Completing the Claim for Fares Allowance (tertiary students only) (SY005) for Youth Allowance, Austudy, Pensioner Education Supplement 010-04060010

This form is to be used by tertiary students receiving Youth Allowance (YA), Austudy or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) to claim Fares Allowance (FAA).

Note: students receiving payments under the ABSTUDY Scheme who wish to claim Fares Allowance should complete an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032). Refer to Completing Form (SY032) for the ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim.

Fares Allowance (FAA) is payable to eligible full-time tertiary students receiving Youth Allowance (YA) (student), Austudy or Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) who have to live away from their permanent home to study, and whose permanent home is in Australia and who are:

• considered dependent and receive the higher rate of YA when living away from home
• considered independent and have a partner who they live away from because they are studying
• living away from their dependent children because they are studying
• living away from home and have become independent through work or age and they were dependent and living away from home in the study year before becoming independent, or
• studying an approved distance, external or online course at an Australian institution in Australia and they have to travel to the institution for a compulsory residential component of their course

For the purposes of FAA a student must be undertaking an approved tertiary course at an Australian institution, within Australia. FAA cannot be paid to students who are travelling overseas to undertake approved study.

Eligible students can claim FAA for up to three eligible journeys in a study year. Eligible journeys are:

For external students

• one return journey during the study year, between the student’s permanent home and the educational provider, to attend the institution for a period that is a compulsory component of the course

For other tertiary students

• travel from the student’s permanent home to their institution to commence studies
• travel from their institution back to their permanent home after study ceases for the year, and
• if the student has received YA, Austudy or PES for a period of 3 months (or 6 months if the journey was completed before 1 January 2021) or more during the study year (whether continuous or not), one return trip during the period of the course in the study year

FAA is normally paid as a reimbursement after the journey has been completed. However, Services Australia may arrange pre-booked travel on behalf of a student.

Claims for FAA must be lodged with the agency before 1 April in the year following the year of study when the journey was undertaken.

Claims for pre-booked FAA should generally be lodged at least 7 days in advance of the planned journey to allow the agency to book the student’s travel. However, subject to availability, the agency will attempt to fulfil any travel requests lodged within 7 days of travel.

The amount of FAA paid depends on the mode of transport available to the student and whether the student is eligible for a concessional fare. Generally FAA is paid for the cheapest type of public transport available for the journey using a reasonable route.

If public transport is not available for all or part of the route, FAA may be paid for other forms of transport (including private car or taxis).

Where pre-booked FAA is approved by the agency, the payment will be made directly to the transport operator, not to the student.