The person or institution that incurred the expense for the travel undertaken by the student, or other approved traveller, may submit a claim for Fares Allowance.
Claims for reimbursement of Fares Allowance must be lodged with Centrelink before 1 April in the year after the relevant year of study.
Claims for Graduation Travel or Examination Travel must be submitted within three months of travelling.
Claims for Fares Allowance can only be considered after this time if circumstances beyond the control of the claimant prevented lodgement within the required period and the claim was lodged as soon as practicable.
Fares Allowance entitlements may be provided in respect of the approved traveller in the form of:
- pre-booked or pre-authorised travel, subject to the restrictions for approved travellers who miss booked travel as set out in 91.3; or
- reimbursement of travel costs at the rate of entitlement specified in 90.3.
An approved traveller is considered to have missed booked travel where travel is booked, or a ticket authorised, and the following circumstances apply:
- does not travel; and
- does not advise Centrelink prior to the travel departure that s/he will not be travelling; and
Where an approved tertiary and secondary non-school student traveller or a non-student traveller is considered to have missed booked travel, the approved traveller will not have travel for that journey re-booked or paid for in advance by Centrelink.
Where a secondary school student is considered to have missed booked travel for the first time in a calendar year, no penalty will be applied.
Where secondary school student is considered to have missed booked travel for the second time in a calendar year, the secondary school student will not have travel for that journey re-booked or paid for in advance by Centrelink.
Where an approved traveller is subject to the penalties set out in 91.3.2 and 91.3.3, but still wishes to undertake travel for that journey, the approved traveller will be responsible for booking the travel and purchasing his/her own ticket. Approved travellers who purchase his/her own ticket will be reimbursed for the purchase in the following circumstances:
- the travel provider has not charged Centrelink for the ticket of the missed journey;
- and the approved traveller is able to provide the travel ticket as evidence of the purchase.
With the exception of secondary school students who have missed booked travel for the first time in a calendar year, if an approved traveller is considered to have missed booked travel, and the travel provider charges an amount as a penalty or ticket cost as a result of the approved traveller missing booked travel, this amount is to raised as an overpayment against the approved traveller.
Where an entitlement to reimbursement of travel costs has been approved, payment of the Fares Allowance should be made to the student, third party or institution that incurred the expense.
Payment of Fares Allowance entitlements may be advanced to:
- an education provider or boarding establishment for arrangement of travel; or
- a travel carrier providing chartered services where advance payment is a condition of the charter.
Advance payment of Fares Allowance entitlements is subject to satisfactory acquittal. The requirements of acquittal are detailed in Chapter 96 Payment and Acquittal of Away from Base.
For details of the tax status of Fares Allowance, see Chapter 5 Taxation.
Where payments in excess of entitlement have occurred, refer to Chapter 3 Overpayment and Recovery of Allowances to determine what is a recoverable debt and from whom this amount should be recovered.