Austudy dependence amongst students in Australia BirrellBob DobsonIan R. 2017 Some students' parents appear to be securing government subsidies for their children's education because of their capacity to avoid the means test on Austudy. There is evidence for this in elite private schools and in tertiary institutions. Some wealthy overseas born parents may have an option to manipulate the migration program to obtain HECS places and Austudy for their offspring. Copyright. Monash University and the author/s