ABSTUDY School Term Allowance 010-02050020

To be eligible for School Term Allowance, the student must be eligible for the Schooling A Award and meet one of the following:

• The applicant or the applicant's partner meet one of the following:
• in receipt of an Income Support Payment (ISP)
• in receipt of Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• in receipt of Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) (formerly, the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS))
• holders of a current Health Care Card (HCC) or a Low Income Health Care Card (LIC), including a HCC issued based on receiving of maximum rate Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A
• in receipt of ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• taken to be receiving their ISP during an employment income nil rate period

or

• The student meets all of the following:
• in State care
• under the minimum school leaving age for their State or Territory
• does not meet the criteria for Away from Home entitlements

or

• The student would, except for reasons of age, qualify for Independent status as:
• an orphan
• a student whose parents cannot exercise parental responsibilities, or
• on the basis that it is Unreasonable to Live at Home (UTLAH)

If the applicant holds a LIC, HCC or Foster Child HCC (FST) and any of the following applies, an ABSTUDY student is not entitled to School Term Allowance:

• for a period after the expiry date on the card
• where an applicant holds a HCC because they receive a social security Mobility Allowance (MOB) or Carer Allowance (CA) (in respect of a disabled child)
• where a FST has been issued to an applicant in respect of another child in their care, that is, not the ABSTUDY student
• if they are not in receipt of an ISP, and hold only a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) or a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

Attendance requirements

For each term the applicant is claiming for, the student must also meet the following criteria:

• For Term 1, the student is enrolled in and attending a secondary school (or equivalent)
• For Terms 2, 3 or 4, the student is enrolled in and attending secondary school (or equivalent). The attendance requirements is for at least 85% of each school term, prior to the term they are claiming for

The qualification requirements for School Term Allowance are assessed against the relevant term entitlement period. Therefore, it is possible a student who loses qualification for School Term Allowance prior to the actual commencement of a school term in a State or Territory, but within the term entitlement period, may still be eligible for payment of the School Term Allowance payment for that term.

ABSTUDY students who are enrolled in study that does not have formal attendance requirements, for example:

• Home Schooling
• Distance Education, or
• Undertaking secondary schooling at a vocational education and training institution

Are considered to have met the 85% attendance requirement where the education authority appropriate to their method of study that is, a state or territory education authority, a distance education provider or vocational education and training provider, certify they have met the requirements of the course for the previous term.

Note: students undertaking Home Schooling in TAS, or WA are required to confirm a current registration in order to meet the 85% attendance requirement for payment of ABSTUDY School Term Allowance in the relevant term.

If parents contact Services Australia with attendance queries, refer them to the child's education provider. The agency has no involvement in individual school policy regarding attendance.

Applicants can claim via:

• the ABSTUDY Claiming Tool or
• complete the Claim form: ABSTUDY Schooling A (SY018)

ABSTUDY School Term Allowance - four instalments

Changes to a student's circumstances throughout a term may affect the rate of School Term Allowance paid in respect of that term. See the Resources page in Processing ABSTUDY School Term Allowance payments for examples.

School Term Allowance is paid each term to the applicant (parent/guardian/carer). There are different school term dates for each State.

The School Term Allowance payment for Term 1 is paid automatically for eligible, enrolled students where a claim has been lodged. Subsequent term payments can be paid after Centrelink receives evidence that attendance of 85% or more has been achieved by the student in the previous school term.

School Term Allowance is not taxable and is not indexed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some students were unable to attend school face to face and transitioned to online study.

As a result of COVID-19, payment of the Term 3 and Term 4 instalments in 2020 were made based on attendance results for Term 1 of 2020, provided the student:

• remained enrolled, and
• continued to meet the Schooling A Award eligibility criteria