2. Who is eligible
As new claims cannot be made for income-based jobseeker’s allowance (JSA), students getting income-based JSA will be those who were already on this before starting the course, and who are eligible for income-based JSA as a student (which mainly applies to part-time students). If you cannot claim income-based JSA, you may be able to get universal credit instead (see
Chapter 18).
To qualify for JSA, you must not be excluded as a student, and you must satisfy the basic rules. See below for details of students who are eligible. The basic rules are covered on
here.
Note: the following rules for full-time students and young people in relevant education do
not apply to contribution-based JSA if you are making a new claim for JSA. This is sometimes called ‘new-style’ JSA. You can only get ‘new-style’ contribution-based JSA and study full time if you took time out of your course because of illness or caring responsibilities, you have now recovered or the caring responsibilities have ended, and you are waiting to rejoin your course.
1Reg 45(6) JSA Regs 2013