Determining the entitlement start date for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) 106-05010130

To determine the start date for AIC, gather the following:

• the term entitlement periods
• relevant academic/course start date
• date the student commenced study, boarding, living away (as relevant)

Go to Step 2.

Students who are short-term boarders have an entitlement start date of the date they begin boarding.

Is the student a short-term boarder?

• Yes, the entitlement start date is the date they begin boarding. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

Has the previous applicant passed away?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, for students undertaking:
  • study at an institution without a defined academic calendar offering flexible study (for example TAFE Online) or studying a short course (6 weeks or less), go to Step 5
  • all other study, go to Step 6

If the previous applicant has passed away, the entitlement start date for the new applicant will vary depending on:

• when the last payment was issued, and
• the previous applicant's date of death

If the last payment was issued:

• before the applicant's date of death, the entitlement start date is DPT + 1
• after the applicant's date of death, the entitlement start date is the first day of the entitlement period

Procedure ends here.

For institutions without a defined academic calendar offering flexible study, the entitlement start date is the date the student commenced the course.

For students undertaking short courses (6 weeks or less), the entitlement start date is the course start date.

Procedure ends here.

A student needs to:

• commence study no later than the 14th day from the commencement of the school year/academic year, and
• meet the AIC eligibility criteria on 1 January, and
• be living at the board or second home location no later than the 14th day from the commencement of the school year

Does the student meet these criteria?

• Yes, the entitlement start date is 1 January. Procedure ends here
• No, for students undertaking:
  • primary or secondary level study, go to Step 7
  • tertiary level study, go to Step 8

Students must:

• commence study no later than the 14th day from the start of the relevant term, and
• meet the AIC eligibility criteria on the first day of the relevant term, and
• be living at the boarding or second home no later than the 14th day from the commencement of the relevant term

See the Resources page for examples.

Does the student meet all these criteria?

• Yes, the entitlement start date is the first day of the relevant term entitlement period. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 9

The course start date must be no later than 14 days from the start of the relevant term entitlement period and the student must:

• commence study no more than 14 days after the course starts, and
• meet the AIC eligibility criteria on the first day of the course, and
• be living at the boarding or second home no later than the 14th day from the course start date

See the Resources page for examples.

Does the course and student meet all the above criteria?

• Yes, the entitlement start date is the first day of the relevant term entitlement period. Procedure ends here
• No, and the only criteria not met was:
  • the student commenced study more than 14 days after the course started. Go to Step 9
  • anything else, the entitlement start date is the course start date. Procedure ends here

The start date for AIC can be backdated if the student was:

• prevented from starting on time due to circumstances beyond their control, and
• they started as soon as those circumstances ended

Did the student commence late due to due to circumstances beyond their control?

• Yes, the entitlement start date is the first day of the relevant term entitlement period. Procedure ends here
• No, for:
  • primary and secondary studies, go to Step 10
  • tertiary courses, the entitlement start date is the date the student commenced in the course. Procedure ends here

Sometimes, term entitlement periods and state/territory school term dates do not match.

Did the student commence late in a school term or during school holidays, but the entitlement start date is in the next term entitlement period?

• Yes, and the student will:
  • not be eligible for AIC in the next term, go to Step 11
  • remain eligible for AIC in the next term and begins the next school term within 14 days of the relevant state/territory school term, the start date is the start of the next term entitlement period. See the Resources page for an example. Procedure ends here
• No, and the student:
  • commenced during school holidays, go to Step 11
  • otherwise, go to Step 12

When the student's start date falls in the school holidays between school terms:

• 1 and 2, the AIC start date is 1 April
• 2 and 3, the AIC start date is 1 July
• 3 and 4, the AIC start date is 1 October
• 4 and 1, if the student will:
  • not be eligible for AIC in the next term, go to Step 12
  • remain eligible for AIC in the next term and begins the next school term within 14 days of the relevant state/territory school term, the start date is the start of the next term entitlement period

Procedure ends here.

The entitlement start date is the later of the date:

• all eligibility criteria are met
• the student commenced study, or
• the student began to live at the boarding or second home location

Procedure ends here.