The following types of specified travel are available under the provisions of Fares Allowance:
The purpose of travel at the commencement and end of a study period is to enable a student to travel between the permanent home and the term address.
To qualify for travel at the commencement and end of the study period, the student must meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1.
Where a student qualifies for travel at the commencement and end of the study period, the entitlement is for:
- one single journey from the permanent home to the term address at the commencement of study for the year; and
- one single journey from the term address to the permanent home at either:
- the discontinuation of study for a year; or
- the completion of the study for the year.
Travel prior to the commencement of the course may be approved where a student can demonstrate a reasonable need to do so, e.g. to secure rental accommodation.
Continuing students must return to their permanent home address at the conclusion of study for the year to continue to qualify for Fares Allowance. If the student does not return to the permanent home, it would normally be assumed that s/he remained at the study location for reasons other than for study and, in these circumstances, has established her/his permanent home at the term address.
This return journey must be undertaken within three months of ceasing studies for the year.
The purpose of school vacation travel is to enable a secondary school student to be reunited with her/his family during school vacations.
To qualify for school vacation travel, the student must:
- meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1; and
- be a secondary school student.
Where a student qualifies for school vacation travel during the academic year, s/he is entitled to one return journey between the permanent home and the term address to coincide with each of the term vacations to a maximum of three per academic year. In Tasmania, which has three school terms, this includes the Easter break.
The purpose of tertiary and secondary non-schooling travel for study of more than one semester duration is to enable a tertiary or secondary non-schooling student to be reunited with her/his family during the academic year.
To qualify for tertiary and secondary non-schooling travel, the student must:
- meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1; and
- be undertaking tertiary level or secondary non-schooling study; and
- be living away from the permanent home for a period greater than one semester; and
- not be precluded under the rule set out in 89.4.2.1.
Tertiary and secondary non-schooling travel cannot be approved for a student or his/her dependants where s/he has elected to receive Fares Allowance for dependant(s) to travel to the term address under the dependant traveller provisions.
Where a student qualifies for tertiary and secondary non-schooling travel, s/he is entitled to one return journey between the permanent home and the term address. This journey may be taken at any time after the date on which the student commences study and before the date on which the student ceases study.
The purpose of compassionate travel is to enable students to return from their term address to their permanent home for compassionate reasons. In certain circumstances, a close family member may instead visit an ill or injured student at the term address.
To qualify for compassionate travel, a student must:
Where a student has received Fares Allowance for a dependant to travel with them to the study location, the dependant is also eligible for compassionate travel where it is necessary for them to return home with the student.
Students attending an Away from Base activity are not eligible for compassionate travel but may use their return trip prior to the end date of the activity.
Where a student meets the conditions for approval of compassionate travel, a close family member may, in certain circumstances, be approved to visit the student at the term address. See 88.3 family member travellers.
Where a student has been approved for compassionate travel, s/he is entitled to one return journey between the term address and the permanent home.
A maximum of two return trips per student per year can be approved under compassionate travel entitlements. This maximum includes any instances where a family member has visited the student at the term address under the compassionate travel provisions.
Circumstances justifying travel for compassionate reasons include:
- the critical illness or injury of an immediate family member, i.e. parent/guardian, parent substitute, grandparent, sibling, partner, child, or partner's parent or child; or
- an illness or injury of the student that requires the student to return home; or
- the death or funeral of an extended family member; or
- where the student comes from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community that observes Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander law or kinship obligations, a requirement for the student to participate in a community activity under these law or kinship obligations.
The purpose of examination travel is to enable students to attend examinations for the approved course.
To qualify for examination travel, a student must:
- meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1; and
- either:
- be required to take a supplementary or deferred examination; or
- be required to travel to a location other than the normal place of residence to sit examinations.
A full-time tertiary or secondary non-school student would be expected to remain at the place of study until the end of their participation in the normal examination period and would therefore only qualify for examination travel for unexpected supplementary or deferred examinations.
Where a student has been approved for examination travel, s/he is entitled to one return journey between the permanent home and the examination centre for each approved examination or set of examinations.
The purpose of Graduation Travel is to enable students to attend a graduation ceremony to graduate from a course of study.
To qualify for graduation travel, a student must meet the following criteria:
- completed a tertiary course that is equivalent to a course of at least two years full-time duration, for which s/he received ABSTUDY assistance; or
- completed a postgraduate degree for which s/he received ABSTUDY assistance; and
- s/he was approved for Fares Allowance under ABSTUDY to undertake his/her course away from his/her permanent home; or
- s/he was approved for Fares Allowance under ABSTUDY to undertake his/her course through a combination of external studies and face-to-face teaching; or
- s/he was approved for travel assistance under DEST's Indigenous Education Programmes to undertake his/her course through mixed-mode studies.
If, for the duration of his/her course, a student only received ABSTUDY Fares Allowance entitlements in order to participate in a placement, field trip or testing and assessment program under the provisions of Away from Base activities travel, s/he is not eligible for graduation travel.
Where a student has been approved for graduation travel to graduate from a course of study, s/he is entitled to one return journey within Australia between his/her permanent home and the location of the graduation ceremony. Travel is paid at no more than the equivalent rate to which the student was entitled to during the course of study.
There are no meals and accommodation allowances payable for graduation travel except where the journey must be broken - see 90.7.3 Overnight Accommodation.
The purpose of Masters and Doctorate relocation travel is to assist a Masters/Doctorate student, and his/her partner and dependent child/ren, to travel to their new permanent home at the place of study. This entitlement is part of the Relocation Allowance payable to students on an approved Masters and Doctorate Award.
To qualify for Masters and Doctorate relocation travel, a student must:
- meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1; and
- meet the qualifications for Masters and Doctorate Allowances set out in 97.2; and
- be travelling to the study location in order to establish a new permanent home address.
Where a student has been approved for Masters and Doctorate relocation travel, the student, his/her partner and dependent child/ren are entitled to a one-way journey from their existing permanent home to the study location.
The purpose of orientation or special purpose visit travel is to assist in the entry, orientation or adjustment of a student to a term location, so that the away from home placement may be effective. It is expected that travel would be required in the student’s first term/semester only.
To qualify for orientation or special purpose visit travel, the following criteria must be met:
- the student meets the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.1; and
- one of the following apply:
- a secondary school, or boarding facility, requires prospective students to attend interviews or other selection procedures prior to acceptance; or
- the secondary school student is intending to board away from home for the first time and is either:
- from a remote Aboriginal community; or
- from a town in a remote location AND it is likely that the student would experience serious problems of adjustment; or
- a secondary school student in a boarding placement is under threat of expulsion because of serious problems of adjustment or similar circumstances and a visit is expected to stabilise the situation; or
- the student has completed secondary studies in the previous year and is intending to study in an approved tertiary course of at least one year's duration.
Note: Secondary school students intending to board away from home for the first time may not have had their enrolment confirmed.
Where a student would be approved for orientation/special purpose visit travel, a representative from the education institution may, in certain circumstances, be approved to visit the student at the student’s permanent home address. See 88.6 Education Institution Representative Travellers.
Where a student would be approved for orientation/special purpose visit travel, a family member may be approved to either accompany the student to the term address or visit the student at the term address. See 88.3 Family Member Travellers.
A student is considered to be experiencing serious problems of adjustment where any or all of the following apply:
- prolonged homesickness;
- poor attendance at classes;
- behavioural problems which affect the student's academic performance; and/or
- behavioural problems that are in serious breach of the school's or boarding education institution's standards of behaviour.
Where approval has been given for orientation or special purpose visit travel, the student and/or other approved traveller are entitled to one return journey between the home community and term address.
The purpose of Away from Base activity travel is to enable a student to participate in an approved Away from Base activity, such as a selection test or interview programme, residential school, field trip or placement.
To qualify for Away from Base activity travel, the following criteria must be met:
- the student must meet the qualifications for Fares Allowance set out in 87.2.2;
- the student must meet the qualifications for Away from Base assistance set out in 92.3; and
- the student must be participating in an approved Away from Base activity.
Where student/s would be approved for Away from Base activity travel in order to participate in a Testing and Assessment programme or residential school, a representative from the education institution may instead be approved to visit the student/s’ home community to undertake the Away from Base activities. See 88.5 Education Institution Representative Travel.
Where a student is approved for Away from Base activity travel, s/he is entitled to:
-
for field trips:
- where the student is living at his/her permanent home, one return journey between the permanent home and the field trip location; or
- where the student is living at his/her term address, one return journey between the institution location and the field trip location; or
Where an education institution conducting a residential school arranges accommodation at an off-campus location, Fares Allowance may cover the cost of transport between the place of accommodation and the education provider provided that:
- there is no suitable and convenient form of public transport; and
- the education institution arranges the transport; and
- the costs of the transport are reasonable and can be justified.