ABSTUDY payments and rates 010-02050000

ABSTUDY is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Study Assistance Scheme. It is a Commonwealth payment made on behalf of the Department of Social Services.

Payments are made to assist with increasing access and participation in education and training for Indigenous Australians.

The following payments are available under ABSTUDY for eligible students and Australian Apprentices:

• Additional Assistance - available when experiencing severe financial difficulties
• Additional Incidentals Allowance - assistance for essential tertiary, Masters and Doctorate course costs
• Away from Base assistance - covers the costs of travel, meals and accommodation to participate in compulsory activities away from the home or study location
• Fares Allowance - covers the cost of travel to live away from home to attend study or to participate in an Away from Base activity
• Incidentals Allowance - assistance for study expenses
• Lawful Custody Allowance - assistance for study and course costs while in lawful custody
• Living Allowance - assist in meeting the day-to-day living costs
• Relocation Allowance - assistance with the cost of moving to another location to commence Masters and Doctorate study
• Relocation Scholarship - annual payment to assist with the cost of establishing and maintaining accommodation away from home to attend a higher education course
• Residential Costs Option - an option to help pay residential costs while living away from home to study
• School Fees Allowance Group 1 - an annual payment to assist with school fees when living at home
• School Fees Allowance Group 2 - an annual payment to assist with school fees when living away from home
• School Term Allowance - assistance with school expenses
• Student contributions or Tuition fees for Masters or Doctorate study - assistance to pay student contributions or tuition fees
• Thesis Allowance - help with costs of presenting a thesis or similar course requirement

• Energy Supplement - help with energy costs
• Pension Supplement - help with bills and medicines when of Age Pension age
• Pensioner Education Supplement - help with the ongoing costs associated with study
• Pharmaceutical Allowance (PhA) - help with medicine costs
• Remote Area Allowance (RAA) - payment for customers who live in a remote area
• Rent Assistance (RA) - a regular extra payment for customers pay rent
• Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) - an extra payment for a young person with a disability

Student or Australian Apprentice

ABSTUDY payment rates depend on factors including whether a student or Australian Apprentice is:

• dependent or independent
• living at or away from home
• in state care
• in lawful custody
• a pensioner student
• subject to the personal, partner or parental income and assets tests

Students

Payment rates for students are impacted by the:

• type of course studied
• student status, either full-time or part-time

See Rates and Thresholds for current and historical rates of payment.