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You are here: ABSTUDY > 7
Benefits and Allowances > 7.2 School Term Allowance
This chapter contains details about School Term Allowance.
Summary table
The table below summarises the School Term Allowance
|
Feature of Allowance |
Details |
|
Availability |
Schooling A Award applicants |
|
Purpose |
To assist with expenses associated with equipping the student for school, eg uniforms, textbooks, materials. |
|
Eligibility conditions |
|
| Applicant | Applicant is the dependent student's parent(s)/guardian(s). |
|
Rate |
$540.80 a year |
|
Payments period |
Four instalments as follows:
|
|
Other entitlement features |
Entitlement established by commencement of study in the term. |
|
Payment features |
|
|
Taxation status |
Non taxable. |
|
Indexation status |
Not indexed. |
Students on ABSTUDY Schooling A awards may qualify for a School Term Allowance subject to eligibility as detailed in this topic.
The purpose of the School Term Allowance is to assist with expenses associated with equipping the student for school, eg uniforms, textbooks and materials.
School Term Allowance may be approved for a term if the student meets the award eligibility criteria, is of dependent status and satisfies one of the following criteria:
These criteria are described below.
Prescribed forms of Commonwealth Government assistance, referred to above are:
Note: An applicant, or applicant’s partner, does not need to actually receive one of the forms of Commonwealth Government assistance listed above - eligibility for School Term Allowance is on the basis of qualifying for the assistance. Also see 6.2.2.4.
Students may be approved for this allowance if they are under the minimum school leaving age (see Policy Manual 5.5.1.3) but who, because of their circumstances, would be expected to meet the other ABSTUDY criteria as a homeless student, an orphan or a student whose parents cannot exercise parental responsibilities (see Policy Manual 5.3.4.7, 5.3.4.10 and 5.5).
Students may be approved for this allowance if they are under the minimum school leaving age (see Policy Manual 5.4.1.3) but who have been placed in substitute care through a State, or Territory welfare authority or through legal process. In such cases, the foster parent’s circumstances are not taken into account.
To be eligible, a parent/guardian must be receiving the CDEP wage as a participant of the CDEP project (or for training purposes), not as the administrator of the project.
Note: An applicant of a continuing student may be eligible for maintained entitlements. For the entitlement to be maintained, the student’s parent/guardian must have been receiving a CDEP wage continuously since being assessed correctly as eligible for, and receiving, the Term 4 School Term Allowance payment in 1996.
When one or both of the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) has a current Health Care Card, School Term Allowance may be approved for the period of the issue of the card. This does not apply where a parent/guardian has a Health Care Card because the child disability allowance is received. There is no eligibility for School Term Allowance if a Card is cancelled and no longer valid.
The annual entitlement of School Term Allowance is $540.80 which is paid to the applicant in four quarterly instalments.
The entitlement periods for School Term Allowance are listed in the table below.
|
Term |
Entitlement Period |
|
Term 1 |
1 January - 31 March |
|
Term 2 |
1 April - 30 June |
|
Term 3 |
1 July - 30 September |
|
Term 4 |
1 October - 31 December |
Entitlement for the term is established when the student commences study in the period for which the payment is made.
If claims are received in time School Term Allowance instalments are paid 1-2 weeks prior to the commencement of term. This is consistent with the purpose of the allowance since expenses associated with equipping the student for the term will generally be incurred at or prior to commencement of study.
The School Term Allowance is paid in four instalments which correspond to the quarters of the year.
The pay-dates and amounts of each instalment are listed in the table below.
|
Term |
Amount |
Date |
|
Term 1 |
$187.20 |
Before Term 1 commences |
|
Term 2 |
$83.20 |
Before Term 2 commences |
|
Term 3 |
$187.20 |
Before Term 3 commences |
|
Term 4 |
$83.20 |
Before Term 4 commences |
Only in exceptional circumstances is it possible to advance an instalment of School Term Allowance before the normal payment date. These circumstances are:
Refer to Policy Manual 7.1.2 to identify the responsible payee where an overpayment of this allowance has been made.
The School Term Allowance is non taxable.
The School Term Allowance is not indexed.
Where a student turns 16 years of age during a term, s/he will be entitled to a pro rata School Term Allowance for the period leading up to the date of the birthday. Living Allowance entitlement may commence from the date of the 16th birthday.
There is no entitlement to a term’s payment where a dependent student does not commence in the term.
No overpayment has incurred where a dependent student commences, but leaves during the term.
The table below lists what occurs when, during a term, a student previously assessed as eligible for away from home benefits, returns home from boarding and becomes eligible for School Term Allowance
|
If... |
then... |
|
Living Allowance has been paid for the full term to the boarding institution and under the conditions of enrolment will not be refunded |
there will be no overpayment of Living Allowance but entitlement to School Term Allowance for that term will be forfeited. |
|
Living Allowance has been paid to an applicant or private board-provider |
entitlement to Living Allowance is to be assessed on a pro rata basis. |
|
for the period after boarding ceased, Living Allowance is either not paid or is refunded by the payee |
the student will be entitled to School Term Allowance provided s/he commences school at the home location in that term. |
Students previously receiving the School Term Allowance who qualify for Living Allowance cease to be eligible for the School Term Allowance.
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