ABSTUDY Fares Information for Schools/Hostels

The following information is available for education institutions, boarding schools and hostels that have ABSTUDY secondary school students who live away from their home to study.  It provides detailed information on the Centrelink services provided under ABSTUDY Fares Allowance, as well as information that is relevant when travel needs to be organised for one or more students.

Fares Allowance eligibility for ABSTUDY Secondary School Students

ABSTUDY Fares Allowance covers the cost of specific travel for secondary school students who need to live away from home to attend study, while maintaining contact with their home community.

Students need to be eligible for the Schooling B Award to claim Fares Allowance and must qualify for ABSTUDY Away From Home entitlements.

Types of travel available for ABSTUDY Secondary School Students

Students may be eligible for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance under one or more of the following types of travel:

Commencement and end of studies

Commencement and end of studies travel enables secondary school students to travel from their home to term address to commence study and to return home at the end of the academic year.

School Vacation Travel

School Vacation Travel enables secondary school students to return home to their family during school vacations and return to their study address in the following term.

School Vacation Travel is not available for the Easter break, unless Easter falls over the applicable state or territory school vacation period.  It is not available for long weekends or periods when boarding houses close. Students and families are required to make their own accommodation arrangements for these periods.

Orientation/Special Purpose Visit Travel

Orientation/Special Purpose Visit Travel assists with the entry, orientation or adjustment of a secondary school student at the term address or boarding school. Travel under this provision may be approved for a student:

• to attend an interview before being accepted into a boarding school
• boarding for the first time and from a remote community
• at risk of being expelled because they haven’t adjusted at the school and a visit from their parent/guardian or another person will help stabilise the situation.

Compassionate Travel

Compassionate Travel assists secondary school students to travel home for compassionate reasons, for example:

• critical illness or injury of an immediate family member
• illness or injury of the student
• death or funeral of an extended family member
• if the student is obligated to participate in an Indigenous community activity (special criteria must be meet).

Evidence will need to be supplied to us before compassionate travel can be approved.  A maximum of two return trips per student per year can be approved for compassionate reasons; this includes where a family member has visited the student under compassionate travel provisions.

Organising travel

A representative from an education institution, boarding school or hostel can contact ABSTUDY on 13 2317 to organise travel for an eligible ABSTUDY secondary school student or group of students.  Travel requests must be lodged with ABSTUDY at least six weeks prior to the travel date to ensure adequate time to secure travel arrangements for all ABSTUDY secondary school students travelling within Australia.

All travel arrangements for ABSTUDY travellers are organised through the Department of Human Services.  When travel arrangements have been confirmed, a copy of the travel itinerary will be supplied to the school to ensure students travel on the correct date.

Changing travel

No changes to booked travel will be approved unless exceptional reasons exist.

It is important students travel on the agreed date to avoid any travel penalties. If a student cannot travel due to exceptional circumstances then contact ABSTUDY immediately on 13 2317 to discuss.  We require a minimum of 24 hours notice to cancel travel arrangements on behalf of an ABSTUDY traveller.

Reimbursement of fares paid for by family, school or a third party

We will reimburse costs incurred by family, school or a third party who pay for the journey of an ABSTUDY secondary school student who is qualified for ABSTUDY Fares Allowance. The reimbursement amount will be determined based on the cost of the journey if booked through the Department of Human Services, or the actual cost of the journey, whichever is less.

To claim reimbursement of travel costs, complete and lodge an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claim at your nearest Department of Human Services Service Centre. Evidence of the journey must be supplied with the claim; this may includes tickets, dockets or receipts. ABSTUDY Fares Allowance Claims must be lodged before 1 April in the year following the year of study.

Supervisor travel for young students

ABSTUDY secondary school students under the age of 18 years old are encouraged to travel with a supervisor at all times. Supervisors can be a parent/guardian, community representative, or a representative from the receiving school or hostel.

Students travelling on multiple carriers or for long periods of time between their home and education institution are encourage to travel with a supervisor.  Supervisors assist young students to meet all travel arrangements shown on the travel itinerary, support students during transit periods and during any travel disruptions that may occur due to weather or transport delays.

Supervisor travel covers the cost of the supervisor’s journey, including any accommodation and meals required. It can be booked in advance with ABSTUDY secondary school travel arrangements. However, ABSTUDY cannot cover the cost of wages during any period of supervision of an ABSTUDY student.

Travel restrictions

Interstate travel restrictions apply to secondary school students. This includes whether ABSTUDY can pay for the student to travel to a school located in a different state or territory from the student’s permanent home.

We will only approve travel from the student’s study location to their permanent home, and return to the education institution, boarding school or hostel. Travel to other locations will not be approved.

Weekend travel will not be authorised, unless exceptional circumstances exist or a supervisor is travelling with the student. We cannot support students who experience disrupted travel journeys when travelling on weekends.

Penalties for missed travel

Travel penalties exist for students who miss travel booked in advance through the Department of Human Services.

If an ABSTUDY secondary school student misses travel booked on their behalf for the first time in a calendar year, no travel penalty will be applied. We can organise for travel arrangements to be re-booked for the student.

If an ABSTUDY secondary school student misses travel booked on their behalf for the second time in a calendar year, then:

• the parent/guardian will be required to book and pay for travel arrangements for that student and if eligible, seek reimbursement from us;
• an overpayment of ABSTUDY Fares Allowance may also be raised against the parent/guardian or student if the travel provider has charged us based on the previous booking for the student.

It is important that all ABSTUDY secondary school students travel on the agreed date. Schools should ensure students are fully aware of their travel arrangements and that missed travel can have serious consequences for them and their family. Arranging a supervisor to travel with a student reduces the risk of that student missing their booked travel.

More Information

For further information, please contact us or visit the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR ) website.