Assessing ABSTUDY travel time and access for the away from home rate 010-02060070

Students and Australian Apprentices may be eligible for the ABSTUDY Away from Home rate if they need to live away from home due to reasonable travelling time or distance. The Process page contains more on assessing eligibility.

Dependent students studying by distance education or correspondence are not eligible for the Away from Home rate under the travel time and access provision. This excludes mixed mode courses with a combination of distance education and face-to-face teaching.

Away from home approval usually ceases if the student or Australian Apprentice's permanent home changes to a location not meeting reasonable travelling time or distance. See Assessing continuity of study for ABSTUDY away from home rate.

During the COVID-19 pandemic which occurred in Australia from March 2020, some tertiary students were required to leave their on campus term accommodation. Many tertiary students also transitioned to online study as face-to-face teaching was unavailable.

Tertiary students who were receiving the Away from Home rate, and temporarily transitioned to online learning as a result of COVID-19, remain eligible for the Away from Home rate. Tertiary students must return to face-to-face study as soon as it becomes available to continue to be eligible for the Away from Home rate.

Where a student had to move out of education provider accommodation (such as on campus) and are, or were temporarily staying with their parents, will remain eligible for the Away from Home rate providing they:

• remain enrolled in their course of study, and
• intend to return to their campus accommodation as soon as the education provider allows them to return

This includes students who:

• have had their accommodation arrangement cancelled by their education provider and have moved their belongings out of that accommodation
• were approved for the Residential Cost Option (RCO)

Note: the Away from Home rate of ABSTUDY Living Allowance can be paid for any period that the education provider does not charge a residential fee, rather than the reduced rate of Living Allowance.