Completing the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) 010-03010020

The Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) form (SY040) should be completed by an approved applicant:

• An approved applicant is one of the student's natural or legally adoptive parents or a person having prime (or joint) responsibility for the student's care and financial support (for example, step-parent, legal guardian)
• If the student lives under the care of a non-government organisation which has full-time responsibility for the upkeep of the student, the organisation may be an approved applicant

If the parent(s) are financially supporting the student while the student is living with another family, the parents would need to be the applicants.

If the applicant:

• is a parent or guardian of the student, they should complete the claim form as per the instructions
• is an organisation:
• on the SY040, they only need to complete question 1 and follow all prompts from question 25 onwards
• the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Organisation details (SY067) will also need to be completed
• is a person other than the student's parent, they should attach a statement describing their relationship to the student and explaining why the student's parent(s) cannot apply
• does not have primary care and responsibility for the student, they should attach a statement explaining why the person who does have primary care for the student cannot apply. For more information, see Policy

Questions 1-24 and onwards as prompted

The applicant needs to provide their personal details (such as name, date of birth, and country of citizenship) to:

• allow identification, and
• check Australian residence qualification

Proof of residence

Applicants who are not Australian citizens are required to provide evidence of Australian Permanent Residence status.

New Zealand citizens are required to provide evidence of their last date of arrival.

For example:

• a New Zealand passport showing all Australian arrival and departure stamps over the past year, or
• a statement from Department of Home Affairs confirming dates of arrival and departure from Australia over the last year

For more information, see Residence requirements for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme.

Questions 25-42

The applicant needs to provide student details such as name, date of birth, and country of citizenship, see AIC qualifications for more information.

Organisations need to follow all prompts from question 25 onwards. The Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Organisation details (SY067) will also need to be completed.

Other documentation may be required, as follows:

• Proof of age is required if it is the first time AIC is being claimed for this student and family assistance has not previously been claimed for this child
• Normally, the student's birth certificate or extract, or a valid Australian passport which shows the student's date of birth
• Acceptable alternatives include official citizenship or residency papers which show the student's date of birth, or the student's registration of birth receipt
• Evidence of permanent residency must also be provided if the student is not an Australian citizen: Passport or visa showing permanent resident status, or a New Zealand passport showing all Australian arrival and departure stamps over the past year, or a statement from the Department of Home Affairs
• If the student is in receipt of Disability Support Pension or Parenting Payment Single they may qualify for an AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES). See AIC PES qualifications

AIC is not payable if the student is in receipt of other Australian Government education or training assistance. For example, Youth Allowance (YA) or Veterans' Children Education Scheme.

Questions 43-46

The applicant needs to provide the student's education details.

Other documentation may be required. Current registration certificate from State or Territory education authority must be provided for approved home school arrangements.

Questions 47 and 48-75 as prompted depending on circumstances

This information is used to determine which AIC allowance is being claimed. For more information, see Policy.

• If the student is not living in the principal home and studying by distance education, the applicant is asked to provide details of the student's boarding or second home arrangements. See Eligibility for AIC Scheme Distance Education Allowance
• Boarding Allowance questions commence at question 62:
• The number of nights per week that the student is required to board away from home will determine the rate of Boarding Allowance/Additional Boarding Allowance (BA/ABA) that will be paid. Boarding Allowance for the full week is only payable where the student boards away from home for at least 4 nights per week
• Details of the boarding fees paid for the student are requested so that a calculation of ABA, if claimed, can be made
• If the applicant is applying for Second Home Allowance (SHA), ask them to provide details of who will be living in the second home. If both parents are normally living in the second home, SHA will usually not be payable

Questions 76-77 - Parent/guardians only

These are only completed by the applicant if they are applying for ABA. This is the only AIC allowance that has a parental income test:

• Parental income includes taxable income for the base tax year, all overseas income received in the financial year, add back of total net investment losses, that is negative gearing, reportable superannuation contributions, maintenance payments received and employer provided fringe benefits in excess of $1000. Maintenance paid may be deducted from parental income
• If the applicant or partner has received employer provided fringe benefits in the base tax year, the amount they should declare is the amount shown on their Payment Summary (formerly known as Group Certificate)
• There is an exemption from the application of the Parental Income Test (PIT) if a the parent or parent's partner is in receipt of:
• an income support payment (for example, pension, benefit or allowance) or ABSTUDY Living Allowance from Centrelink, income support payments from the Department of Veterans' Affairs
• Farm Household Assistance, or
• a current Health Care Card from Centrelink that is issued due to receiving FTB part A maximum rate

Advise the applicant to attach an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Current Tax Year Assessment form (SY042) form if there has been a:

• large decrease in parental income in the current tax year, or
• increase in parental income of more than 25% in the current tax year

Question 78-82 - Parent/guardians only

This is only completed by the applicant if they are applying for ABA for the student so that other dependent children:

• attracting ABA
• in receipt of Youth Allowance (YA)
• in receipt of or attracting ABSTUDY Living Allowance and/or means tested component of School Fees Allowance
• are defined as an FTB child or regular Care Child

can be included in the Parental Income Test family pool. Inclusion of the other dependent children receiving or attracting various student payments or FTB (along with the student) in the family pool maximises their entitlements to ABA, YA or ABSTUDY.

Question 83-86

This information is used to determine the isolation criteria that the claim for AIC will be assessed against:

• geographic isolation
• the student has a disability, other health related condition or special education need, which requires a special school program or special facilities
• the family moves often because of the work of the parent(s)
• the student lives in a second home established so that a sibling can attend school daily

See Policy for more information.

Other documentation may be required, as follows:

• Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Medical Statement - Student Special Needs (SY099)
• Evidence to support isolation condition, such as but not limited to:
• details of the distance from the principal family home to the nearest appropriate state school, and any available transport services
• independent supporting evidence such as a statement from the operator of the local school bus service or shire/council
• statement from an employer about frequent moves for work
• documentation confirming parent(s)/guardian(s) are unable to transport children to and from school
• statement/documentation confirming special weather conditions regularly make road or waterways impassable
• Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Marginal Distance Confirmation (SY069)

See geographic isolation and Completing the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Marginal Distance Confirmation (SY069).

Questions 97-98 - Parent/guardians only

Payments may be directed to the applicant, the boarding institution, the school or to another agent as specified by the applicant.

Questions 99-100 - Parent or guardian only

The applicant is required to provide their Tax File Number (TFN).

The applicant's partner is only required to provide their TFN if ABA is being claimed:

• If the applicant or partner does not have a TFN, they will need to apply to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or a Centrelink Service Centre by completing the Tax file number application or enquiry for an Individual
• If the Tax File Number Application/Enquiry form is attached to the SY040, payment can commence before the TFN has been received
• Tax file numbers are not required if there is an exemption. Exemptions are listed in the Notes to the SY040

Question 101-103

All applicants should complete the checklist.

The applicant (parent/guardian or organisation) must accept the declaration by:

• ticking the digital declaration, or
• printing and signing the form by hand, and
• dating the declaration

The applicant's partner is only required to accept the declaration if ABA is being claimed.