Government school/s that offers tuition at the student’s level may be disregarded for the purposes of assessing reasonable access to an appropriate education institution for a secondary school student if:
- the student has been previously approved for Away from Home entitlements; and
- the student no longer meets the conditions for approval for Away from Home entitlements due to a change in circumstances; and
- the student continues attending at the same education institution; and
- it would be unreasonable to break continuity of study.
Note: Students who were eligible for Away from Home entitlements because they were receiving an independent school scholarship cannot continue to receive this assistance under the continuity of study provisions should they cease to hold the scholarship.
Government school/s that offers tuition at the student’s level may be disregarded for the purposes of assessing reasonable access to an appropriate education institution for a secondary school student if:
- the student remains enrolled in the same course at the same institution; and
- it would be unreasonable to break continuity of study; and
- as a result of a change in their circumstances or in policy, the student will, in less than 12 months, be eligible for Away from Home entitlements.
Examples of situations where this provision may be used are:
- a family move to an isolated area; or
- the discontinuation of a school bus service.
In relation to 32.1 Continuity of Study Provisions, it is considered unreasonable to break continuity of study:
- at any time during a school or academic year; or
- if the State/Territory authorities regard continuity of schooling between Years 9 and 12 to be at least highly desirable.
Special continuity of study concessions apply to Year 12 students who were receiving Living Allowance at the Away from Home rate until the end of the previous year. These concessions are intended to ensure that these students are not adversely affected by a change in parental income. The student may continue to receive Living Allowance at the Away from Home rate until the end of the year or until s/he discontinues study in that year, if the student:
- is undertaking Year 11 or 12; and
- was receiving Living Allowance at the Away from Home rate until the end of the previous year; and
- continues attending at the same school; and
- would become ineligible for Living Allowance due to the application of the Parental Income Test.
Where a student has been approved for Away from Home entitlements under the Continuity of Study provisions and accordingly remains a student at the same school, their entitlements are as follows:
- where the student now has reasonable access to this school, Group 2 School Fees Allowance may continue to be paid up to the limit of the entitlement previously approved;
- where the student does not have reasonable access to this school, both Living Allowance (plus Rent Assistance where applicable) and Group 2 School Fees Allowance may continue to be paid up to the limit of the entitlement previously approved.
- where the permanent home is not within reasonable travelling time/distance (as set out in Chapter 26.2 and 26.3) of the school, the student is entitled to Fares Allowances, including that for interstate travel, if required.