Processing an ABSTUDY claim 010-23061559
Expand allForms
ABSTUDY Lawful Custody Allowance, Claim for reimbursement - to support SY022 (SY108)
Claim for ABSTUDY Allowances and Part-time Award (SY021)
Claim for ABSTUDY form (SY019)
Claim for ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement form (SY020)
Claim for ABSTUDY Remote Areas form (SY092)
Claim for ABSTUDY Student or Australian Apprentice in lawful custody (SY022)
mySupport - sending emails from shared mailboxes
- Open mySupport
- Search by article number (KM1456) or by keywords 'send emails from a shared mailbox'
Letters and electronic messages
Email template
Boarding claim outcome to Third Party Organisation
Q999 and Q888 letter templates
Services Australia has endorsed the letter or electronic message for use. It is the latest version. Do not use locally produced letters or electronic message.
ABSTUDY Living Allowance not payable
Lawful Custody Allowance - Reimbursed to correctional centre
Transfer of excess SFA (Group 2)
Secondary school student's total annual entitlement is a combination of Living Allowance, Rent Assistance and Remote Area Allowance. If the total amount is insufficient to meet the board charge of the school or hostel, any excess SFA (Group 2), up to the maximum available, is transferred across to top-up the shortfall.
Terminology and formula used
Table 1: This table describes the terminology and formula used by the system from the coding on the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen to calculate a top-up from the SFA (Group 2) for payment to cover the shortfall in boarding expenses.
|
Acronym |
Name |
Description |
|
SFC |
School Fee Charge |
Amount charged for tuition by school |
|
TSFA |
Total School Fee Allowance |
Total SFA (Group 2) after application of the means test |
|
BC |
Boarding Charge |
Amount charged for board by school or hostel |
|
TBE |
Total Boarding Entitlement |
Total Living Allowance, Rent Assistance and Remote Area Allowance after application of means test |
TSFA minus SFC = available excess of SFA (Group 2)
BC minus TBE = shortfall in boarding entitlements
Top-up = the lower of the available excess SFA (Group 2) and the shortfall in boarding entitlements.
Scenarios - Excess SFA (Group 2) and available top-up calculations
Table 2: This table provides scenarios where an excess SFA (Group 2) is calculated for the shortfall in boarding entitlements.
These amounts may not be current. They are examples only. For current payments, see Rates and thresholds.
|
Scenario |
Description |
|
1 |
Calculating top-up for 2 sons in study and top-up sufficient for shortfall Joan's permanent home is in a remote community. The nearest government school offering secondary level study is 119 kilometres away. Joan is in receipt of an income support payment and has 2 sons who are of secondary school age. Rex is 14 years old, and Ruben is 16 years old. Both sons are attending Clontarf College and approved for Away from Home rate. Boarding and tuition charges Clontarf College is a boarding school. Payments must be directed to the College. Board and tuition charges must be coded on the School Fees and Boarding Details (EYSB) screen. This directs the payment to the college and enables the system to automatically calculate the transfer of any excess School Fees Allowance (SFA) (Group 2). The excess calculated will be used to top-up any shortfall in boarding entitlements where necessary. Clontarf College charges:
Rex's entitlement: To assist with boarding costs, Rex is entitled to a total of $10,186 in Living Allowance and Rent Assistance. To assist with tuition costs, Rex is entitled to $11,011 in SFA (Group 2). There is a shortfall of boarding entitlements of $1,313.89 ($11,500 board charge minus $10,186.11 board entitlement). There is an excess of SFA (Group 2) of $9,811 ($11,011 SFA (Group 2) minus $1,200 tuition charge). The system will automatically act to transfer only the necessary amount, up to the maximum available, of unused SFA (Group 2) to meet the shortfall of the board charge. An amount of $1,313.89 will be transferred to meet boarding costs. The remaining unused amount of $7,903.11 of SFA (Group 2) is not available to the school or student for use. Calculation (as per Table 1)
Ruben's entitlement To assist with boarding costs, Ruben is entitled to a total of $15,348.25 in Living Allowance and Rent Assistance. To assist with tuition costs, Ruben is entitled to $11,011 in SFA (Group 2). There is a shortfall of boarding entitlements of $651.75 ($16,000 board charge minus $15,348.25 board entitlement). There is an excess of SFA (Group 2) of $9,811 ($11,011 SFA (Group 2) minus $1,200 tuition charge). The system will automatically act to transfer only the necessary amount, up to the maximum available, of excess SFA (Group 2) to meet the shortfall of the board charge. An amount of $651.75 will be transferred to meet boarding costs. The remaining unused amount of $8,535.25 of SFA (Group 2) is not available to the school or student for use. Calculation:
|
|
2 |
Calculating top-up-and insufficient for shortfall Stanley is 14 years old, studying a specialist agricultural course at Moon Hill Agricultural College. Stanley has been approved for Away from Home rate. Boarding and tuition charges Moon Hill College is a boarding school. Payments must be directed to the College. Board and tuition charges must be coded on the EYSB screen. This directs the payments to the college and enables the system to automatically calculate the transfer of any excess School Fees Allowance (SFA) (Group 2). The excess calculated will be used to top-up any shortfall in boarding entitlements where necessary. Moon Hill College charges:
Stanley's entitlement To assist with boarding costs, Stanley is entitled to a total of $9,711.61 in Living Allowance and Rent Assistance. To assist with tuition costs, Stanley is entitled to $11,011 in SFA (Group 2). There is a shortfall of boarding entitlements of $5,288.39 ($15,000 board charge minus $9,711.61 board entitlement). There is an excess of SFA (Group 2) of $5,011 ($11,011 SFA (Group 2) minus $6,000 tuition charge). The system will automatically act to transfer only the necessary amount, up to the maximum available, of unused SFA (Group 2) to meet the shortfall of the board charge. In this case, Stanley has an excess of SFA (Group 2) of $5,011 which is transferred. However, the excess is insufficient to cover the total board shortfall. The remaining shortfall is the responsibility of the parent(s)/guardian(s). Calculation:
|
Accommodation (AC) screen coding for a student under 16 in a private board arrangement
Table 3
|
Scenario |
Description |
|
1 |
Emily is 14 years old and lives on Palm Island. The local school is a recognised limited program school; therefore, Emily meets the eligibility criteria for the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate. Emily applies for ABSTUDY to attend Cairns State High School, starting on 22 January 2018. Emily provides a Rent Certificate with the claim, indicating $400 a fortnight will be charged for meals and accommodation to board privately. Emily will start boarding in Cairns on 20 January 2018. As a secondary student, Emily is entitled to the Away from Home rate from 1 January 2018. Emily is not eligible for Rent Assistance (RA) until 20 January 2018. To ensure correct payment of RA and the Away from Home rate, 2 event dates will need to be coded on the AC screen within the ABSTUDY claim. For event date 1 January 2018 key:
For event date 20 January 2018 (the date the private boarding arrangement commences) key:
|