How much is Youth Allowance for students per fortnight?

There is no single rate. It depends on your age, whether you live at home or away from home, and whether you have a partner or children. For example, a single student aged 18 or over living away from home can get up to {{rate:youth-allowance-student:18-plus-away:total}} a fortnight. The table at the top of this page shows every situation. Your payment can be lower after the income test and, if you are under 22 and dependent, the parental means test.

What is the student Income Bank?

The Income Bank lets students store unused income free area as a credit. When you later earn more than the free area, you can draw on the credit so less of your income counts. It is designed to help students who work more during holidays keep more of their payment. Services Australia tracks your Income Bank balance.

When does Youth Allowance go up next?

Youth Allowance for students is indexed once a year, on 1 January. The next increase is on {{date:nextIndexation:youth-allowance-student}}. New rates are published just before that date, and this page updates to match.

Does my parents' income affect my Youth Allowance?

If you are under 22 and treated as dependent, yes. A parental means test reduces your payment once your parents' combined income passes a yearly threshold. If you are assessed as independent, it does not apply. See our parental means test page for more.

Is Youth Allowance for students taxable?

Yes, Youth Allowance is taxable income and goes in your tax return. Whether you actually pay tax depends on your total income for the year. Many students earn under the tax-free threshold and pay no tax, but check your own situation with the Australian Taxation Office.

Youth Allowance (students and apprentices) rates 2026

Youth Allowance (students and apprentices) · Under 18, living at home

$418.90/fortnight

Basic rate per fortnight · $10,891.40 ≈ per year (×26 fortnights)

Maximum basic rate: $418.90
Total per fortnight: $418.90

Effective 1 January 2026 · Source: DSS / Services Australia

Youth Allowance for students and apprentices is income support for young people aged 16 to 24 who are studying full time or doing an Australian Apprenticeship. It is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink.

There is no single rate. What you get depends on your age, whether you live at home or away from home, whether you have a partner, and whether you have children. This page shows every rate so you can find the one that fits your situation. The rates change on 1 January 2027.

Every number on this page is taken line by line from the Department of Social Services rates list and checked against the Services Australia payments guide.

Full Youth Allowance (students and apprentices) rate table

Youth Allowance (students and apprentices) — rates per fortnight
Variant	Base rate	Supplements	Total /fortnight	≈ per year (×26)
Under 18, living at home	—	$418.90	$418.90	$10,891.40
Under 18, living away from home	—	$677.20	$677.20	$17,607.20
18 or over, living away from home	—	$677.20	$677.20	$17,607.20
18 or over, living at home	—	$482.40	$482.40	$12,542.40
Single, with children	—	$854.20	$854.20	$22,209.20
Partnered, no children	—	$677.20	$677.20	$17,607.20
Partnered, with children	—	$733.20	$733.20	$19,063.20
Special rate — Single, living at home	—	$567.50	$567.50	$14,755
Special rate — Single, living away from home	—	$799.70	$799.70	$20,792.20
Special rate — Partnered, no children	—	$733.20	$733.20	$19,063.20

Source: DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 January 2026 — Youth Allowance — Maximum basic rate · DSS Social Security Payment Parameters, 1 January 2026 — Youth Allowance — Special rate (long-term unemployed or migrant English students aged 22 or over commencing full-time study)

The table below lists every Youth Allowance rate for students and apprentices. Rates are grouped by age band and living situation, because a student under 18 living at home needs less than a student 18 or over living away from home. There are higher rates for people with a partner or dependent children.

The rate shown is the maximum basic rate. Your actual payment can be lower once the income test, and for many students the parental means test, is applied.

How your circumstances change this payment. Your income can reduce it. See the detail:

Estimate your Youth Allowance (students and apprentices)

Income Bank: students and apprentices build up an Income Bank. Unused fortnightly income limits carry over, so income up to your Income Bank balance may not reduce your payment — this estimate does not include your Income Bank credit. See the Income Bank explainer for details.

Your situation

Your income (per fortnight)

Your own gross income, before tax.

This is an estimate. Services Australia calculates your actual payment.

Estimated Youth Allowance (students and apprentices) payment

$418.90per fortnight

≈ per year (×26 fortnights) $10,891.40

Using the maximum rate including the Energy Supplement: $418.90 (basic rate $418.90).

How this is worked out

Rate basis = $418.90 (incl. Energy Supplement)reduction = 50c × (income between $539.00 and $646.00) + 60c × (income above $646.00)= $0.00payment = max(0, $418.90 − $0.00) = $418.90

Under 22 and dependent? Your parents' income may reduce this payment through the parental means test. This estimate does not include that test — use the official Services Australia estimator for your parental income situation.

What this means

Youth Allowance is paid every two weeks. Your rate is picked from the table by your age, your living situation, your relationship and whether you have children. Living away from home attracts a higher rate than living at home.

Students get an Income Bank. When you earn less than the income free area, the unused part builds up as a credit. You can draw on that credit later to offset income above the free area, which helps students who work more during holidays. Job seekers do not get the Income Bank, so this is one way the student payment is more generous.

For most students under 22 who are treated as dependent, a parental means test applies. Your parents' income above a threshold reduces your payment, separately from your own income test.

Youth Allowance is indexed once a year, on 1 January, by the Consumer Price Index. The next increase is on 1 January 2027, and this page updates to match.

Who can get Youth Allowance (students and apprentices)

Services Australia assesses Youth Allowance for students on your age, your study or apprenticeship load, your residence status, your income, and your parents' income if you are dependent. You generally need to be studying full time in an approved course or doing an Australian Apprenticeship.

Whether you count as independent or dependent decides if the parental means test applies. This page reports the rates and the test rules. For the eligibility rules that apply to your own situation, check the official Youth Allowance page linked at the top and bottom of this page.

Explore Youth Allowance (students and apprentices)

Rates change at indexation. The most recent update is the 1 January 2026 indexation. See the full indexation schedule and payment dates.

Youth Allowance (students and apprentices): common questions

How much is Youth Allowance for students per fortnight?: There is no single rate. It depends on your age, whether you live at home or away from home, and whether you have a partner or children. For example, a single student aged 18 or over living away from home can get up to $677.20 a fortnight. The table at the top of this page shows every situation. Your payment can be lower after the income test and, if you are under 22 and dependent, the parental means test.
What is the student Income Bank?: The Income Bank lets students store unused income free area as a credit. When you later earn more than the free area, you can draw on the credit so less of your income counts. It is designed to help students who work more during holidays keep more of their payment. Services Australia tracks your Income Bank balance.
When does Youth Allowance go up next?: Youth Allowance for students is indexed once a year, on 1 January. The next increase is on 1 January 2027. New rates are published just before that date, and this page updates to match.
Does my parents' income affect my Youth Allowance?: If you are under 22 and treated as dependent, yes. A parental means test reduces your payment once your parents' combined income passes a yearly threshold. If you are assessed as independent, it does not apply. See our parental means test page for more.
Is Youth Allowance for students taxable?: Yes, Youth Allowance is taxable income and goes in your tax return. Whether you actually pay tax depends on your total income for the year. Many students earn under the tax-free threshold and pay no tax, but check your own situation with the Australian Taxation Office.

Estimates and general information only — not financial advice. Check Services Australia for your circumstances.

Rates current as of 1 January 2026. Source: DSS / Services Australia. Last checked 17 July 2026.