{"id":"F2020L00088","name":"Social Security (Approved Scholarship Courses) Determination 2020","slug":"social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100634,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2020L00088-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name","content":"#### 1 Name\n\n This instrument is the Social Security (Approved Scholarship Courses) Determination 2020.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Authority","content":"#### 3 Authority\n\n This instrument is made under subsection 592N(1) of the Social Security Act 1991.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Definitions","content":"#### 4 Definitions\n\n> Note: The following expression used in this instrument is defined in section 23 of the Act:\n\n (a) higher education institution.\n In this instrument:\n\n> accelerator program course has the same meaning as in the Higher Education Support Act 2003.\n\n> accredited higher education course means a course that is:\n\n> (a) accredited as a higher education course by TEQSA, or taken to be a course accredited by TEQSA, in relation to the provider for the purposes of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011; or\n\n> (b) if a higher education institution is authorised by a law of the Commonwealth or a law of the State or Territory in which the institution is located to accredit its own higher education courses – a course conducted and accredited as a higher education course by that institution.\n\n> Act means the Social Security Act 1991.\n\n> bridging study for overseas‑trained professionals means the occupation‑related subjects, course, tuition or training program that is necessary for an overseas‑trained professional to complete in order to meet the requirements for entry into their profession in Australia.\n\n> Masters qualifying course means an intermediate course required to be completed before a person commences study for a Masters degree.\n\n> preparatory course means a course offered by a higher education institution that is designed to assist people to gain entry to higher education level courses (including enabling and bridging courses).\n\n> TEQSA means the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.\n\n> VET means vocational education and training.\n\n> VET course has the same meaning that term is given in section 3 of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Approved scholarship courses","content":"#### 6 Approved scholarship courses\n\n For subsection 592N(1) of the Act, an approved scholarship course is a course that is specified in Column 1 of the table below and provided by an education institution specified for that course in Column 2 of that table.\n\n```html\n

Approved scholarship courses

Item

Column 1

Course

Column 2

Education institution

1

Accredited higher education course

Higher education institution

2

Preparatory course

Higher education institution

3

Accelerator program course

Higher education provider within the meaning of the Higher Education Support Act 2003

4

A course that:

(a) includes an accelerator program course; and

(b) includes an undergraduate or postgraduate accredited higher education course at the level of:

(i) associate degree; or

(ii) associate diploma; or

(iii) Bachelor degree; or

(iv) bridging study for overseas‑trained professionals;

(v) postgraduate bachelor degree; or

(vi) Masters qualifying course; or

(vii) any of the following that is not a VET course:

(A) diploma;

(B) advanced diploma;

(C) graduate certificate;

(D) graduate diploma; and

(c) is identified as a combined course in the institution’s handbooks; and

(d) does not include a course accredited at Masters level (other than an approved Masters level course specified in the legislative instrument made under section 5D of the Student Assistance Act 1973)

Higher education provider within the meaning of the Higher Education Support Act 2003

\n```","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument implements subsection 592N(1) by specifying which course categories and provider types qualify as approved scholarship courses. It does not, on its face, expand or narrow the statutory power in s592N(1); it applies definitional criteria and links eligibility to existing accreditation and provider regimes (see ss3, 4 and 6)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑references to multiple statutes and regulators (authority under subsection 592N(1) of the Social Security Act 1991 — see s3; definitions rely on TEQSA, Higher Education Support Act 2003 and the National VET Regulator Act 2011 — see s4).","Multiple defined terms with institution/approval conditions (eg ‘accredited higher education course’, ‘preparatory course’, ‘accelerator program course’, ‘VET course’) increase interpretive steps — see s4.","A table (s6) that ties course categories to types of education institutions rather than listing named providers adds reliance on institutional status rather than specific program identifiers.","Conditional and negative rules in the combined course definition (s6 item 4) — includes accelerator plus specified levels, must be identified as combined in the institution’s handbook, and excludes Masters‑level courses except where another legislative instrument applies — creates multi‑factor eligibility tests.","Administrative burden on decision‑makers to verify accreditation status, handbook identification and whether a course is a VET course (operational compliance and evidence checks referenced across s4 and s6).","Limited material complexity but practical interaction complexity because eligibility depends on up‑to‑date external accreditation and provider status (TEQSA/HE provider definitions) rather than only on the instrument."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument names which courses and providers count as “approved scholarship courses” for the purposes of subsection 592N(1) of the Social Security Act 1991. It sets out definitions (for example accredited higher education, preparatory course, accelerator program and VET course) and a table of qualifying course categories and the kinds of higher‑education providers that supply them. It affects students, education providers and social security administrators who must check whether study qualifies for the social security treatment tied to approved scholarships."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears consistent with its original purpose of specifying approved courses for scholarship purposes under section 592N of the Social Security Act 1991. The inclusion of accelerator programs and combined courses reflects contemporary higher education delivery models rather than scope creep."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple nested definitions requiring cross-referencing to other Acts (Higher Education Support Act 2003, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011, National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011, Student Assistance Act 1973)","Complex conditional logic in Item 4 with 7 sub-levels of nested bullet points (a)-(d), with (b) containing 7 sub-items (i)-(vii), and (vii) containing 4 further sub-items (A)-(D)","Exception-within-exception structure in Item 4(d) excluding Masters-level courses unless approved under a separate legislative instrument","11 defined terms in section 4, several incorporating external statutory definitions","Table-based legislative structure requiring horizontal and vertical reading to match courses with approved providers"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument defines which higher‑education and university courses qualify students for income support (e.g., Youth Allowance, Austudy), clarifying eligibility for courses beyond standard degrees. It affects students applying for Centrelink payments and the universities/providers that must meet accreditation requirements. By explicitly covering accredited degrees, preparatory and accelerator programs, and certain combined course packages, it lets pathway and innovation programs access financial support while protecting quality standards."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020","history":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020/history","analysis":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/social-security-approved-scholarship-courses-determination-2020/documents"}}