Reimbursing fares and additional costs after travel has been undertaken for ABSTUDY 010-02100050

Applicants (student, parent/guardian or third party who incurred the cost) enquiring about claiming Fares Allowance (FAA) reimbursement or additional costs associated with travel already undertaken need to lodge an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) form to assess FAA eligibility.

Has the applicant (student, parent/guardian or third party who incurred the cost) lodged an ABSTUDY FAA Claim (SY032) form?

• Yes:
• Telephony Service Officers, go to Step 2
• Travel Service Officers, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 7

Access the Travel Management Application. Has the applicable FAA reimbursement claim already been assessed?

• Yes, advise applicant of the outcome. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

See Completing the ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032).

Has the SY032 been completed in full and all required information to assess the claim been provided?

• Yes, advise the claimant the FAA claim will be assessed as soon as possible
• No, advise the applicant to lodge the required documentation so an assessment can be made

Note: if the completed SY032 is not ‘open’ for allocation in Workload Manager, send a Fast Note to the ABSTUDY Travel Team. Use the Fast Note - select Auto text, use Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Fares Allowance > Fares Allowance ACTDOC add in the keyword ABY to be updated.

Procedure ends here.

ABSTUDY FAA claims must be lodged by the relevant closing date. See Start and closing date for ABSTUDY claims.

Has the applicant (student, parent/guardian or third party who incurred the cost) lodged the ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) form by the relevant closing date, or been granted an extension of time to lodge their claim?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, see Step 10 in Table 2

Is the traveller eligible for ABSTUDY FAA?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, see Step 10 in Table 2

Approved travellers will not qualify for FAA reimbursement if:

• They have utilised frequent flyer points or other reward points to undertake their trip and are seeking reimbursement of FAA.
  FAA may be reimbursed for a non-frequent flyer portion of a fare where evidence is provided. For example, an approved traveller booked a flight using a combination of frequent flyer points and payment
• Quotes or purchase orders are lodged
• Travel was organised directly with a travel carrier or travel agent on the provision ABSTUDY would reimburse these costs directly to the provider

Note: FAA reimbursement can only be paid if proof of payment for travel arrangements has been provided. Paid tax invoices, receipts and/or travel tickets must be lodged as proof of payment and travel completion.

Does the approved traveller meet one or more of the above?

• Yes, see Step 10 in Table 2
• No, see Step 1 in Table 2

Advise the applicant to complete the ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim (SY032) with details of the journey undertaken and/or additional costs associated with the travel.

The Resources page contains a link to online forms.

The cost of travel together with any additional costs associated with travel may be reimbursed after the journey.

Note: FAA reimbursement may still occur where:

• student and/or non-student traveller meets eligibility criteria for FAA, but
• travel has not been able to be undertaken due to unforeseen and exceptional circumstances, and
• travel costs have been incurred

If the applicant is:

• claiming for the cost of the travel, go to Step 2
• only claiming for additional costs, go to Step 7

If an approved traveller has not taken a direct route home or back to their study location, they may only receive FAA entitlement to cover the appropriate mode of transport for that journey.

Has the approved traveller travelled to/from an appropriate travel destination via an appropriate mode of transport?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 5

Was the appropriate mode of transport a private motor vehicle?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No, the approved traveller is eligible for reimbursement as per the costs of the tickets lodged with their claim. See the Resources page for examples of reimbursing ticket costs. Go to Step 6

The applicant must provide evidence the journey has been undertaken. Evidence may include:

• petrol receipts, however, they are not to be used when calculating the rate of MVA
• attendance sheet or statement from the institution confirming the approved traveller's attendance
• Away from Base acquittal form confirming the approved traveller's attendance

See the References page for MVA rates and the Resources page for examples to assist with calculation and a link to determine engine capacity where engine capacity is not stated.

Has the applicant provided proof of the journey?

• Yes, the approved traveller will be eligible for reimbursement as per the current Motor Vehicle Allowance (MVA) rates. Go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 10

A quote must be obtained for the appropriate mode of transport.

The applicant is eligible for reimbursement as per the cost of the appropriate mode of transport quote obtained, or the cost of the ticket paid - whichever is cheaper. See Resources page for examples of reimbursing ticket costs.

Go to Step 6.

Were there costs associated with the travel (such as transport terminal transfers or accommodation costs)?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

To determine if the additional costs are approved, see Additional costs associated with travel for ABSTUDY.

Are the additional costs approved?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 8

Advise the applicant the additional costs are not approved and they will not be reimbursed for these costs.

Was the claim for additional costs only?

• Yes, go to Step 10
• No, go to Step 9

Calculate the total amount of FAA and/or additional costs to be reimbursed.

See Coding Fares Allowance (FAA) reimbursements and Away from Base entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) to code the reimbursement in the Travel Management Application (TMA).

Note: applicants requesting an Urgent Payment of their FAA must meet the usual eligibility requirements to receive an immediate payment, that is, unusual and unforeseen circumstances.

Procedure ends here.

The applicant is not eligible for FAA reimbursement. See Coding Fares Allowance (FAA) reimbursements and Away from Base entitlements for ABSTUDY and ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) to code the rejection in the Travel Management Application (TMA).