Non-student beneficiaries for ABSTUDY Away from Base assistance 010-02070090

Has the activity been approved in principle?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, see Assessing and processing ABSTUDY Away from Base. When approved go to Step 2

• Full claim details include:
• who the non-student participants are
• the reason for non-student participation
• the costs associated with non-student participation
• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 3

Advise the provider that assistance for non-students cannot be approved without full details of:

• who the non-student participants are
• the reason for non-student participation
• the costs associated with non-student participation

Request the provider/applicant to lodge an amended submission form.

Record details on a DOC on the education provider's record.

Procedure ends here.

In some circumstances Away from Base entitlements are payable for non-student participants.

If the non-student participant is:

• an education provider representative, go to Step 5
• a driver or pilot of chartered transport, go to Step 8
• dependant/s of an Away from Base (AFB) student, go to Step 9
• a family member, go to Step 10

See Assessing and processing ABSTUDY Away from Base activities for details.

Is the activity approved?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, advise the education provider the activity must be approved to qualify for Away from Base assistance. Record details on a DOC. Advise the education provider of their review and appeal rights. Procedure ends here.

The education provider must establish that it is cost effective for one or more representatives to travel to a community to deliver the Away from Base activity.

The provider must provide names of the confirmed participants who will be undertaking the approved activity in the location(s) to be visited, to establish that it is cost effective.

Approval cannot occur without details of confirmed participants in the community.

Has the education provider provided a list of the names of confirmed participants in the approved activity?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 12

Calculate the estimated cost of the education provider delivering the activity at the campus. This includes the cost of:

• authorising ABSTUDY Fares Allowance (FAA) for all the student participants to travel from their home communities to the education provider, and
• a residential expenses package for the period of the activity

If the education provider representative(s) is delivering a testing and assessment program or a residential school at a number of communities in the one journey, include the cost of student travel from all communities when comparing costs.

Note: normally the cost of FAA for transporting students to the education provider exceeds the cost of an education provider representative travelling to the community. If FAA costs of the students alone justify the activity, details of the residential package will not be necessary.

Is it cost effective for the education provider representative(s) to travel to student's home communities to deliver the activity?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 12

If it is cost effective for a charter company to provide the transport service for an approved activity (this would normally only be for a field trip) the driver or pilot of the transport can be approved for Away from Base assistance.

The driver can qualify for meals and accommodation costs only if it is not included in the hire price of the chartered transport.

Has the field trip activity been approved with a chartered transport hire charge not including the cost of meals and accommodation for the driver/pilot?

• Yes, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 12

Additional Assistance can be approved for up to a maximum of 2 dependants per student. This Additional Assistance can be paid as Fares Allowance for travel costs, and as Additional Assistance to include meals and reasonable additional accommodation costs (for example, cot hire or additional bed fee). Other costs, including childcare, are the responsibility of the student.

For the dependent to be approved, the student must meet the following circumstances:

• there is no appropriate alternative care for AFB student's dependant if they do not travel with the student, and
• there are alternative caring arrangements for the dependant while the student participates in the AFB activity, and:
• the AFB student's dependant is under school age, or
• the AFB student's dependant is vulnerable, or
• the AFB student is receiving Parenting Payment Single (PPS), and
• the travel of the dependant would support the student to attend the AFB activity

Are the above conditions met?

• Yes, the dependent is approved, go to Step 11
• No, go to Step 10

Away From Base Service Officers can seek approval for dependent travellers by completing a direct SSO referral to a ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base Service Officer (SSO5). See Tier 0 technical support - self-sufficiency. Email the following template and any supporting documents to the ABSTUDY Travel and Away from Base SSO5 once the direct SSO referral has been submitted:

We are seeking approval for dependent child (NAME) to travel with their parent/guardian.

Summary of case

• Travel date:
• Approved travellers:
• Travel type:
• Travel destination:
• Permanent home:
• Study location:
• ABSTUDY Award of student:
• Additional costs for ACM/MEA: Yes/No
• Number of nights:
• Unapproved traveller/s and age:
• Has schoolwork been organised for the dependent while away from school? Yes/No, if No provide further explanation:
• Dependent is:
• Under school leaving age
• Vulnerable
• None of the above
• AFB student is:
• in receipt of PPS
• not in receipt of a PPS
• Reason for request: (for example, part of a bulk travel booking, other special requirements/circumstances)

Record details of the request and escalation on the dependent and approved traveller’s bookings.

Has a response been received by the Level 2 helpdesk?

• Yes, and the request has:
• been approved, go to Step 11
• not been approved, go to Step 12
• No, the Booking Status of the dependent traveller is to remain as New until a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk response is received. Procedure ends here

Advise the education provider conducting the Away from Base activity that costs for non-student participation has been approved.

The non-student participants qualify for:

Education provider representative or dependent

• ABSTUDY Fares Allowance
• meals and accommodation
• residential expenses package, or
• travel allowance

Driver or pilot of chartered transport

• meals and accommodation via residential expenses package only

Record details on a DOC on the education provider's record.

Procedure ends here.

Advise the education provider that it is not cost effective to fund non-student Away from Base allowances.

Record details on a DOC on the education provider's record.

Note: the provider can submit an attachment to the submission that provides for reduced costs and it will be considered again. For example, fewer education provider representatives undertaking the travel may reduce costs.