Assistance for Isolated Children's Scheme
The Assistance for Isolated Children's Scheme is administered by Centrelink (Department of Human Services). It provides financial assistance for parents and carers of students who cannot attend their nearest state school because of geographical isolation, disability or special health needs.
Parents and Carers may receive basic boarding allowance, distance education supplement, second home allowance, pensioner education supplement and possibly additional boarding allowance.
These payments are usually free of income and assets tests and can be paid directly to the school.
If you think you may be eligible please contact Centrelink for more information, visit their website or talk to our School Administration Manager for more details.
Link to Centrelink AIC Website: AIC information and forms
Federal Assistance For Isolated Childrens Allowance
A student is eligible if one of the following rules is met:
• Home is at least 56km from the nearest government school
• Home is at least 16km from the nearest government school and at least 4.5km from the nearest government transport service to that school
• The student does not have reasonable daily access to the school for at least 20 days of the school year or the return journey to school exceeds three hours travelling time.
If the student meets one of the above rules, they are eligible for a non means tested Boarding Allowance. There is no asset testing on this allowance.
• The allowance may be paid directly to the school and deducted from the term fees or to the parents. (Note: For Boarding Scholarships for Isolated Students Scholarship holders, this allowance must be directed to the school)
• Assistance for Isolated Children is paid quarterly in advance.
• Keep copies of all documentation and measure distances carefully as they will be checked.
• Applications are made to Centrelink.
• Assistance for Isolated Children is an access payment, not a welfare payment.
Closing date for applications for the full year - 31st March
Visit https://guides.dss.gov.au/aicsg for more information.
Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA)
Criteria
• Meets the means test
• Home is at least 48km from the nearest government school
Note: A student who does not meet the 48km rule and cannot study Agriculture at their local school in the required grade may be deemed eligible for the allowance if they take two agricultural subjects
A student may receive the Assistance for Isolated Children as well as the NSW Living Away from Home Allowance if they meet both criteria. Family Tax Benefit will be paid for a student in receipt of Living Away from Home Allowance.
Apply before 30th June to obtain the full allowance.
Applications not accepted after 30th September.
Visit ServiceNSW for more information.
Youth Allowance
• A student cannot receive Assistance for Isolated Children or Abstudy as well as Youth Allowance.
• You can receive Youth Allowance and Living Away from Home Allowance.
• Youth Allowance is means and assets tested. In addition, if the family is in a partnership, trust or company, they are also subjected to an Actual Means Test.
• Youth Allowance starts from the date the application is received. It will not be backdated.
• Apply approximately two weeks before the students 16th birthday.
• If eligible for $1 a week Youth Allowance, you are then eligible for Rent Assistance based on the rent payable. In boarding schools this relates to of the boarding fee.
• Actual means test determines the level of support available to the students.
• Youth Allowance is paid fortnightly and cannot be paid by the term in advance.
• Family Tax Benefit will not be paid for a student in receipt of Youth Allowance.
Applications are made to Centrelink.
Bush Children's Education Foundation
These bursaries are structured to supplement the financial assistance provided by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments. These include the Assistance for Isolated Students, Youth Allowance, Living Away from Home Allowance and Boarding Scholarships for Isolated Students. The principle type of assistance for secondary school students is
• Boarding bursaries - $1000.00 per annum to subsidise a student’s accommodation. These are paid directly to the school each half year.
Application criteria:
• Geographic isolation from schools and services
• Family income and assets. The latest available Australian Taxation Office Notice of Assessment must be forwarded with the application form. Do not send the tax return.
• Other special and exceptional circumstances including medical cases.
• Students from remote border areas (VIC, SA and QLD) may apply but must attend a country school in NSW.
Application forms made available to the school in November and must be received by the Foundation by early February.
Visit BCEF for more information
ABSTUDY
Provides financial assistance to students identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Travel and other special assistance is also available to eligible students. State that the child is at Boarding School.
Applications are made to Centrelink.
An Abstudy Helpline is available - Telephone 132317