was too high
• what income you have available to you
• if you can cover your living expenses
• anything else that's relevant.

Obligations

There are also obligations that you and your partner need to meet.

How much you get depends on your situation.

You can still earn income while you're getting this payment. How much is deducted depends on what you earn.

Have MyStudyLink

If you have MyStudyLink you need to:

• login
• select "apply for financial assistance"
• complete a new eligibility test
• submit an application.

Don't have MyStudyLink

If you don't have MyStudyLink, you'll need to:

• set up a RealMe login
• log in to apply online as a first time student
• complete a new eligibility test
• submit an application.

Not getting Student Allowance

If you didn't get Student Allowance before your break, you also need to complete a returning application online in MyStudyLink for a Student Allowance.

If you didn't get Student Allowance before your break and you can't get one after your break, you also need to fill out the Jobseeker Support Student Hardship Additional Hardship form.

If you’re applying for the first time, you’ll need to send us evidence of your:

• date of birth (eg, birth certificate or passport) unless you have a RealMe verified identity
• residency (eg, passport or citizenship papers)
• Inland Revenue number (eg, your IRD card or a letter from Inland Revenue)
• bank account number (eg, an internet print out or a bank statement)
• name change (eg, your marriage certificate or deed poll papers).

These documents must be verified copies and you can upload them in Connect

Once we’ve processed your application, we'll let you know if we need any other documents from you, eg, evidence of your:

• income
• partner’s income
• cash assets.

If you have a partner, they'll need to complete a Jobseeker Support Student Hardship Partner's form.

Usually you receive your first payment in the third week of your break. This can be later if you received holiday or redundancy pay.

This is because you usually have a 1 week stand-down (a period of time where you can't get a benefit payment) and we make payments 1 week in arrears.

Example

Your course finishes this week so:

• you'll get your last payment of Student Allowance or Student Loan living costs next week.
• the following week you won't get any money.
• the week after you'll get your first payment of Jobseeker Support Student Hardship.

If you have a partner or a child and you need help during the week you don't get any money, you may be able to get a Student Allowance Transfer Grant

When your break finishes, you’ll get your last payment a week later (so in the first week of your course).

How payments are made

Jobseeker Support Student Hardship is paid weekly, based on how many days you're entitled to it for that week.

If you have a change in circumstances that affects your entitlement, you may not get a full week's payment.

Example

You've gone overseas for a holiday and return to New Zealand on a Wednesday. Your first payment, which is paid to you the week after, will be for Wednesday-Sunday.

• Your full weekly payment is normally $175.10.
• You're only getting paid for 5 days of the week so you'll get $125.07.
• You'll get your full weekly payment again the following week if nothing else changes.

If you're getting Jobseeker Support Student Hardship and your circumstances change, you need to let us know. If you don't let us know, you may get a debt.