Government Allowances

The Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme helps eligible parents and carers with the extra costs of educating their children when they cannot go to an appropriate government school.

Parents and carers may need to access the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme because they:

• live in an isolated area
• have a disability
• have special health needs.
• If an appropriate government school is not available, the family can choose a different school for the child to attend and they can get financial assistance to assist with the additional costs.

Parents and carers may be able to receive:

• Basic and Additional Boarding Allowances
• Distance Education Allowance
• Second Home Allowance
• Pensioner Education Supplement.
• All allowances under the scheme, except the Additional Boarding Allowance, are free of income and assets tests, but applicants must meet eligibility criteria.

General AIC Scheme information and AIC Scheme Claim forms can be obtained from the Department of Human Services’ Centrelink Services:

at any Service Centre
by telephone on 13 23 18
on the website

The Student Accommodation Allowance provides non-means tested, non-taxable financial assistance to students in Year 11 or 12 who must live away from their usual Tasmanian home in order to study at a Secondary School.

For more information: Call 1800 816 057 or 1800 827 055

Applications forms are available from the Enrolments Office.

The Student Assistance Scheme provides assistance for low-income families towards the cost of levies. STAS is provided through school and college resourcing rather than payment direct to families.

For more information: www.education.tas.gov.au or call 1800 827 055 or email stas@education.tas.gov.au.

Students of Torres Strait Islander or Aboriginal descent may also qualify for assistance through ABSTUDY funding. Please contact Centrelink for information on the assistance available from the Commonwealth Government.

Further information on eligibility and payment rates of ABSTUDY is available on the Department of Human Services website, or by calling the Department of Human Services, ABSTUDY Students and Trainees area, on 1800 132 317.

For other allowances such as Youth Allowance, Study Assist, Austudy, and Pensioner Education Supplement please contact The Department of Human Services website or telephone 13 24 90