I've always heard people jokingly suggest to enrol as a full time student at uni to get a student card but drop out and defer before the deadline to pay any fees or incur a HECS debt in order to can use the student card to get concessional rates on public transport.
Does this actually work? Has anyone ever actually gone through with it?
Don't even think about doing it. Getting caught will ensure you will get a hefty fine and perhaps even disciplinary action. From a financial perspective, there's too much risk for very little gain.
From an ethical perspective, that's just wrong and unfair to those that are studying full time and cannot find paid work at the same time. Concession passes a a government subsidy for transport for those that really need it. If you are not studying, then you should be working and earning your own damn money!
There are ways around this. The university card is issued when you first enrol, but the university can choose not to give you the concession sticker until after the census date.
Once the census date has passed you can no longer pull out of university without risking a fail grade (and no money is returned).
I've heard of people also enrolling in courses and getting Youth Allowance from Centrelink because they are studying, then dropping out the course. Then aswell as free transport, they get paid by Centrelink for a year. My friend was telling me she talked to a lady randomly once that enrolls her son in a new TAFE course each year that he never attends, just so he can get money from Centrelink each fortnight without having to look for a job.
I wouldn't risk it LOL!!