Initial contact with customers claiming under the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme 010-03010010

AIC is available for primary, secondary and certain tertiary students who are unable to attend an appropriate state school because of geographic isolation or special health-related or educational needs.

The purpose of AIC is to provide assistance to geographically isolated families in recognition that families living in areas without access to appropriate schools incur extra education costs.

The applicable allowance for a student will normally reflect the student's living arrangements while they are studying. If the student:

• boards away from home - Boarding Allowance (BA)
• lives in a second home - Second Home Allowance (SHA)
• lives at home while studying by distance education - Distance Education Allowance (DED)
• needs to board for short periods during the year - short-term Boarding Allowance
• is undertaking primary level study and boards away from home, lives in a second home or lives at home while studying by distance education but receives Disability Support Pension (DSP) or Parenting Payment (PP) (single) - Pensioner Education Supplement (PES)

Customers (usually the parent or guardian of the student) can submit their documents online, send the forms directly to Services Australia postal (reply paid) address, by fax or lodge them at any service centre.

Claims should be lodged with the required supporting documentation as listed in the Notes of the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (SY040) form as soon as possible before the closing date. The Resources page contains a link to the form.

Prior to 14 October 2021, to qualify for payment for the year of study, a claim must be lodged by 31 December of that year. Claims received after 31 December will not be approved for payment of AIC.

From 14 October 2021, to qualify for payment for the year of study, a claim must be lodged by 1 March in the year following that for which assistance is sought. Claims received after 1 March in the year following that for which assistance is sought, will not be approved for payment of AIC, unless claimants meet the Intent to claim and vulnerable customers provisions.