Assessing eligibility for Fares Allowance (FAA) for ABSTUDY 010-02100020

Secondary school students are entitled to one return journey between the permanent home and the study location to coincide with each of the term vacation breaks to a maximum of 3 journeys per academic year.

Check the Course Level field:

• in Process Direct on the Customer Study Details (EDC) screen or
• in Customer First on the Education Course Details (EDC) screen

Is the student undertaking study at secondary school level?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 6

School vacation travel can only be accessed after the student has commenced study in the course for the year.

Check these details on the students record

Where they are boarding:

• Go to the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen
• Check the Boarding School/Hostel Action field. If:
• AHO or ASC are recorded, the student is boarding at a hostel that is a signatory to the ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement or, a school, including an approved ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement
• NPB is recorded, the student is boarding privately
• the field is blank, the student is boarding at a hostel that is not a signatory to the ABSTUDY Standard Hostels Agreement

For a student boarding:

• at a hostel that is a signatory to the ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement or, a school, including an approved ABSTUDY Homestay arrangement, and the request is being assessed:
• before the third Friday of the first term, review previous travel. If the student has undertaken start of year travel, this can be used as confirmation that the student has commenced. If start of year travel has not been undertaken or there is no evidence that the student has commenced, an outbound call must be made to the education/board provider to confirm that the student has commenced
• after the third Friday of the student's first term, a first day of attendance must be provided
• privately or at a hostel that is not a signatory to the ABSTUDY Hostels Agreement:
• review previous travel. If the student has undertaken start of year travel, this can be used as confirmation that the student has commenced
• if start of year travel has not been undertaken or there is no evidence that the student has commenced, an outbound call must be made to the education provider to confirm that the student has commenced

Has the student commenced study in the course for the year?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 6

The Resources page has a link to school term dates for each State/Territory.

Does the journey coincide with a scheduled school term break in that State/Territory?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 6

In Process Direct, select the Fares tile and check if the student has previously claimed school vacation travel for this term as this may only be claimed once per term.

Has FAA for vacation travel already been claimed for the term?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

Tell the student they are approved and entitled to undertake school vacation travel.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked Fares Allowance (FAA) entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after the travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032). The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the student they are not eligible for FAA for school vacation travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:

• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here

ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:

• If the student has not undertaken start of year travel, consider assessing the request under this travel type, otherwise:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

An eligible full-time tertiary or secondary non-schooling student enrolled in a course of more than one semester is entitled to one single return journey between the study location and the permanent home to be reunited with their family.

Check the Education Course Details (EDC) screen:

• Course Level field to determine the level of course, and
• Course Start Date and Course End Date field to determine the length of course

Is the student undertaking a course that is tertiary or secondary non-schooling level, and more than one semester in length?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 9

Vacation travel is only available to students who are living away from their permanent home to undertake a course of study.

Is the student living away from their permanent home to undertake study?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 9

Vacation travel is not available to students whose dependants have joined them at the study location, as there is no need to travel to the permanent home location to reunite with their family.

In Process Direct, select the Fares tile and check the previous travel bookings to determine if the student has utilised dependant's travel in the year of study to bring their dependent family members to live with them at the study location.

Has dependant travel been used in the year of study?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 4

Vacation travel can only be accessed after the student has commenced study in the course for the year.

Has the student commenced study in the course for the year?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 9

Is the student travelling between the study location and the permanent home address?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 6

Tell the student that vacation travel is usually approved between the permanent home and the study location.

Does the student have circumstances that allow travel to be approved to or from a location other than the permanent home address or usual study location?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

In Process Direct, select the Fares tile and check if the student has previously claimed FAA for this travel this year as vacation travel may only be claimed once per year for a course.

Has FAA for vacation travel already been claimed?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 8

Tell the student that they are approved and entitled to undertake vacation travel.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032). The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the student they are not eligible for FAA for vacation travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

In Process Direct, select the Fares tile and check if the student has school vacation travel booked within 2 weeks of the requested compassionate travel date.

Does the student have school vacation travel booked within 2 weeks of the requested compassionate travel date?

• Yes, the request should be treated as a variation to the original school vacation travel. See Fares Allowance (FAA) authorised in advance of travel for ABSTUDY
• No, go to Step 2

To be eligible for FAA for compassionate travel, the student must:

• not be travelling for an Away from Base activity and:
• meet one of the circumstances justifying travel for compassionate reasons, or
• be an excluded (expelled) ABSTUDY student

Does the student meet the eligibility criteria for FAA for compassionate travel?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 16

Is the student applying for compassionate travel due to being an excluded (expelled) secondary school student?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 4

Does the reason given by the student meet one of the circumstances justifying compassionate travel?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 16

Trips for excluded students are not included in the limit of return trips for compassionate travel.

In Process Direct, select the Fares tile and check if the student has previously claimed FAA for compassionate travel.

Have 2 compassionate travel journeys been claimed in the current calendar year?

• Yes and,
• a response has been received from Level 2 Policy Helpdesk approving the additional journey/s, go to Step 8
• a response has been received from Level 2 Policy Helpdesk declining the additional journey/s, go to Step 16
• all other circumstances, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 8

Education providers applying for travel for an excluded student must complete the ABSTUDY expulsion checklist. See the Resources page for the checklist.

Compassionate travel for an excluded ABSTUDY student to return to their permanent home can be granted if the school confirms all the following:

• The student is at harm to themselves or others, as defined in the respective state/territory requirements
• The school has followed necessary steps outlined in the state/territory legislative requirements, including contacting parent(s)/guardian(s) and the respective authorities, like the Police, Department of Child Safety/Children services
• Alternative local solutions, such as relocating the young person with family members, have been exhausted
• There is no other source of funding available
• The school confirms all these steps have been taken

Note: excluded students required to travel home under supervision, may have a supervisor travel with them. This can be a parent/guardian or a representative from the educational provider. People taking this type of travel will be approved as supervisor travellers under non-student travellers.

Does the completed ABSTUDY expulsion checklist confirm all the above criteria have been met?

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, go to Step 16

The student or approved traveller may be eligible for additional compassionate journey/s at the discretion of the Department of Social Services (DSS).

Travel Officers must seek approval for additional journey/s by:

• Completing a direct SSO referral to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency, and
• Emailing the following template and any supporting evidence provided to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5 after submitting the direct SSO referral:
  'We are seeking approval for compassionate travel for (event).
  Summary of case
• Travel dates:
• Traveller/s:
• Destination:
• Permanent home:
• Study location:
• ABSTUDY Award of student:
• Additional costs for ACM/MEA: Yes/No
• Number of nights:
• Reason for request:'
• The Booking Status of the traveller/s is to remain as New until a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk response is received
• Record details of the travel request on the traveller/s booking/s
• Procedure ends here

If the compassionate travel is for:

• the student to attend a funeral, go to Step 9
• a non-student traveller to visit an ill or injured student or accompany a student to attend a specialist appointment, go to Step 10
• the student to return home for any of the following reasons, go to Step 11:
• critical illness or injury of an immediate family member
• illness or injury to the student
• to participate in a community activity under Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander lore or kinship obligations

In some Indigenous communities, mentioning the name of a deceased person may cause distress and/or offence.

Attempt to verify the funeral date using the Indigenous Funeral Notices homepage. The Resources page has a link. If unavailable, try to contact the nearest service centre and liaise with the local community or Indigenous Service Officer (ISO) to confirm the funeral details.

Students travelling for this reason are still subject to mandatory supervision requirements. A family member may travel as a supervisor if they are escorting the student to the travel location.

Can the funeral be confirmed?

• Yes, go to Step 13
• No, go to Step 11

FAA travel may be approved for a family or community member when the student is ill or injured. This can be to visit the student or to accompany them to specialist appointments when it is compulsory for the parent/guardian to attend the appointment.

To approve this travel, the student must:

• be ill or injured and it has been deemed appropriate for the family or community member to visit at the term address
• provide evidence advising:
• the nature of the illness or injury
• if the student can travel
• the period of the illness or injury

Evidence can include, but is not limited to, a statement from:

• the education or board provider
• a doctor
• the hospital, or
• a community authority

Where the student is suffering from a terminal illness, both parents/guardians may be approved for FAA.

Has the above been confirmed?

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, go to Step 11

Tell the student they must provide documentary evidence to support their compassionate travel claim.

Evidence is required to grant FAA for compassionate travel. This may include a statement from:

• the education or board provider
• a doctor
• the hospital
• a community authority, or
• a community person responsible for cultural matters (if the travel request is for the student being required to return home for a cultural activity)

If the evidence:

• cannot be provided prior to travel, go to Step 12
• has been provided or verified and
• travel is between their usual study location and permanent home address, go to Step 15
• the student is requesting travel from or to an alternate destination, go to Step 14

Ensure cultural sensitivity is considered with the decision. Refer to an Indigenous Service Officer (ISO) for assistance.

Documentary evidence can be provided after the travel has occurred if:

• the Service Officer thinks the basis for the compassionate travel request is genuine and
• providing evidence would delay the student returning home

Can documentary evidence be provided after the journey?

• Yes, go to Step 13
• No, go to Step 16

If FAA is to be approved, tell the student that if they do not provide evidence (or it is not sufficient), an overpayment will be raised to recover the FAA.

If required:

• Issue a Q999 requesting evidence to support their claim. See the Resources page for template. Allow extra time for mail delivery
• Send an Evidence for Compassionate Travel Fast Note with advised details to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team:
• Use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Fares Allowance > Evidence for Compassionate Travel > Confirm
• Place the open Fast Note on hold for 21 days, plus additional time provided for mail delivery

Is the student travelling between their usual study location and permanent home address?

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, go to Step 14

Tell the student compassionate travel is usually approved only between the permanent home and the study location.

See Determining the appropriate travel destination for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance (FAA).

Does the student have exceptional circumstances where travel can be approved to a location other than the permanent home address or usual study address?

• Yes, go to Step 15
• No, go to Step 16

FAA for ABSTUDY can be approved for:

• a student or
• a non-student traveller that is travelling to visit the student due to illness or injury of the student

Non-student traveller

For a non-student traveller, see Non-student travellers for ABSTUDY. Procedure ends here.

Student

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY

Procedure ends here.

Excluded Students

Secondary school boarding students who discontinue study during a school term, cease to be eligible for the Away from Home rate from the date they discontinue study. See Cessation of the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate.

Travel Service Officers must:

• Cancel any future travel that is booked or requested for an excluded secondary boarding student
• Send an ABSTUDY Boarder ACTION request Fast Note to the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team to reassess the student's ABSTUDY rate:
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Update > ABSTUDY Boarder ACTION request
• Include the date the student discontinued

Procedure ends here.

Tell the claimant the student is not eligible for FAA for compassionate travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

Was the student a full-time ABSTUDY student and eligible for FAA in the study period to which the exam relates?

• Yes, and the exam venue is at:
• a place other than the student's normal place of study, go to Step 4
• the student's normal place of study, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 6

A full-time tertiary or secondary non-school student would be expected to remain at the place of study until the end of their participation in the normal examination period. They would only qualify for examination travel for unexpected supplementary or deferred examinations.

Note: a deferred exam may have only been delayed by a few days. See the Resources page for an example.

Is the date set for the exam outside the usual examination period?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 6

A student can only qualify for examination travel for unexpected supplementary or deferred examinations.

• Deferred exams - an exam may be deferred because the student was unable to take it at the set time due to unforeseen circumstances. The exam will be rescheduled to a time at which the student is able to take it, and which suits the education provider
• Supplementary exams - where progress in a course of study depends on passing all subjects in a semester or year, a student who fails a single subject may be given the chance to re-sit that exam rather than repeat the whole semester/year. This may also happen where the failed subject is the last one needed to complete the course

Note: evidence of deferred or supplementary exam will be required. Acceptable evidence would be a notification from the educational provider confirming that the student is required to take a deferred or supplementary exam.

Is the exam a deferred or supplementary exam?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 6

Is the exam venue within reasonable travelling time of the usual place of residence?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

Tell the student they are eligible for FAA for examination travel.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) by the relevant closing date. The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the student they are not eligible for FAA for examination travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details of discussion on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

Graduation ceremonies for completed tertiary courses often take place several weeks to several months after course completion. Students who live a substantial distance from the educational provider will usually have returned home in this time.

Graduation travel allows them to return to the study location to attend the graduation ceremony for their completed course.

Graduation travel can be approved for a completed:

• tertiary course that is equivalent to a course of at least two years full-time duration, or
• honours degree, or
• postgraduate degree

Is the graduation ceremony for a completed course/degree type listed above?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 5

Did the student receive ABSTUDY assistance for any period of the course?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 5

To qualify for graduation travel, a student must have been approved for one of the following:

• FAA to undertake the course away from their permanent home
• FAA to undertake their course through a combination of external studies and face-to-face teaching
• Travel assistance funded by the Indigenous Education Training Programme (IETP) to undertake their course through a combination of distance education and face-to-face mixed-mode study i.e. Away From Base residential schools funded by the IETP

Graduation travel is not available if, for the duration of their course, a student only received FAA for the following:

• to participate in a placement or field trip
• a testing and assessment program under the provisions of Away from Base activities travel

During the course was the student approved for FAA to undertake their study or participate in residential school/s or received travel assistance funded by the IETP to undertake mixed-mode study?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 5

The student is eligible for one return trip (within Australia) between their permanent home and the location of the graduation ceremony. FAA will be payable up to (but not to exceed) the equivalent FAA rate to which the student was entitled during the course of study. See the Resources page for an example of determining the equivalent rate payable.

The education provider that delivered the course will need to confirm that the student will be graduating from the course.

There is no entitlement to meals or accommodation allowances except where the appropriate mode of transport means the journey must be broken.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) by the relevant closing date. The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the student they are not eligible for FAA for graduation travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

Masters and Doctorate relocation travel is to assist a Masters/Doctorate student, and their partner and dependent child/ren, to travel to their new permanent home at the place of study.

Is the student in receipt of Living Allowance or ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) (as a full-time student or concessional study load student) under the Masters/Doctorate Award?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 4

Will the student (and their partner and dependent child/ren if applicable) relocate to another town or city to take up their Masters/Doctorate studies?

This will involve a change in their permanent home address.

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

The student is entitled to relocation travel and Relocation Allowance. The student (and their partner and dependent child/ren if applicable) are entitled to a one-way journey from their existing permanent home to the study location.

Travel for the student, partner and/or dependents will be paid at the economy or student concessional rate of either the:

• airfare, if they travelled by air, or
• airfare or travel costs, whichever is the lesser, if they travelled by surface transport

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032). The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

The student is not eligible for Masters and Doctorate relocation travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

For Orientation Visit travel requests, the customer must include the following with the travel request form:

• students attending boarding school, the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend must be outlined in the travel request form
• students attending hostels or with private boarding arrangements, a statement from the school outlining the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend
• tertiary students, a statement from the provider outlining the requirements for the student to attend

Orientation Visit travel is required for student/s or approved non-student travellers when:

• secondary school or boarding facility requires prospective students to attend an interview or selection process prior to acceptance, go to Step 2
• student is intending to study in an approved tertiary course of at least one year's duration, go to Step 3
• secondary student is from a remote Aboriginal community or they are from a town in a remote location and it is likely they will experience serious problems of adjustment, go to Step 4
• boarding provider or school is seeking approval for a transition (or like) program for students from remote Aboriginal communities, go to Step 5
• none of the above, go to Step 7

Students can travel to attend orientation activities, enrolment interviews or other selection processes prior to:

• commencing secondary boarding
• moving between secondary boarding institutions

Some students may have a requirement to attend an interview or selection process in the year/s prior to commencing at secondary school.

For these students a new ABSTUDY claim is required if they are not already current on ABSTUDY. This is to confirm the student will meet the eligibility requirements once they commence at the new school. See Early claims.

In some cases, there may be a number of students from the same community that are required to complete an interview or selection process. It may be more cost effective for a representative from the education provider to travel to the community to conduct the interviews. See Non-student travellers for ABSTUDY.

Is the student and/or non-student traveller attending a confirmed interview or selection process?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

For Orientation Visit travel for tertiary study, the student must be:

• intending to study in an approved tertiary course of at least one year’s duration and
• attending a confirmed interview or selection process relating to the tertiary course

Does the student meet all the above?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

Students may access Orientation Visit travel:

• if they are intending to:
• board away from home to attend secondary school, and
• attend a confirmed orientation activity
• if they are from a:
• remote Aboriginal community, or
• town in a remote location, and the student is likely to experience serious problems of adjustment

Does the student meet the above?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 7

The boarding provider or school can seek approval for a transition (or like) program to assist with Orientation Visit travel for students from remote Aboriginal communities. The boarding provider or school must provide details outlining the program.

Has the transition program been approved for Fares Allowance for participating students?

• Yes:
• Place a Display on Access (DOA) DOC on the boarding providers or schools ORG record confirming the program approval
• Go to Step 6
• No, where approval is undetermined:
• Escalate the enquiry to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk, via Local Peer Support (LPS), and SSO with a limit of one enquiry per program. Include the details outlining the transition program
• Procedure ends here

The student and/or non-student traveller is eligible for Orientation Visit travel.

Where a family or community member is travelling with the student, they will be considered to be a non-student traveller. Students and non-student travellers may be eligible to claim accommodation costs for their stay. See Additional costs associated with travel for ABSTUDY.

Travel is approved to undertake a return journey between the home address and a term address. Travel to a destination other than the permanent home or usual study location may be available in certain circumstances. See the Resources page for scenarios.

Note: when paying a reimbursement for an orientation activity with a status of ABY/ASS, see Orientation Visit travel for non-current ABSTUDY customers.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Student and/or non-student traveller are not entitled to Fares Allowance for Orientation Visit travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

Does the student have school vacation travel booked within 2 weeks of the requested SPV travel date and the student will not be returning to home before the start of the school term?

• Yes, the request should be treated as a variation to the original school vacation travel. See Fares Allowance (FAA) authorised in advance of travel for ABSTUDY
• No, go to Step 2

SPV travel for student/s or approved non-student travellers for:

• secondary student participating in:
• NAIDOC week activities,
• graduation events
• Go to Step 3
• secondary student currently in a boarding school or hostel experiencing adjustment problems or similar circumstances not resulting in suspension, go to Step 4
• secondary student participating in a school event, including but not limited to:
• school play
• award ceremonies
• parent/teacher interviews
• sporting events
• Go to Step 5
• a response received from the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk, go to Step 7
• none of the above, go to Step 9

A return journey may be approved for a reasonable number of approved travellers between the traveller’s home community and the term address for NAIDOC Week and graduation events.

Graduation events

SPV travel for a Year 12 formal that can been completed within the same journey as the Year 12 graduation event, is considered as part of the graduation event.

NAIDOC Week and graduation events do not contribute to the SPV entitlement of 3 events per calendar year.

Where the student:

• attends boarding school, the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend must be outlined in the travel authorised booking form
• is in a hostel or private boarding arrangement, a statement from the school must be provided outlining the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend
• has completed secondary studies, for which they received ABSTUDY Away from Home assistance, SPV travel to attend graduation events for the completed studies can be accessed by the student or a return journey between their home community and the term address

Is the SPV travel request for a confirmed NAIDOC Week or graduation event?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

A student may be considered to have serious problems of adjustment at their boarding or term location if they have:

• prolonged homesickness
• poor attendance at classes
• behavioural problems which affect the student's academic performance and/or, are in serious breach of the school's or boarding education provider's standards of behaviour

Note: a trip from the term address to the home address should only be approved as a last resort. This would need to increase the likeliness of the student remaining in education.

This does not contribute to the SPV entitlement of 3 events per calendar year.

Is the student experiencing confirmed serious problems of adjustment or similar circumstances where a visit is expected to stabilise the situation?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

A return journey may be approved for the student and/or reasonable number of approved travellers between the traveller’s home community and:

• the normal study location, or
• a temporary study location

A maximum of 3 events per calendar year can be approved for Special Purpose Visit travel.

Where the student:

• attends boarding school, the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend must be outlined in the authorised booking form
• is in a hostel or private boarding arrangement, a statement from the school must be provided outlining the requirements for the student or non-student traveller to attend

Is the SPV travel request for a confirmed school event?

• Yes, and the student has:
• reached the limits for the calendar year, go to Step 6
• not reached the limits for the calendar year, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

In some circumstances the student or approved traveller may be eligible for ABSTUDY Additional Assistance in lieu of ABSTUDY Fares Allowance. This is payable at the discretion of the Department for Social Services (DSS).

Travel Service Officers must seek approval by:

• Completing a direct SSO referral to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency
• Emailing the following template and any supporting documents to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5 after submitting the direct SSO referral:
  'We are seeking approval for ABSTUDY Additional Assistance in lieu of Fares Allowance for additional Special Purpose Visit journey/s.
  Summary of case
• Travel dates:
• Traveller/s:
• Destination:
• Departure location:
• Permanent home:
• Study location:
• ABSTUDY Award of student:
• Additional costs for ACM/MEA: Yes/No
• Number of nights:
• Cost per unapproved traveller:

- Travel $0.00

- Accommodation $0.00

- Meals $0.00

• Reason for request:'

• The Booking Status of the traveller/s is to remain as New until a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk response is received
• Record details of the travel request on the traveller/s booking/s
• Procedure ends here

The assessing Travel Officer will be provided with the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk response.

Has the additional SPV travel been approved?

• Yes, go to Step 8
• No, go to Step 9

The student and/or non-student traveller is eligible for Special Purpose Visit travel.

Where a family or community member is travelling with the student, they will be considered a non-student traveller.

Travel is approved to undertake a return journey between the home and term address. In some circumstances travel to a destination other than the permanent home or usual study location may be available.

See the Resources page for assessment scenarios.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY

Students returning home due to serious problems of adjustment

Students who return home temporarily due to serious problems of adjustment remain eligible from the Away from Home rate of Living Allowance if they remain enrolled at the education provider and intend to return to studies. However, any family or community members approved for SPV to attend a school event that the student will not be participating in, are no longer eligible for this travel.

Travel Service Officers must:

• cancel any future SPV travel booked or requested for approved for non-student travellers for the period the student will be at home

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance are processed by the ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing Team.

Procedure ends here.

Student and/or non-student traveller are not entitled to travel for Special Purpose Visit.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here

Emergency and disaster travel allows eligible students to return to their home or study location or travel to an alternative safe location if they are affected by an emergency or disaster.

A student/applicant or third party organisation can request travel assistance for emergency or disaster travel.

There are no limits to emergency and disaster travel.

Does the approved traveller live away from home or are they participating in an Away from Base activity?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 8

Has the approved traveller been affected by an emergency or disaster event that can be confirmed through a reputable source, such as a website or the education/board provider?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 3

Service Officers must escalate claims for assessment by the Department of Social Services (DSS) where there are concerns around the approved traveller's circumstances meeting the definition of experiencing an emergency or disaster event.

Are there concerns around the approved traveller experiencing an emergency or disaster?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 4

Approved travellers that are impacted by an emergency or disaster that cannot be confirmed through a reputable source will need to provide evidence of their circumstances.

Evidence can include:

• a written statement from a boarding school/hostel or an education provider
• a statutory declaration by the approved traveller or applicant

Has sufficient evidence been provided?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 5

In some circumstances approved travellers may not be able to immediately provide evidence of their situation.

To ensure we do not place the approved traveller at further risk, it may be acceptable to approve FAA and have the evidence provided once the approved traveller is in a safe location.

Is it suitable for the approved traveller to provide evidence after the journey?

• Yes:
• In Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows:
  - Service Reason: ABY
  - Review Reason: REV (Manual Review)
  - Due Date: 21 days from today's date
  - Source: INT
  - Date of Receipt: today's date
  - Notes: 'Evidence required after Emergency and/or Disaster travel. See OB 010-02100020 to action.'
  - Keywords: ACTABY and TRAVEL
  - Workgroup: leave blank
  - Position: leave blank
  - Transfer to Region: ABS
• The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action
• Tell the approved traveller if they do not provide sufficient evidence, an overpayment will be raised
• Go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 8

All claims for emergency and disaster travel require assessment by DSS.

• Complete a direct SSO referral to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5. See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency
• Email the following information and any supporting documents to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SO5 after submitting the direct SSO referral:
• Details of approved traveller impacted (CRN, name, emergency contact)
• Details of the requested travel journey
• Details of the emergency or disaster being experienced and the impact to the approved traveller
• The Booking Status of the traveller/s is to remain as New until a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk response is received
• Record details of the travel request on the traveller/s booking/s and note that the request is pending DSS assessment

Once DSS have determined the customer is:

• Eligible, go to Step 7
• Not eligible, go to Step 8

FAA for emergency and disaster travel is approved.

If the student is claiming:

• in advance of travel, see Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• after travel has been undertaken, see Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY
  Students claiming reimbursement must complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) by the relevant closing date. The Resources page has a link to this form

All claims for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance for emergency and disaster travel are processed by the ABSTUDY Travel Team.

Procedure ends here.

Tell the education provider, parent, or student they are not eligible for FAA for emergency and disaster travel.

If the travel request has been received by:

• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Telephony:
• Record details on a DOC
• Explain their review and appeal rights
• Procedure ends here
• ABSTUDY Smart Centre Travel Team:
• Finalise the travel Booking Status as Rejected in the Travel Management Application (TMA)
• Record details of the decision in the Notes field. See Coding pre-booked FAA entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)
• Procedure ends here