Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA)
NSW Department of Education and Communities administers two financial support programs for eligible families who must board their children away from home to obtain secondary education.
The LAFHA provides assistance to eligible families who must board their children away from home to access secondary education. Essential conditions are:
· The student's home must be in NSW
· The student must be living away from home to attend an appropriate secondary school in NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, or the ACT
· The student must be following a normal secondary course of study.
The basic criteria relate to income and distance. There is also provision for other circumstances such as a medical condition to be considered where relevant.
Boarding Scholarships For Isolated Students
This Scholarship assists eligible students from rural areas who are disadvantaged by a low family income and geographic isolation. Applications for students who receive Assistance for Isolated Children, ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance from Centrelink will not be considered. The scholarship will assist a student who:
• wishes to attend and board at a NSW government agricultural high school.
• wishes to attend a specialist NSW government secondary school that conducts selection procedures and who would need to board away from home to do so.
• needs to board at a school term hostel to access a NSW government secondary school
Applications close early March
More information can be found here
Public Education Foundation Scholarships
These scholarships help students overcome barriers to achievement created by social and economic disadvantage. They help students to cover the extra costs of public schooling and provide them with opportunities to extend their talents and pursue their aspirations. Our scholarships and awards also acknowledge and reward academic excellence.
Apply online via the application portal. For further information, please read the information available for each scholarship on the relevant pages and Scholarship Terms and Conditions.
Youth Development Scholarships
The Department of Communities and Justice is offering scholarships or $1000 to students enrolled in Education or Training in 2025.
You are eligible to apply if you are:
Studying in Year 10, 11 or 12 in NSW at one of the following in 2025:
- NSW high school
- equivalent at a TAFE college
- home schooling
- doing a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
You must also be a social housing client or living in out-of-home care.
More information can be found here.