Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Distance Education Allowance (DED) 010-03040020

To be eligible for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Distance Education Allowance (DED), the:

• student and applicant must both met general AIC eligibility criteria
• student must be studying:
• at home though an approved distance education provider, or
• another acceptable study location or arrangement, and
• not be receiving a pension

DED is also for when a student undertakes study by distance education methods and needs to periodically attend:

• a residential school, or
• a short 'mini' school as part of their course

Distance Education Allowance (DED) is automatically calculated and paid as part of a customer's new claim for AIC.

To claim AIC, applicants can submit a Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (SY040) form.

See Claiming Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).

The rate of entitlement to Distance Education Allowance (DED) can be found in the Rates and Thresholds index.

Some customers may study from home for a short period of time or on a part-time basis, in these circumstances the customer may be eligible for a pro-rata rate.

Distance Education Allowance (DED) is not taxable, it is not means-tested, and entitlement is not affected by study load. Families only need to incur 'incidental' costs of undertaking education by distance education methods to be payable and there is no requirement for families to demonstrate the costs incurred.

DED is paid in advance through Term instalment payments.

The period DED is payable is from the start of the approved (formal or provisional as required by the state) registration until the registration stops.

Evidence of the approved and current registration is needed in the following circumstances:

• with the initial claim
• formal annual renewal acceptance, even if evidence has been provided confirming the renewal was submitted to the education authority.
• if there has been a break in registration or study
• change in primary care or change in the home educator
• change of address
• to support an enrolment check

AIC is paid up to the maximum age from which the registration is required:

• when home school registration lapses because the student has reached the age the education authority is no longer responsible for home schooling or education
• not when the home schooling registration stops

Where home schooling registration has only ended because of the education authority's renewal process, a student remains eligible for DED. They must submit if an application for renewal of registration before the previous registration ceased. Evidence must be provided that confirms the date the renewal was submitted to the education authority. Evidence may include:

• a copy of the email sent to the education authority with the renewal or acknowledgement the renewal was received
• a copy of the renewal application and a statutory declaration confirming the date it was mailed if sent by post
• any other form of evidence the applicant can provide proving the submission of their renewal prior to the expiry date and supported by a statutory declaration

For WA based applicants only:

• a statutory declaration confirming the date the application for renewal was sent. WA state authorities have verified their renewal process can be actioned verbally and they do not always provide confirmation

Students whose home schooling registration has stopped for this reason, who need to study from home, must be enrolled in approved distance education to continue being eligible for AIC.