Assessing itinerant family for ABSTUDY away from home rate 010-02060110

ABSTUDY students may be approved for Away from Home entitlements where:

• the parent(s) or guardian(s) occupations require them to spend at least 40 weeknights during the calendar year travelling long distances and as a result the children have no fixed residence, or
• the occupation of the parent(s) or guardian(s) involves frequent, lengthy travel and the student is denied access to appropriate schooling because the parent(s) or guardian(s) are not normally resident at a fixed location during the school week, such as the sole parent is an interstate truck driver

Where the student has 2 parents or guardians, both need to be itinerant for the student to be eligible. If 1 parent or guardian has a stable location, the family is not considered itinerant.

ABSTUDY secondary school students may also be approved for Away from Home entitlements where:

• the family is constantly relocating due to personal or occupational demands:
• the student boards away from home, and
• for at least half the school year, on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, the student’s permanent home address is such that the student would not have reasonable access to that school

Occupations that may require constant movement include:

• fencing contractors
• railway workers
• fruit pickers
• shearers
• performers and show workers

'Occupation’ is a person’s regular work or profession, job or principal activity. Any activity a person spends time on can be considered their occupation.

Where families are not normally itinerate but are moved temporarily in their employment or must move several times throughout the year in search of employment, Away from Home entitlements may be approved to enable the student to avoid frequent changes of school.

If a family temporarily resides in the location of where the student is boarding or spends time in this location as part of their regular movements, the following applies:

• where it would be reasonable to expect the student to cease boarding and rejoin their parent(s)/guardian(s), whether on an extended basis or for short periods on a regular basis, boarding benefits are not payable for those periods, and
• where the student cannot attend the school except as a boarder, or the school would charge full boarding fees anyway, the student remains eligible for the Away from Home rate

Where the family has been accepted as itinerate for a year but takes up permanent residence during the course of that year at a fixed address which provides access to suitable schooling, the student will remain eligible for the remainder of the year, providing continuity of study rules are met.

A student cannot be approved for the Away from Home rate if either:

• their family could be reasonably expected to maintain a fixed address because the movement required by working is over a limited area, such as within the metropolitan area or at no time more than 56km from 1 centre offering adequate schooling
• the parents’ occupation requires a transfer every 2 or 3 years and the family could normally expect to spend at least 1 full year in a location but happens to be moved more than once in a school year

Away from Home rate can be claimed:

• for new customers, via the ABSTUDY Claim Form B, or
• for existing customers, via a statement (verbal or written) indicating the criteria under which they are seeking approval

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

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:

• had their accommodation arrangement cancelled by the 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.

When making an unfavourable decision, speak to the customer:

• explain the decision
• give them a chance to provide more information, and
• advise their review and appeal rights