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You have to:

• be aged either:
  • 18 or older if you do not have dependant children
  • 20 or older if you have dependant children
  • If you're 16 or 17 you may still be able to get it, call us to discuss your situation
• either:
  • be a New Zealand citizen
  • be a permanent resident, or
  • hold a residence class visa under the Immigration Act 2009
• have lived continuously in New Zealand for at least 2 years since either:
  • becoming a NZ citizen
  • becoming a permanent resident, or
  • getting a residence class visa
• be actively looking for full-time work (at least 30 hours a week), unless you have a health condition, and
• either:
  • have studied full-time before your break and be studying full-time after your break, or
  • be enrolled in a full-time course after your break.

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

You also need to meet the hardship criteria

We'll also look at whether you're in hardship. This means you must:

• have no other way to financially support yourself
• have cash assets less than $4,300 if you're single, or $7,464 if you have a partner or child, and
• have been getting a Student Allowance while studying before your break or can get one after your break.

If you didn't get a Student Allowance before your break and you can't get one after your break, you may still meet the hardship criteria. We'll look at things like why you didn't get a Student Allowance and if you can support yourself in other ways.

Jobseeker Support Student Hardship is paid weekly. How much you get depends on your situation and how much you and your partner (if you have one) earn.

If you get Jobseeker Support Student Hardship over the winter months, you'll also automatically get a Winter Energy Payment.

Step 1 - Register with Student Job Search

You must register with Student Job Search and get a Student Job Search number. You'll need to provide this in your application form.

You can register with them on their website:

Step 2 - Complete Jobseeker Support Student Hardship application form

How you complete the form depends on whether you have MyStudyLink or not.

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 can:

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

Or you can complete a paper application form and either:

• upload it to Connect, or
• post it to us.

Step 3 - You may also need to complete an Additional Hardship form

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

You can get this to us by either:

• uploading it to Connect, or
• posting it to us.

If you've not had any payments from us before, you’ll need to send us evidence of your or your partner’s:

• date of birth (e.g. birth certificate or passport), unless you have a RealMe verified identity
• IRD number – we’ll only need this if we can’t match the number you gave us with Inland Revenue
• residency (e.g. passport or citizenship papers)
• bank account number, e.g. your bank statement, screenshot of your online banking (showing your name, account number and the bank's logo), or deposit slip
• name change (e.g. your marriage certificate or deed poll papers).

You can upload and send your documents online using Connect.

We'll let you know if we need anything else

Once we’ve processed your application, we'll let you know if we need any other documents from you.

This could be evidence of your:

• income
• partner’s income
• cash assets
• partner's cash assets.

If you have a partner

Your partner will 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 $314.72.
• You're only getting paid for 5 days of the week so you'll get $224.80.
• You'll get your full weekly payment again the following week if nothing else changes.

There are things you need to do when you’re getting Jobseeker Support Student Hardship. If you don't do them, your benefit could reduce or stop.

This includes things like looking for full-time work (unless you have a health condition) and telling us about changes to your:

• income
• relationship, and
• living situation.