Financial help for isolated students

Introduction

Northern Territory (NT) geographically isolated students may be able to get financial help with the costs to:

  • live away from home to attend school, college or university
  • access distance education
  • travel daily in a remote locality to and from school.

The different assistance schemes are listed below.

Read the following:

Student assistance schemes policy PDF (710.6 KB)
Student assistance schemes policy DOCX (659.7 KB)

Student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures PDF (849.5 KB)
Student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures DOCX (791.7 KB)

The below allowances may be available to assist families of eligible students that need to live away from home to attend school.

Boarding in the NT

The Remote Transit Subsidy may provide financial help with the cost of daily transport for your child to and from school.

Read about the Remote Transit Subsidy.

The Distance Education Allowance may provide financial assistance towards the costs associated with educating a preschool, primary, middle or senior student through a recognised NT correspondence or distance education school

Read about the Distance Education Allowance.

You can apply for the Tertiary Fares Reimbursement Scheme if your child attends university or higher education away from home in the NT.

Find out how to apply for the Tertiary Fares Reimbursement Scheme.

Help from the Australian Government

In order to qualify for some NT student assistance schemes, you must first be approved for assistance under the Australian Government's Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme (AIC) or ABSTUDY schemes.

Read more about Australian Government's assistance schemes.

Appeal about a decision

You can submit an appeal about a decision under the student assistance schemes to:

Financial Services
Department of Education
GPO Box 4821
Darwin NT 0801
studentassistance.det@education.nt.gov.au

Appeals that are unable to be resolved may be referred to a director of Financial Services for an internal review.

For more information


Isolated Students Education Allowance for Boarding Facilities

The Isolated Students Education Allowance helps with:

  • supervised educational opportunities including homework supervision
  • recreational and social development.

It's paid direct to boarding facilities.

The allowance can't be used to offset the cost of boarding accommodation.

Who can apply

Eligible boarding facilities must be:

  • based in the Northern Territory (NT)
  • offering specific assistance to boarding students in the areas of homework supervision and recreational and social development.

The funding can only be used for students who meet all of the following conditions:

  • are attending an NT primary, middle or senior school
  • have a custodial parent or guardian that is a resident of the NT
  • have been approved for Basic Boarding Allowance under the Australian Government’s Services Australia Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme.

How to apply

Boarding facilities must submit a claim form each semester by the following dates:

  • semester 1 claims due by 5 July
  • semester 2 claims due by 20 December.

The following supporting information must be submitted with each claim:

  • the student’s current AIC Basic Boarding Allowance statement
  • attendance details for each student in the format specified.

Allowance value

The maximum amount paid per school year to a boarding facility is $3,462.

The amount is reviewed and adjusted annually based on the consumer price index (CPI).


Intrastate Boarding Allowance

Geographically isolated students who live away from home, may be able to get help towards costs to attend a Northern Territory (NT) boarding school.

Who can apply

The student must be:

Read the student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures PDF (849.5 KB) to find out more about the conditions of allowance.

Who can't apply

Students who receive the following assistance are not eligible to claim:

  • ABSTUDY grants
  • students in receipt of Second Home Allowance under the AIC Scheme.

You can find out more about the AIC Scheme and ABSTUDY on the Australian Government's Services Australia website.

How to apply

Get the student assistance form on GrantsNT website.

You must apply:

  • every year by 30 June
  • in the relevant school year.

You must also attach the following  with each application:

  • copy of the student’s current AIC Basic Boarding Allowance statement
  • tax invoice or statement of boarding fees covering the intended claim period, for example evidence of enrolment.
    • fee schedules can't be used as evidence
  • proof of NT residency.

Students attending non-government schools

In addition to the above, you must provide proof of attendance with statutory declaration at the end of semester 2 confirming attendance and details unchanged.

If approved, you will get a on-off payment at the end of semester 1.


Interstate Boarding Allowance

Geographically isolated students who live away from home, may be able to get help towards boarding costs to attend an interstate boarding school.

Who can apply

The student must be:

  • in full-time study
  • in an interstate primary, middle or senior boarding school or institute
  • approved for Basic Boarding Allowance under the Australian Government’s Services Australia Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme.

Read about conditions of allowance in the student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures PDF (849.5 KB).

Who can't apply

Students who receive the following are not eligible to claim:

  • ABSTUDY grants
  • Second Home Allowance under the AIC Scheme.

Find out more about the AIC Scheme and ABSTUDY on the Australian Government's Services Australia website.

How to apply

Get the student assistance form on GrantsNT website.

You must apply:

  • every year by 30 June
  • in the relevant school year.

You will need to attach the following:

  • a copy of the student’s current AIC Basic Boarding Allowance statement
  • a tax invoice or statement of boarding fees covering the intended claim period - for example evidence of enrolment.
    • fee schedules can't be used as evidence
  • proof of NT residency.

Students attending non-government schools

In addition to the above, you must provide proof of attendance with a statutory declaration at the end of semester 2 confirming attendance and details unchanged.

If approved, you will get a one-off payment at the end of semester 1.


Remote Transit Subsidy

You may be able to get help with the daily costs of transporting your child to school if you travel more than 5km in the Northern Territory (NT) and live in a remote locality.

The Remote Transit Subsidy applies from your place of residence to the nearest school or tertiary education facility.

To find out if you live in a remote locality, read the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment Determination 8 of 2015 Remote Locality Provisions PDF (481.2 KB).

Who can apply

The student must:

  • be in full-time study in an NT:
    • primary
    • middle or senior school
    • tertiary education facility
  • live in a remote NT locality more than 5km from their nearest school or nearest point of access to public transport.

To find out more about the conditions of the subsidy, read the student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures PDF (849.5 KB).

How to apply

Get the student assistance form on the GrantsNT website.

You must apply:

  • every year by 30 June
  • in the relevant school year.

You must also attach the following with each application:

  • statement of distance travelled with longitude and latitude, from home to school, institution, or nearest public transport where the student assistance officer cannot determine the location
  • copy of each applicant’s drivers licence covering the intended claim period
  • statutory declaration at the end of semester 2 confirming attendance and applicant details unchanged.

Students attending non-government schools

In addition to the above, you must provide proof of attendance with statutory declaration at the end of semester 2 confirming attendance and details unchanged.

This subsidy will be paid as 2 part payments:

  • automatically at the end of semester 1 for approved applicants only
  • at the end of semester 2 on receipt of approved statutory declaration.

Distance Education Allowance

If your child attends a recognised Northern Territory (NT) correspondence or distance education school, you may be eligible for financial assistance.

The Distance Education Allowance is available to preschool, primary, middle or senior school students.

Who can apply

The student must be:

  • in full-time or preschool equivalent study
  • in a recognised NT correspondence or distance education school
  • approved for the Distance Education Allowance under the Australian Government’s Services Australia  Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme
    • excludes preschool students who must only meet the requirements as they are unable to be approved.

Read the student assistance schemes guidelines and procedures PDF (849.5 KB) to find out more about the conditions of allowance.

Who can't apply

Students who receive the following assistance are not eligible to claim:

  • ABSTUDY grants
  • any other form of financial assistance, for example through the distance education school.

Find out more about the AIC Scheme and ABSTUDY on the Australian Government's Services Australia website.

How to apply

Get the student assistance form on GrantsNT website.

You must apply:

  • every year by 30 June
  • in the relevant school year.

You must also attach the following with each application:

  • copy of students current AIC Distance Education Allowance statement
  • copy of each applicants drivers licence covering the intended claim period
  • statutory declaration at the end of semester 2 confirming applicant details remain unchanged.

If approved, you will get a one-off payment at the end of semester 1.


Tertiary Fares Reimbursement Schemes

If you live away from home to study at a university or higher education, you may be eligible for help with travel costs.

Students who are studying interstate must make sure their course meets the requirements of the Tertiary Fares Reimbursement Schemes.

Find out more about the: