Completing and assessing the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Application for Short Term Boarding Allowance (SY068) 010-03020060

A short-term boarder is entitled to payment only for the number of days they board away from their principal family home. Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) and Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) for a short-term boarder is calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Payment for short-term boarders may be made by one of two methods. The allowance is paid:

• in advance, if the eligible student is boarding at an institution and the exact period is known, or
• in a lump sum, after the period of boarding has ended

The applicant must make an initial claim for Basic Boarding Allowance (BBA) using the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) form.

The SY068 form is used to apply for any additional periods of short-term boarding in the same year of study.

The applicant who completed the initial SY040 form for the first period of short-term boarding, lodges the SY068 form.

The applicant must lodge the initial SY040 form on or before 1 March in the year following the year which the board relates, or no allowance is payable.

The applicant who lodges the SY040 form, must submit the SY068 application by 1 March in the year immediately after the year the period(s) of board occur.

An applicant experiencing vulnerable circumstances may be given an additional 14 days to submit their claim, which can be extended to 13 weeks in some circumstances.

The applicant lodges the SY068 form:

• at any service centre
• via the Express Plus mobile app
• by uploading documents online, or
• by posting to the reply paid address on the form

The applicant needs to:

• complete and sign the form
• add any further details to a separate sheet of paper and attach it to the form