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Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) eligibility 010-03030000

This document outlines how to determine if a student is eligible for AIC.

Testing eligibility requirements for AIC

Step	Action
1	Residency The student and the AIC applicant must be either: an Australian citizen a Permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen permanently settled in Australia Does the student and the AIC applicant meet one of the above criteria? Yes, go to Step 2 No, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10
2	Age requirements AIC allowances can only be paid for students who either: have reached the minimum primary school entry age for their state or territory; and are either: primary, secondary or ungraded level students under 19 years of age on 1 January of the year of study secondary students undertaking home education and under the minimum age at which the state or territory requires them to be registered for home education tertiary level students and under the minimum age at which the state or territory requires them to participate in education, or receive a concession to the above age limits For further assistance, see Age requirements for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Does the student meet the AIC age requirements? Yes, go to Step 3 No, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10
3	Isolation conditions A student is considered isolated when their family circumstances fall into one of the following categories: Geographical isolation Students with special needs Students deemed to be isolated For further assistance, see Isolation conditions for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Are isolation conditions for AIC met? Yes, go to Step 4 No, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10
4	Approved study To be eligible for AIC, a student must be: enrolled in and undertaking a full-time study load at an approved institution in an approved course, and at an approved level of study For further assistance, see Approved studies for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Is the student enrolled in approved study for AIC? Yes, go to Step 5 No, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10
5	Other Government assistance Is the student or applicant receiving Australian Government assistance that would preclude them from AIC? Yes, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10 No, go to Step 6
6	Custodial or state care AIC allowances are not payable for a student who is in: a custodial institution (such as a prison, remand centre or training school) for the period of their custody, or state authorised care and whose permanent accommodation is financed wholly or substantially by a state or territory government Is the student in a custodial institution or wholly or substantially supported while in state authorised care? Yes, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10 No, go to Step 7
7	Approved Living Arrangement Check if the student is in one of the following living arrangements: Living at home while enrolled in distance education study, undertaking home schooling or other approved study Boarding away from home to have daily access to appropriate education Living in the family's second home to have daily access to appropriate education In one of the above living arrangements but gets DSP or PPS and is undertaking primary or equivalent ungraded study Is the student in one of the above living arrangements? Yes, and the claim was lodged: by 1 March in the year following the study year being claimed, go to Step 9 after 1 March in the year following the study year being claimed, go to Step 8 No, the student is not eligible for AIC, go to Step 10
8	Lodgement date A claim must be lodged by 1 March in the year following the year of study, that the applicant is seeking assistance for, or no allowance is payable for the student. If a customer experiences pre-claim vulnerable circumstances in the 8 weeks prior to contacting the agency about their intent to claim, they get an extra 14 days to submit their claim. They may get an extra 13 weeks to claim in some circumstances. In these cases, the AIC claim lodgement date is the day the applicant contacts Services Australia. For more information, see Intent to claim for vulnerable customers. Has the applicant met late lodgement vulnerability? Yes, go to Step 9 No, go to Step 10
9	Student may be eligible for AIC Tell the customer they may have met the eligibility criteria for AIC. Record details on a DOC and advise the applicant to lodge a claim for AIC. See Initial contact with customers claiming under the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Procedure ends here. If a claim for AIC has already been lodged, see Assessing claims and forms for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).
10	Student not eligible for AIC Tell the customer they have not met the eligibility criteria for AIC. Check eligibility to other Centrelink administered payments for students. Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here. If a claim for AIC has already been lodged, see Assessing claims and forms for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).