Sarvenaz Almasi was cut off from the social safety net supporting her study as an Iranian refugee on the day of her university orientation in February.
Her status as a refugee was approved by the Australian government in October 2017, but the loss of benefits upon receiving a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa spelled homelessness and hardship, until she found part-time work with her university.
"I was forced to choose between survival and studying," Ms Almasi told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"And because I chose studying, I had to suffer."
Ms Almasi was joined by representatives from 10 welfare groups at Parliament House on Monday to protest government changes to support for asylum seekers.
They are concerned about the government's gradual tightening of eligibility requirements to the Status Resolution Support Service (SRSS) program.
The program provides a safety net, including payments of less than $35 a day and casework support, for those awaiting news on their immigration status.
"If the government goes ahead with this, they do so knowing that people will be made destitute," Australian Council of Social Service chief Cassandra Goldie said.
The groups will meet with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to lobby on behalf of the more than 13,000 people at risk of losing support.
They claimed the government had indicated the numbers of those receiving the benefits could be reduced to as few as 5000, mostly in metropolitan Australia.
Eligibility requirements for the program have gradually tightened since last year, with the government flagging further changes in coming months.
On the front lawns of Parliament House, advocates and those in the firing line of the changes built a cardboard house to drive home the risk of homelessness.
But the government argues it already maintains a generous policy agenda.
"(The agenda is) making sure whether those in need are looked after whether they be new immigrants or Australians who have been here for multiple generations," Liberal MP Ted O'Brien said.
Labor MP Cathy O'Toole said people seeking to establish lives in Australia deserved support that was "fair and decent."
Mr Dutton was contacted for comment.
