Determining the appropriate travel destination for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance (FAA) 010-02100080

FAA is a payment designed to cover the costs incurred by students for specified travel to fully participate in their course of study. A student is normally entitled to FAA only between the permanent home and the study location, although travel to or from a destination other than the permanent home or study location may be approved in certain circumstances.

An Australian Apprentice is not entitled to FAA for the Australian Apprenticeship.

The student's study location is the location where the student normally studies.

Students may be considered to have a temporary change in study location whilst attending a school activity. For further information, see the Process page.

For independent students, the permanent home is the location where the student lived immediately before the commencement or recommencement of the approved course.

For dependent students, the permanent home is the location at which the student's parent/guardian normally resides.

A student's permanent home location will be considered to have changed if:

• the partner of an independent student, who remained at the permanent home whilst the student was residing at the study location, moves permanently to a new location
• the parent(s) or guardian(s) of a dependent student move permanently to a new location
• a student completing or discontinuing their course does not undertake a return journey to the permanent home within 3 months of ceasing study
• a continuing independent student does not return to the permanent home for the long vacation at the end of the study year, or
• a student has applied for and/or obtained rental accommodation through the local State/Territory Housing Authority, or purchased housing

A change in permanent home address may affect the student's future eligibility for FAA. A student who retains eligibility for FAA after a change in permanent home will qualify for travel between the new permanent home and the study location.

If exceptional circumstances exist such that the student should not be regarded as having changed their permanent home, FAA can continue to be payable to, or from, the address the student resided before commencing the course.

In certain circumstances, Services Australia can approve FAA for a journey from, or to, a location other than the permanent home.

The circumstances for the travel must relate to:

• unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, or
• other allowable exceptions (for further information, see the Process page)

Note: travel costs must not exceed the level of FAA entitlement for previously approved travel.

In unforeseen, exceptional circumstances or other allowable exceptions, in consultation with DSS, FAA may be approved under ABSTUDY Additional Assistance where the travel costs exceed the level of FAA entitlement for previously approved travel. See the Process page.

Apart from above, FAA will not be paid, even if the travel location is cheaper than from, or to, their permanent home and study location.

Additional costs for taking an indirect route or for breaking the journey are not included in Fares Allowance unless:

• a break in the journey cannot be avoided or
• where a student is in receipt of a Third Party Indigenous Scholarship and:
• a variation to the usual travel route is required for students to joining a supervised group to travel to their school at the beginning of a school term, and
• the travel route and arrangements are pre-approved by Services Australia as a reasonable variation from the usual travel route