You can claim ABSTUDY for 2021 now

ABSTUDY helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with the costs of studying from high school through to uni. You may get help with your child’s school fees as well as boarding and travel costs.

If your child is moving away for high school, you may be eligible for several benefits. You may get 1 or both of the following:

• ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance higher rate
• ABSTUDY Living Allowance.

If your child will be living at home for high school, you may be eligible for 1 or both of the following:

• ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance at home rate
• ABSTUDY School Term Allowance.

Claim early

It’s a good idea to get your child’s ABSTUDY claim in early. This is important if your child’s moving away from home to study and you want help with their travel costs. Once we approve your child’s ABSTUDY claim, we can help to organise travel for them and a traveling companion.

If your child is under 16 years old, you can claim on their behalf. You can claim ABSTUDY over the phone. You only need to claim once, even if you get more than 1 ABSTUDY payment.

We’ll let you know if you need to send us any supporting documents.

You can claim ABSTUDY now by calling the ABSTUDY line.

Tell your older children to claim themselves

Students and apprentices who are 16 or older, or independent, can claim ABSTUDY themselves. Students doing secondary study can claim over the phone. If they’re a full time or part time university or TAFE student or Australian Apprentice, they can claim ABSTUDY online. Depending on their situation they can claim 1 or more of the following online:

• ABSTUDY Living Allowance
• Incidental Allowance
• Additional Incidentals Allowance.

If they can’t claim online, they can claim by calling the ABSTUDY line.

Tell other people about ABSTUDY

If you know other families who may be eligible for ABSTUDY, you can share resources from our ABSTUDY eKit. These resources explain the different payments available depending on the student’s situation. You can share these resources about ABSTUDY in your community.

Next steps

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