Youth Allowance and Austudy Calculator — Rates, Eligibility and Income Test
A youth allowance calculation applies the student personal income test to the maximum fortnightly rate: income up to $539 is free, the payment falls 50 cents per dollar from $539 to $646, then by $53.50 plus 60 cents per dollar above $646. On the 1 January 2026 rates, a student living away from home starts at $677.20 a fortnight and reaches $0 at $1,697.17; living at home from 18 the maximum is $482.40, and Austudy (25 and over) pays up to $677.20. Enter your wages to see what you keep.
Student rates from 1 January 2026 · job seeker rates from 20 September 2026 · verified 23 September 2026
How Much Do You Keep When You Work?
How the income test applied
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How to Use This Youth Allowance Estimator
What to enter. Your gross wages per fortnight (before tax), whether you are a student or Australian Apprentice or a job seeker, and whether you live at home or away from home. Those answers set the maximum rate the estimate starts from: $482.40 at home from 18, $677.20 away from home, $677.20 for Austudy (25 and over) and $677.20 for a job seeker of 18 or more living away from home.
How the estimate is produced. The calculator applies the student personal income test to that maximum: nothing comes off the first $539 a fortnight, 50 cents per dollar comes off between $539 and $646, and $53.50 plus 60 cents per dollar comes off above $646, as set out in the Services Australia personal income test.
What it does not model. The parental income test for dependants, which can reduce the payment before your own income is counted. An existing Income Bank balance, which delays the taper in a high-earning fortnight. Rent Assistance, which is paid on top of the rate shown. Partner income, which has its own test.
How it compares with the Services Australia finder. The Payment and Service Finder checks eligibility across every payment from your answers; this page shows the income-test arithmetic for one payment so you can check the fortnightly amount on your statement.
When the figures change. Student rates index on 1 January; the rates here apply from 1 January 2026 and the constants behind the calculator are re-verified at each indexation (last verified 23 September 2026). The output is an estimate, not a statement that you are eligible.
How Much Is Youth Allowance? Rates by Circumstance
Maximum fortnightly rates before any income test. The same rates apply to students, Australian Apprentices and job seekers in the same situation; they index on 1 January (the job seeker principal carer rate on 20 March and 20 September).
| Your circumstances | Students and apprentices | Job seekers | Job seeker cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, no children, under 18, living at a parent's home | $418.90 | $418.90 | $871.34 |
| Single, no children, under 18, living away from home | $677.20 | $677.20 | $1,307.00 |
| Single, no children, 18 or older, living at a parent's home | $482.40 | $482.40 | $978.34 |
| Single, no children, 18 or older, living away from home | $677.20 | $677.20 | $1,307.00 |
| Single, with children | $854.20 | $854.20 | $1,605.67 |
| Couple, no children | $677.20 | $677.20 | $1,307.00 |
| Couple, with children | $733.20 | $733.20 | $1,401.50 |
| Single principal carer exempt from mutual obligations (job seekers) | — | $1,068.20 | $1,978.67 |
Job seeker cut-offs are Services Australia's “maximum income before your payment reduces to $0” figures (the principal carer one includes Pharmaceutical Allowance). Job seekers' payments start reducing once income passes $150 a fortnight — far sooner than the $539 student free area. Students on the long-term income support rate get $567.50 at home or $799.70 away from home (table further down).
Youth Allowance Eligibility
Students and Australian Apprentices
You must be one of the following:
- 18 to 24 and studying full time;
- 16 to 24 and doing a full-time Australian Apprenticeship;
- 16 or 17 and independent, or needing to live away from home to study;
- 16 or 17, studying full time, having completed year 12 or equivalent.
You also need to meet the residence rules and the income and assets tests, and be in an approved course or a full-time apprenticeship. You can stay on Youth Allowance after turning 25 until you finish that course. Full-time secondary students under 18 usually can't get it unless they qualify for the away-from-home rate, meet the independence criteria, or moved straight across from Youth Allowance as a job seeker.
Job seekers
You must be 16 to 21, meet the residence rules and the income test, and either be unemployed and looking for work (part-time or casual work is fine) or be sick or injured and unable to do your usual work or study for a short time. From 22 the equivalent payment is JobSeeker.
Dependent or independent — your parents' income
Services Australia assesses you as dependent or independent. If you're dependent, a parental means test applies as well as your own income test: if your parents or guardians earn too much you can't be paid, and if you're under 18 your parent usually receives the payment. This calculator covers your own income test only — use the Payment Finder for the parental test. If you're 25 or older, the student payment is Austudy, which uses the same personal income test.
The Student Personal Income Test
Austudy and Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices share one personal income test. It is applied to your gross income — before tax, not including child support — when you claim and each fortnight you report.
| Your income per fortnight | Your payment reduces by |
|---|---|
| Up to $539 | Nothing — and you build Income Bank credits |
| $539 to $646 | 50 cents for each dollar over $539 |
| Over $646 | $53.50 plus 60 cents for each dollar over $646 |
Searches still quote a $509 free area — that was the figure before the 1 January 2026 indexation. It is $539 now.
Maximum Rates and Cut-Offs From 1 January 2026
Austudy
| Situation | Maximum per fortnight | Payment reaches $0 at |
|---|---|---|
| Single, no children | $677.20 | $1,697.17 |
| Single, with children | $854.20 | $1,995.84 |
| Partnered, no children | $677.20 | $1,697.17 |
| Partnered, with children | $733.20 | $1,791.67 |
| Single, no children — long-term income support rate | $799.70 | $1,904.00 |
| Partnered, no children — long-term income support rate | $733.20 | $1,791.67 |
Youth Allowance — students and Australian Apprentices
| Situation | Maximum per fortnight | Payment reaches $0 at |
|---|---|---|
| Single, under 18, living at parents' home | $418.90 | $1,261.50 |
| Single, under 18, living away from home | $677.20 | $1,697.17 |
| Single, 18 or older, living at parents' home | $482.40 | $1,368.50 |
| Single or partnered, no children, living away from home | $677.20 | $1,697.17 |
| Single, with children | $854.20 | $1,995.84 |
| Partnered, with children | $733.20 | $1,791.67 |
| Long-term rate, living at home | $567.50 | $1,512.17 |
| Long-term rate, living away from home | $799.70 | $1,904.00 |
Rates are indexed on 1 January. The long-term rate applies after 26 of the last 39 weeks on a non-student income support payment, with no dependent child, starting study or an apprenticeship after turning 22 (21 for Austudy).
Austudy at Different Incomes (Single, No Children)
| Fortnightly wages | Reduction | Austudy | Wages + Austudy |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $0.00 | $677.20 | $677.20 |
| $300 | $0.00 | $677.20 | $977.20 |
| $539 | $0.00 | $677.20 | $1,216.20 |
| $600 | -$30.50 | $646.70 | $1,246.70 |
| $646 | -$53.50 | $623.70 | $1,269.70 |
| $700 | -$85.90 | $591.30 | $1,291.30 |
| $800 | -$145.90 | $531.30 | $1,331.30 |
| $900 | -$205.90 | $471.30 | $1,371.30 |
| $1,000 | -$265.90 | $411.30 | $1,411.30 |
| $1,200 | -$385.90 | $291.30 | $1,491.30 |
| $1,400 | -$505.90 | $171.30 | $1,571.30 |
| $1,600 | -$625.90 | $51.30 | $1,651.30 |
| $1,700 | -$685.90 | $0.00 | $1,700.00 |
Income Bank, and the 12-Fortnight Rule
In fortnights when you earn under $539, the unused free area goes into your Income Bank. When a later fortnight is higher — exam-break shifts, a summer job — Services Australia draws on those credits before applying the taper, so the reduction above may not happen straight away. Once the Income Bank is empty the table applies in full. If income holds your payment at $0 for 12 fortnights in a row, the payment is cancelled and you must reapply.
Related Calculators and Guides
- Centrelink income test guide — how the free area, taper and cut-off work for every payment
- JobSeeker payment calculator — what you keep when you work part-time
- Parenting Payment calculator — single and partnered, with the 40c taper for single parents
- Family Tax Benefit calculator — FTB Part A and Part B on your family income
- Rent Assistance calculator — 75c for each dollar of rent over the threshold
- Age Pension income test calculator — with the Work Bonus applied
- Take-home pay calculator — tax on your wages and payment together
- Fortnightly pay calculator — convert your wage to the fortnightly gross Centrelink asks for
How this calculator works▼
- Reduction = 50c × income between $539 and $646 + 60c × income over $646. Payment = maximum rate for the situation minus the reduction, floored at $0.
- Thresholds, rates and cut-offs are read from one constants file verified at Services Australia on 23 September 2026; tests reconcile each published cut-off to its maximum rate.
- Not modelled: Income Bank, parental means test, partner income test, assets test, supplements. Pay Calculator Australia is not Services Australia — use their Payment Finder for a claim estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Austudy and Youth Allowance questions and answers
How much is Youth Allowance a fortnight?
Up to $418.90 if you're under 18 and live at a parent's home, $482.40 if you're 18 or older at home, $677.20 if you live away from home, $854.20 single with children and $733.20 in a couple with children. Student rates apply from 1 January 2026; job seekers get the same rates. Your income, your partner's and (if you're dependent) your parents' can reduce it.
Who is eligible for Youth Allowance?
Students and Australian Apprentices: 18 to 24 and studying full time, 16 to 24 in a full-time apprenticeship, or 16–17 and independent, needing to live away from home to study, or studying full time after finishing year 12. Job seekers: 16 to 21, and unemployed and looking for work, or temporarily unable to work or study because of illness or injury. Everyone must meet the residence rules and the income and assets tests.
How much can I earn on Youth Allowance as a job seeker?
Your payment starts reducing once your income passes $150 a fortnight. It reaches $0 at $871.34 a fortnight if you're under 18 at home, $978.34 if you're 18 or older at home, and $1,307.00 if you live away from home. Students have a much bigger free area — $539 a fortnight.
Do my parents' incomes affect my Youth Allowance?
Yes, if Services Australia assesses you as dependent — a parental means test then applies alongside your own income test, and your parents' taxable income is reassessed each year. If you're independent, your parents' income doesn't count — for example, Services Australia treats a job seeker as independent once they have lived with a partner for 12 months. This calculator covers your own income only.
How much can I earn on Austudy or Youth Allowance before it reduces?
$539 a fortnight, before tax. Between $539 and $646 the payment reduces by 50 cents per dollar; over $646 it is $53.50 plus 60 cents for each dollar. Income Bank credits, built up in fortnights you earn under $539, are used first.
What is the Austudy income test taper rate?
50 cents in the dollar from $539 to $646 a fortnight, then 60 cents in the dollar above $646. Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices uses the same bands.
How much Austudy do I get if I earn $800 a fortnight?
Single with no children on the $677 rate: the reduction is $145.90 ($53.50 on the first band plus 60 cents on the $154 over $646), leaving $531.30 of Austudy plus your wages.
What is the Austudy cut-off?
$1,697 a fortnight for a single or partnered student with no children, $1,792 for a member of a couple with children and $1,996 for a single with children. The long-term income support rate cuts off at $1,904 single.
What is the maximum Austudy and Youth Allowance rate?
From 1 January 2026: Austudy $677 single or partnered with no children, $854 single with children, $733 partnered with children. Youth Allowance (students) ranges from $419 for a single under 18 living at home to $677 living away from home and $854 single with children. Rates are indexed on 1 January.
What happens if my income keeps the payment at $0?
If the income test reduces your payment to $0 for 12 fortnights in a row, the payment is cancelled and you have to reapply if your income later drops.
Are Austudy and Youth Allowance taxable?
Yes, for students and apprentices 16 or older. Both are taxable Centrelink payments and count with your wages in your tax return; the tax-free threshold usually covers most or all of it, but check with the take-home pay calculator if you also work.
Up to $418.90 if you're under 18 and live at a parent's home, $482.40 if you're 18 or older at home, $677.20 if you live away from home, $854.20 single with children and $733.20 in a couple with children. Student rates apply from 1 January 2026; job seekers get the same rates. Your income, your partner's and (if you're dependent) your parents' can reduce it.
Students and Australian Apprentices: 18 to 24 and studying full time, 16 to 24 in a full-time apprenticeship, or 16–17 and independent, needing to live away from home to study, or studying full time after finishing year 12. Job seekers: 16 to 21, and unemployed and looking for work, or temporarily unable to work or study because of illness or injury. Everyone must meet the residence rules and the income and assets tests.
Your payment starts reducing once your income passes $150 a fortnight. It reaches $0 at $871.34 a fortnight if you're under 18 at home, $978.34 if you're 18 or older at home, and $1,307.00 if you live away from home. Students have a much bigger free area — $539 a fortnight.
Yes, if Services Australia assesses you as dependent — a parental means test then applies alongside your own income test, and your parents' taxable income is reassessed each year. If you're independent, your parents' income doesn't count — for example, Services Australia treats a job seeker as independent once they have lived with a partner for 12 months. This calculator covers your own income only.
$539 a fortnight, before tax. Between $539 and $646 the payment reduces by 50 cents per dollar; over $646 it is $53.50 plus 60 cents for each dollar. Income Bank credits, built up in fortnights you earn under $539, are used first.
50 cents in the dollar from $539 to $646 a fortnight, then 60 cents in the dollar above $646. Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices uses the same bands.
Single with no children on the $677 rate: the reduction is $145.90 ($53.50 on the first band plus 60 cents on the $154 over $646), leaving $531.30 of Austudy plus your wages.
$1,697 a fortnight for a single or partnered student with no children, $1,792 for a member of a couple with children and $1,996 for a single with children. The long-term income support rate cuts off at $1,904 single.
From 1 January 2026: Austudy $677 single or partnered with no children, $854 single with children, $733 partnered with children. Youth Allowance (students) ranges from $419 for a single under 18 living at home to $677 living away from home and $854 single with children. Rates are indexed on 1 January.
If the income test reduces your payment to $0 for 12 fortnights in a row, the payment is cancelled and you have to reapply if your income later drops.
Yes, for students and apprentices 16 or older. Both are taxable Centrelink payments and count with your wages in your tax return; the tax-free threshold usually covers most or all of it, but check with the take-home pay calculator if you also work.
Sources & References
- 1Income tests for Austudy— Services Australia
- 2How much Austudy you can get— Services Australia
- 3Personal income test for Youth Allowance (students and Australian Apprentices)— Services Australia
- 4How much Youth Allowance for students and apprentices you can get— Services Australia
- 5Who can get Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices— Services Australia
- 6How much Youth Allowance for job seekers you can get— Services Australia
- 7Personal income test for Youth Allowance for job seekers— Services Australia
- 8Who can get Youth Allowance for job seekers— Services Australia
Last verified: 23 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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