Assessing and finalising claims for the Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) 010-21032424

For a student to be eligible for the TAP, they must meet all of the following:

• commence tertiary study within 12 months immediately following completion of Year 12 or equivalent qualification study. See the Resources page for different examples
• undertake at least 75% of a full-time study load, or an approved 66% concessional study load in a TAP approved tertiary course (Certificate IV and above) over a 12 month period
• be studying a course with a duration of at least 1 academic year. See the Resources page for Determining if course is 1 year in duration for TAP table
• be studying on campus or via blended delivery. Note: customers who have moved to live near and study at a Regional University Study Hub (RUSH) can still qualify for TAP even where their course is online only
• be under 23 years of age on the day they commence the TAP approved tertiary course
• relocate because their family home is at least 90 minutes by public transport from their education provider
• their family home is in an inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote area as per the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). See the Resources page for a link
• Australian residence rules as they apply to YA (students), see Residence assessment for customers claiming Youth Allowance (YA) and Tertiary Access Payment (TAP)
• parent(s)/guardian(s)' combined income is below $250,000 for the relevant tax year

In special circumstances, exemptions may apply to the eligibility criteria.

For TAP purposes:

• only the first successful attempt at Year 12 or equivalent level of education is accepted
• the student must commence tertiary studies within 12 months immediately following completion of their first successful attempt of Year 12. See the Resources page for examples.

When determining whether a student has commenced study or lodged a claim within an appropriate timeframe, disregard any Year 12 equivalent level of education courses that the student completed as part of, or in conjunction with their secondary studies. For example, HSC pathways, where a VET course is undertaken at the same time as Year 11 or Year 12 secondary studies. See the Resources page for examples.

A student does not need to be in receipt of another Social Security Payment to qualify for TAP, nor does another Social Security payment preclude them from TAP. They can qualify for both a Social Security Payment, including the Relocation Scholarship (RS), and TAP.

Students must apply for TAP in the calendar year they start their tertiary course. The calendar year is from 1 January to 31 December, inclusive. See Tertiary Access Payment (TAP).

To assess claims submitted outside the application period, the following must be met:

• the student was unable to submit a claim in the calendar year due to special circumstances beyond their control (they may need to provide evidence), and
• they must contact Services Australia within 14 days after the closing date (31 December of the year immediately following completion of year 12 or equivalent qualification), and
• they must lodge their TAP new claim within 13 weeks from the day they contact Services Australia

There are 2 payment types for students. If their family home address is classified as:

• outer regional, remote or very remote, students will receive a payment of $5,000, paid in 2 instalments, or
• inner regional, students will receive a one off payment of $3,000

The amount and payment dates will depend on which of the above payment amounts the student is eligible for.

The TAP is subject to the Parental Income Test (PIT), and the parent(s)'/guardian(s) combined income must be less than $250,000, for the relevant tax year.

For the purposes of TAP, the parent(s)/guardian(s) is:

• the natural, adoptive or relationship parent(s) of the student, if the student normally lives with them
• the parent and step-parent, if the student normally lives with them
• the person they are dependent on if the student does not normally live with their parent(s) and they are wholly or substantially dependent on someone other than a parent
• the parent they last lived with if the student does not normally live with parent(s) and they are divorced or separated. If that parent has gained a new partner, the step parent's income is not taken into account
• the adoptive parent if the student has a parent under traditional Torres Strait Islander adoption, the birth/natural parent is no longer the parent
• the parent they last lived with if none of the above applies. If that parent has gained a new partner, step parent's income is not taken into account

Note: in shared custody situations, including parents separated under one roof, use the parent with primary care responsibility. In 50/50 shared care situations the student may nominate which parent they want to use.

Generally the relevant tax year is the base tax year, however the current tax year income may be used, where an increase or decrease from the base tax year has occurred.

The TAP will only be payable once the parental income (base or current year) is verified, see documents accepted as evidence of parental income.

Apply the current tax year where:

• combined parental income substantially decreases in the current tax year, and
• the decrease is likely to last for at least two years from the later of 1 January of the current tax year, or the date of the decrease, or
• the first TAP assessment date is from 1 October to 31 December and there is an increase in the combined parental income for the current tax year that exceeds:
• 25% of the base tax year income and 25% of Parental Income Free Area (PIFA)
• Note: the Parental Income Free Area (PIFA) for TAP is the same as for Youth Allowance. See Rates and Thresholds for the current Youth Allowance Parental Income Test (PIT) free area

Unlike other dependent payments, a PIT exemption is not applied where the parent(s)/guardian(s) are in receipt of certain social security benefits, pensions or DVA payments.

TAP students are only exempt from providing their parent(s)/guardian(s) income details to claim TAP in the following circumstances:

• has (or has had) a dependent child
• is an orphan
• parents are unable to exercise parental responsibilities, for example, parents are in prison or a nursing home
• cannot live at home because it is unreasonable to live at home (UTLAH)
• is a refugee
• is in State Care
• Special Adult Status in a traditional community (indigenous only)
• currently have care of another person's child
• 16 years or older, living in an Indigenous community after previously living with a non-indigenous family for more than 2 years (indigenous only)
• are 18 years or over and have been in lawful custody for 6 months

Note: if a student is assessed as independent under a different reason for their income support payment, the parent(s)/guardian(s) income is still required for TAP purposes, unless they also meet one of the above criteria. Examples of other forms of independence for income support that cannot be used for TAP are:

• PSS - worked in full-time employment averaging 30 hours or more per week for at least 18 months during any period of 2 years
• PSC - working full-time for average of at least 30 hours per week for 18 months within a 2 year period including the COVID-19 concession period
• aged 22 years or older and considered independent for other Income Support Payments

To be eligible for TAP the student must have moved away from the family home, and the family home must be located in an area that is:

• inner regional
• outer regional
• remote, or
• very remote

The location of the family home is assessed using the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). See the Resources page for a link to the Student Regional Area search tool to find this information.

There are 4 'Other Territories' defined in the ASGS as a 'Very Remote area' for family home location. As long as all other eligibility criteria have been met, students living in these locations will be eligible for TAP. These locations include:

• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
• Christmas Island
• Jervis Bay
• Norfolk Island

Assessing the TAP family home address depends on whether the student needs to supply their parental income, or if they are exempt from doing so.

For students who are not exempt from providing their parent(s)/guardian(s)' income, the family home:

• is/was the address where the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) reside on the day they commenced the relevant TAP approved course, and
• remains the family home up to the first TAP assessment date

For students who are exempt from providing their parent(s)/guardian(s) income the family home is the place where they resided 6 months before commencing the approved tertiary course.

To meet the relocation eligibility criteria, customers must:

• be studying face to face, or in dual delivery method, for at least part of the course duration or be a registered student at a Regional University Study Hub (RUSH), and
• be studying at an education provider, which is at least 90 minutes travel time from the TAP family home, including via public transport. This includes walking time and waiting times between different modes of transport or legs of a journey

Customers who have moved to live near and study at a Regional University Study Hub (RUSH) can still qualify for TAP, even where their course is online only. The customer must still meet the 90 minute travel time criteria. See the Resources page for a link to the Regional University Study Hub (RUSH) website.

Students can relocate for tertiary studies any time in the year immediately after completing Year 12 and still meet the relocation eligibility. However, they must relocate before completing their first year of study in their tertiary course. For example, if a student starts their course in Semester 1 and does not relocate until Semester 2, they may still be eligible for TAP if they relocate before the end of Semester 2. This applies if they meet all other TAP eligibility criteria and lodge their claim on or after the date they relocated. See Resources for more examples.

To meet TAP eligibility, students must start their tertiary studies within 12 months following completion of their first successful attempt at Year 12 or equivalent qualification.

Providing all other eligibility criteria is met, a student will be eligible for TAP if they:

• complete a non-TAP approved course in Semester 1 and enrol in a TAP approved course in Semester 2, or
• do not study in Semester 1 and enrol in a TAP approved course in Semester 2, or
• stop studying or defer their course (as long as they were enrolled on their first or second assessment date and provide evidence of their enrolment)

The tertiary course must be:

• a nationally accredited Certificate IV level course or above,
• one academic year duration or longer (See the Resources page for Determining if course is 1 year in duration for TAP table), and
• at a full-time study load of at least 75% or an approved 66% concessional study load over a 12 month period

Note: a course may be approved for TAP even it is not approved for Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.

Check the National Course Approvals sub-site:

• to ensure the course is approved for TAP
• for a directory of education providers, and
• for information about the courses they provide

If the National Course Approvals sub-site lists both the education provider and the course as:

• approved and the normal full-time course duration is one academic year or longer, the course is approved for TAP
• not approved or the education provider and/or course is not listed, create a referral to a Course Assessment and Liaison Officer. See Referrals to Course Assessment and Liaison Officers (CALOs)

Students who are not undertaking full-time study may still be eligible for TAP where they are undertaking an approved concessional study load of at least 66%, in line with the YA concessional study load rules. See Assessing concessional study loads for Youth Allowance (YA) or Assessing the two-thirds study load concession for ABSTUDY).

In all other circumstances, the student must be undertaking study of at least 75% of the full-time study load over a 12 month period to be eligible for TAP.

If a student chooses to aggregate their study load, they will only meet the study requirements for TAP if:

• the student is able to enrol over the entire aggregation period at the start of the period
• the study load over the aggregation period is 75% (or concessional percentage) of the normal full-time study
• they must be enrolled full-time in the first semester, 0.500 Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL), and
• the shorter periods that make up the aggregation period must be consecutive

For TAP purposes, only accept aggregation of study if the student is enrolled full-time in their first semester and part-time in their second. For example, a student must be full-time 0.500 Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) in semester 1 and part-time 0.250 Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) in semester 2 to meet aggregation requirements.

After lodging a claim, and before receiving the first instalment, the student needs to confirm if there is a change in:

• study information, including study load, duration, course details or provider
• parental information, including changes to parental income or circumstances (partnered/separated)
• address details, including:
• address while studying
• returning to the family home
• family home location

After receiving the first instalment and before the second instalment, the student only needs to advise if study information changes.

A student can update their study and address details online through their Centrelink online account via myGov.

Updating parental information, requires completing a SY105 - Tertiary Access Payment parent(s)/guardian(s) details form. The SY105 form is part of the SY104 form and is not available as a stand-alone form. Print the SY105 section of the SY104 to issue to customers. The SY104 is available within Online Forms on the Intranet. See the Resources page for a link.

Parental income already verified for another income support payment, can be accepted for TAP.

A MOD JY - Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details form, provided by the customer for another payment can also be used for TAP, however this form should not be issued to a TAP customer as it collects additional information irrelevant to the TAP payment.