Completing the ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) 010-02100010

ABSTUDY Fares Allowance (FAA) is payable for eligible ABSTUDY customers who have to live away from their permanent home to study or are participating in an approved Away From Base activity.

Fares Allowance may be reimbursed on submission of an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance claim (SY032) from:

• a student incurring expenses for their own travel
• a parent/guardian or third party incurring expenses for themselves and/or a student/s, or
• an education provider or third party organisation incurring expenses for students or non-student travellers

Note: if a claimant incorrectly submits a Claim for Fares Allowance Tertiary student only form (SY005), this form can be accepted and processed for an ABSTUDY fare reimbursement.

The applicant may be eligible for reimbursement of travel, accommodation, meals and transfers for all travel undertaken. Travel must not have been organised directly with a travel carrier or travel agent on the provision that ABSTUDY will reimburse these costs. Travel costs must have been paid for by the applicant for FAA reimbursement to be approved.

The amount of FAA payable depends on the mode of transport to which the customer is assessed as being entitled. Generally it is the cheapest and most practical mode of transport available, and what is reasonable in the circumstances. This is regardless of the mode of travel actually used by the customer, including the route that they take to travel back to their permanent home or their term address. Entitlement is assessed at a concessional rate if the customer is eligible for that concession, whether or not a concessional fare was used.

Additional costs associated with travel, such as transport terminal transfer, excess baggage and overnight accommodation may also be reimbursed after the travel has been undertaken. However, costs incurred for taking an indirect route or for breaking the journey unnecessarily are not included.

The form is used to claim for reimbursement of the cost of journey/s that a customer has already completed. Customers need to lodge an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance claim (SY032) by the relevant closing dates. Exceptional circumstances can be considered for the late claims.

• All relevant questions on the claim should be answered
• The claim must be signed by the claimant
• Customers can fill in form digitally where they have access to a computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader, or a similar program
• If customers cannot complete the form digitally, they need to:
• print it out
• complete it by hand, and
• return it to Services Australia following the instructions on the form
• A separate sheet can be attached to the claim form if reimbursement is for:
• More than one student or non-student traveller, or
• If the applicant is applying for reimbursement of more than 2 journeys
• Evidence of travel such as tickets, tax invoices and receipts will need to be provided for all travellers. Note: travel quotes or purchase orders are not considered proof of payment and travel completed. There is also space on the form to explain why such evidence cannot be provided

If Fares Allowance reimbursement is for multiple travellers then an invoice detailing student name(s), dates and destination of the journey, as well as the reason for travel (for example, start of study) and the mode of transport used for transporting students must be submitted with the claim.

When helping customers complete a claim form, Service Officers must not make any notations, underline or make comments of any sort on a claim form that is to be signed by the claimant and lodged with Services Australia. Instead, any notations or explanations to questions on a claim form should be made on a separate sheet of paper and attached to the customer’s claim form.

An Australian Apprentice is not entitled to Fares Allowance for the Australian Apprenticeship.