Assessing eligibility for Away from Home entitlements for ABSTUDY customers 010-02060070

Away from Home criteria

Documentation

Reasonable travelling time

The customer must provide a statement which details the time taken in walking, waiting and changing transport. They must also include one of the following:

• a travel schedule showing travel routes and timetables between the permanent home and appropriate education provider or work location
• a statement from the contractor responsible for transport services, advising of travel routes and timetables between the permanent home and the appropriate education provider or work location
• a statement from school authorities providing details of transport between the permanent home and the nearest government school

Reasonable Access

The customer must provide one of the following:

• a statement from the local Council, describing:
• access conditions between the permanent home and the appropriate education provider or place of work
• the number of occasions where access was unavailable, and
• why access was unavailable during the previous academic year
• a statement from relevant authorities:
• confirming the circumstances, and
• giving details of transport between the permanent home and appropriate education provider or place of work

Reasonable travel distance

The customer must provide all of the following:

• a statement from the contractor responsible for providing transport services between the permanent home and the nearest appropriate government school, advising of:
• travel routes, and
• timetables
• a statement from school authorities advising details of transport between the permanent home location and the nearest appropriate government school

Home conditions

A customer/applicant may be approved on the basis of home conditions if:

• written supporting documentation and/or verification from an independent third party is provided detailing the customer's home or community's circumstances that affect the student's educational progress in the home. An independent third party can include:
• an independent authority (as identified in Step 7) who has firsthand knowledge of the home circumstances of an individual customer determines that a criterion for approval has been met, or
• a Service Officer or Indigenous Service Officer interviews the customer or applicant and assesses that, on the basis of the evidence available, a criterion for approval has been met
• the community's circumstances are such that the entire community is adversely affected, and therefore it is reasonable to determine an Away from Home criterion has been met for all community residents

A statement from the customer's parent or guardian detailing the home circumstances and how it affects the customer's educational progress or ability to work may also be provided, however this is not necessary to support the claim.

Itinerant family

The customer must provide all of the following:

• payslips, letter from employer or group certificates, and
• a letter from their employer to confirm their occupation requires them to spend at least 40 weeknights during the calendar year travelling long distances, or
• a letter from their employer to confirm their occupation involves frequent, lengthy travel and they are not normally resident at a fixed location during the school week

The parent/guardian must receive remuneration for the occupation that they are moving around for.

Racial discrimination

The customer must provide all of the following:

• specific required documentation in the form of:
• a written statement from the applicant, or
• a statement of circumstances obtained from the interview of the student or applicant by an authorised officer
• one or more supporting statements from the local:
• Education Consultative Body (IECB)
• Parental and Community Engagement Program (PaCE)
• school authority, or
• an incorporated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisation

Detailing the circumstances of the claim and that everything possible has been undertaken locally to resolve the situation, but has proved unsuccessful

Note: approval should not be made without consultation with a relevant Indigenous education authority or organisation.

Special Facilities

The customer must provide documentation supporting required access to special facilities that help manage or overcome a disability or health-related condition. It may include a letter from the:

• special facility outlining support to manage/overcome the disability or health-related condition in conjunction with the student's time at school
• education institution advising on facilities available to manage/overcome the disability or health-related condition
• special education institution that indicates that a professional assessment has been made of the student's physical, emotional or psychological requirements

Boarding at a special education institution

The customer must provide one of the following:

• A letter of acceptance at the special education institution that indicates that a professional assessment has been made of the student's physical, emotional or psychological requirements
• Statement from the special assistance school advising they primarily cater for students with social, emotional or behavioural difficulties
• Statement from the special school advising they provide education under special programs, or special activities, designed specifically for students with disabilities

Boarding School scholarship granted on or after 1 January 2019

First year of the grant of a Boarding School scholarship granted on or after 1 January 2019

The student must provide a statement from the school which confirms the following requirements:

• the date of grant of the scholarship
• the financial contribution amount from the school towards the scholarship

Second or subsequent year

The school will confirm the ongoing grant of the scholarship, and the school will make a financial contribution towards the scholarship of the same financial requirement under which it was initially approved (either the Boarding School Scholarship Approval Threshold amount or 25% contribution requirement).

Grandfathered IBS scholarship holder recommencing study after a break

To approve a student to recommence study as a grandfathered IBS scholarship holder, the school must confirm the on-going grant of the scholarship, and that the scholarship continues to meet the criteria under which the IBS scholarship was approved, except for the requirement to meet the Indigenous Education Consultative Board criteria.

Third Party Indigenous Scholarship

First year of the grant of a Third Party Indigenous Scholarship

The student must provide a letter from the school or scholarship provider stating the type of scholarship or programme the student is participating in, and that it has been granted to the student (this includes students who change schools but retain the same qualifying scholarship).

Second or subsequent year

The student is not required to continue to provide proof of receipt of a Third Party Indigenous Scholarship.

Transition School Scholarship

Students enrolled at Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) are in receipt of a Transition School Scholarship. No verification is required. Students transitioning from MITS to a partner school will require confirmation from MITS of the placement at the partner school for the first year of the placement only.

Compulsory residence

The customer must provide one of the following:

• a publication of the education institution (e.g. Faculty handbook, course description in the education institution calendar)
• a letter from an appropriate member of the institution stating that compulsory residence is a requirement for all students in the course or at a particular stage of the course

Scenario

Reasonable travelling distance

Rule 1

Tim's permanent home is at Cue. The nearest government school offering year 11 is at Mount Magnet, 65km away. A school bus runs every morning and afternoon directly along the highway between the 2 towns. This journey takes 60 minutes.

Tim would not meet the 90 minutes travelling time provision, but his permanent home is at least 56km by the shortest practicable route to the nearest government school offering an appropriate level of schooling.

Tim is eligible for the Away from Home rate of payment.

Rule 1 (variation)

Guy lives at Indigan and the nearest appropriate government school is 40km away in Purdon. No public transport exists between Indigan and Purdon.

Guy is eligible for the Away from Home rate because Guy's permanent home is more than 16 km from the nearest school and public transport is unavailable.

Rule 1 (variation)

Jason's permanent home is at Parry Springs and the nearest appropriate government school is 54km away at Lara Creek. The daily bus service has a pick-up point 3km from Jason's home. The distance from the pick-up point to the school is 55km. The distance from Jason's permanent home to the school is not greater than 56km.

However, the combination of the distance from home to the transport pick-up point (3km) and from the transport pick-up point to the school (54km) is at least 56km.

Jason is eligible for the Away from Home rate based on reasonable travelling distance.

Rule 2

Susan's permanent home is 21km from the nearest government school offering an appropriate level of study. The daily bus service has a pick-up point 5km from Susan's home. Susan is driven to the gate on their pastoral property to catch the bus that stops to collect Susan. The distance from Susan's permanent home to the school is at least 16km, and the distance from home to the transport pick-up point is at least 4.5km.

Susan is eligible for the Away from Home rate.

Rule 2 (variation)

Dave's permanent home is located 11km via the shortest practicable route from the nearest government school offering an appropriate level of study. The bus service drops students at the school. The route to school is not direct from Dave's home.

The transport pick-up point is 5km from Dave's home and the pick-up point to the school is a further 12km. Therefore, the distance from Dave's permanent home to the school is less than 16km.

However, the combination of the following equates to at least 16km:

• the distance from home to the transport pick-up point is at least 4.5km
• the combination of the distance from home to the transport pick-up point (5km), and
• pick-up point to the school (12km)

Dave is eligible for the Away from Home rate.

Scenario

Reasonable travelling time

1

Greg's permanent home is at Plenty located 35km from the university where Greg studies. Greg takes 15 minutes to walk to the bus stop then 20 minutes on the bus to the train station. Greg waits 5 minutes then travels 35 minutes on the train to Flinders Street station. Greg then catches a tram which takes 15 minutes to arrive at the university. The walk from the tram takes 10 minutes to the School of Humanities block for classes.

The travelling time from Greg's home to classes takes 100 minutes which includes all walking, waiting, and travel.

Greg is eligible for the Away from Home rate.

2

Dannie lives at a Station serviced by a school bus for the 25km trip to the closest high school. Dannie's circumstances do not meet the distance requirements for Away from Home rate. However, heavy wet season rainfall regularly washes away sections of the dirt road.

In the preceding 3 years, the local town council confirmed each year, more than 20 days of schooling were inaccessible. This was due to road works to allow access from the Station to town.

Dannie is eligible for the Away from Home rate.

3

George lives in the parental home in Newcastle. George works as an apprentice heavy diesel motor mechanic in a mine at Muswellbrook. It takes George 2 hours' to drive from home. George moves into a flat at Muswellbrook.

George is eligible for the Away from Home rate.

4

Babette lives at the family home in Morawa, and works there as an apprentice hairdresser. Babette is required to attend 4 block release study programs per year in Geraldton for 2 weeks at a time. As Morawa is 2 hours' drive from Geraldton, Babette needs to live away from home during these block releases.

Babette is eligible for the Away from Home rate for the periods living away from home for block release.

5

Wayne lives on Rottnest Island and is enrolled full time at TAFE, 20km from Rottnest Island. A ferry service runs daily on the hour from Rottnest Island to the mainland. This service connects with trains and buses at Fremantle train station for access to Fremantle TAFE.

The ferry service is rarely interrupted by poor weather and takes 30 minutes to the mainland. Wayne has a 10 minute wait to catch a bus to TAFE which takes 12 minutes.

Wayne is not eligible for the away rate because the journey does not take more than 90 minutes, nor is access to the education provider disrupted for 20 days or more in a year.

Scenario

Itinerant family

1

Family has been temporarily residing in the locality in which the eligible student(s) are boarding

If a family temporarily resides in the locality in which any of its eligible students are boarding or spends some time in this locality as part of its regular movements, the following principles apply:

• where it would be reasonable to expect a student to cease boarding and rejoin their family, whether on an extended basis or for short periods on a regular basis, boarding benefits are not payable for those periods
• where the student cannot attend the school except as a boarder, or the school would charge full boarding fees anyway, the student remains eligible for the Away from Home rate

Note: Parents should be advised at the time of assessment of the need to advise the Service Centre if they temporarily reside in a student's locality.

2

Family has moved temporarily for employment

Families who are not normally itinerant but who are temporarily moved in their employment or must move several times in the course of a year to widely scattered localities in search of employment, may apply for the Away from Home rate to enable their children to avoid frequent changes of school.

3

Family has been constantly moving

Where a parent's occupation necessitates constant movement and the family's home environment is in effect 'mobile' (e.g. a railway construction camp) and is constantly changing, the Away from Home rate may be approved if:

• the student boards away from home; and
• for at least half the year, on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, the location of the student's permanent home meets the travel time and access criteria.

Scenario

Continuity of study

1

Change of permanent home

Jillian is undertaking a specialist agricultural studies course 300 kilometres from the family home. The family decides to move permanently to the same town as the college. Jillian can now cease boarding and return to live at home. Jillian then continues the course as a day scholar.

Jillian is no longer eligible for the Away from Home rate because of residing in the family home.

Jillian, however, can retain access to Group 2 School Fee Allowance to continue study in the same course and assist with the costs of the course.

2

Change of permanent home

Janelle's permanent home is at the remote Rawa community. The location of the nearest government school is 165 kilometres away at Newman.

Janelle qualifies for Away from Home rate based on time and distance. Janelle attends year 8 at Como Secondary College in Perth while boarding at a student hostel nearby.

Janelle's parents move permanently from Rawa to Port Hedland in July. The permanent home is now within reasonable travelling time or distance of a government secondary school. One that offers Janelle's year of study.

Janelle continues to board and attend Como Secondary College. Janelle remains eligible for Away from Home rate, Living Allowance and School Fee Allowance until they discontinue study at that institution. This is because it is unreasonable to break continuity of study.

3

Students not previously approved for ABSTUDY Away from Home rate

Mary's parent Denis is a soldier. The Army has told Denis that in 4 months the unit is going to move bases.

Mary would not be able to move with the family and continue attendance at the current school. The State/Territory education authority confirms that it is highly desirable not to break study at this stage of Mary's schooling.

Scenario

Boarding School scholarship

1

Boarding School scholarship offered after 1 January 2019

In January 2019, a college offers a scholarship to Isaac of $5,800 for the 2019 academic year. Because the offer of the scholarship was after 1 January 2019, the new Boarding School scholarship rules apply.

In 2019 the college's total board and tuition charges are $23,000 per annum.

25% of the school's combined board and tuition charges is $5,750, which is less than the minimum Boarding School Scholarship Approval Threshold amount. Therefore the college must contribute at least the minimum Boarding School Scholarship Approval Threshold amount for Isaac to be approved for Away from Home payments.

As the college does not contribute the minimum Boarding School scholarship amount, Isaac is not approved for Away from Home payments based on receipt of an approved Boarding School scholarship.

2

Boarding School scholarship offered after 1 January 2019

In January 2019, a boarding school offers a scholarship to Lennie of $11,000 for the 2019 academic year. Because the offer of the scholarship was after 1 January 2019, the new Boarding School scholarship rules apply.

In 2019 the boarding school's total board and tuition charges are $44,000 per annum.

As 25% of the school's combined board and tuition charges is $11,000 which is greater than the minimum Boarding School Scholarship Approval Threshold amount, the minimum scholarship contribution amount required by Brisbane must be at least $11,000.

As the boarding school contributes at least 25% towards the board and tuition fees, Lennie is approved for Away from Home payments based on receipt of an approved Boarding School scholarship.

3

Boarding School scholarship approval in second and subsequent years - Scholarship contribution dollar value

In February 2019 Alina is approved for Away from Home payments based on receipt of an approved Boarding School Scholarship. The school's total board and tuition charges in 2019 are $24,000 and the school contributed $6,000 to the scholarship.

In 2020, the school's total board and tuition charges are $29,000, they advised that the school would again contribute $6,000 towards Alina's scholarship.

The Boarding School Scholarship cannot be approved for Alina in 2020 because 25% of the school's combined board and tuition charges is $7,250 and the scholarship is only contributing $6,000.

4

Grandfathered IBS scholarship holder discontinues and later recommences and is approved based on exceptional circumstances

Gus was approved for an IBS scholarship in 2017 (prior to the simplification of rules on 1 January 2019). Gus is considered grandfathered and retains eligibility for Away from Home payments based on ongoing receipt of an IBS scholarship.

In September 2019 Gus's mother died. Gus went home for the funeral and completed 6 weeks of cultural obligations within his community. Both Gus and the school agreed that under the circumstances, Gus should not return to school until the start of the 2020 academic year. Gus' Away from Home rate was ceased for term 4 2019 because of discontinuing school for the year.

Gus returned to study at the same school for Term 1 in 2020, and is approved to retain the Away from Home payments based on receipt of a grandfathered IBS scholarship. Gus' discontinuation was due to exceptional circumstances and he recommenced study within 2 years.

5

Independent Boarding School (IBS) scholarship offered before 1 January 2019 rules

A secondary school student may be approved for Away from Home entitlements on the basis of being offered a scholarship by an IBS prior to 1 January 2019 in all of the following circumstances:

• The school must be an approved secondary school offering an approved course of secondary studies
• The boarding arrangement is an integral part of the school
• the school having a socioeconomic status (SES) funding score for Commonwealth General Recurrent Grant of 100 or greater (Schools Assistance Act 2008)
• The scholarship being offered by the school must contribute a minimum of 15% of the total tuition and boarding fees, and
• The local Indigenous Education Consultative Body (IECB), or their nominee, will provide advice on the scholarship's establishment and ongoing guidance, as required. If there is no IECB able to fulfil this role, an independent representative from the local Indigenous community with an education background should be involved. Where an IECB is unable to fulfil this role the Department of Social Services (DSS) must be advised in writing of the reason for this. DSS will forward this advice to Services Australia

Scholarship Name

Funding Providers (if known)

Sporting Chance Programs (SCP) or equivalent programs funded by IAS - often called Academies

Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS)

Clontarf Foundation

National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA)

Singleton High School

Stars Foundation

Wirrpanda Foundation

Koya Aboriginal Corporation

Glass Jar Australia Limited

Department for Education and Child Development (SA)

AFL NSW/ACT Commission Ltd

Djarragun College Ltd

Swan Districts Football Club

Commonwealth Regional Scholarship Program scholarships

Madalah Limited

Cape York Institute (CYI)

Australian Government Dept of Education

Indigenous Youth Leadership Programme (IYLP)

Presbyterian Ladies College (Indigenous scholarship program)

The Smith Family (TSF)

Yalari Limited (Yalari) Education Pathways program

Madalah Limited (Madalah) SOAR scholarship (Opportunities, Achievements, Results scholarship)

MADEC Australia (MADEC) Indigenous Young Peoples Program

Townsville Catholic education Office (TCEO)

Cape York Institute (CYI)

Dubbo College Senior campus Maranirra Project

Australian Government Dept of Education OBO AIEF

Wunan Foundation Inc.

The Goodes O'Loughlin Foundation (GO) Limited

Cape York Institutes Academic Leaders - Secondary (ALS)

Cape York Institute (CYI)

Kimberley Education Excellence Program (KEEP)

Wunan Foundation Inc. (Wunan)

Indigenous Youth Development Program

Townsville Catholic Education Office (TCEO)

Roman Catholic Trust Corporation for the Diocese of Townsville

Aboriginal Advancement League's First Nations Scholarship

Lady Gladys Nicholls Hostel

Kajji Foundation Scholarship

Woomera Education Scholarship Trust (WEST)

Northern Territory Government's Indigenous Education Excellence Scholarship

NT Government

Ngurra Jirrama Foundation Scholarship

Moriarty Foundation's John Moriarty Football scholarship

Moriarty Foundation

Higher Expectations Program NT

Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship

Australian Indigenous Education Foundation Scholarship program (AIEF)

Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF)