Key dates for Queensland
QLD Education institutions need to give us information by key dates each year. This helps us make sure ABSTUDY students get the right payment from us.
Secondary schools
The table lists the key dates for secondary schools in Queensland.
| Date | Item | Details | Date action needed by |
|---|
| 21 January 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) payment | Term 1 STA paid to eligible continuing students or new claims approved before 19 January 2026 | N/A |
| 26 March 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) Request | We’ll send you an OTAC and ask for Term 1 attendance data for STA assessment. | 9 April 2026 |
| From 9 April 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) payment | After you have provided attendance data, we’ll pay Term 2 STA to eligible students. | N/A |
| 18 June 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) Request | We’ll send you an OTAC and ask for Term 2 attendance data for STA assessment. | 2 July 2026 |
| From 8 July 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) payment | After you have provided attendance data, we’ll pay Term 3 STA to eligible students. | N/A |
| 10 September 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) Request | We’ll send you an OTAC and ask for Term 3 attendance data for STA assessment. | 24 September 2026 |
| From 7 October 2026 | School Term Allowance (STA) payment | After you have provided attendance data, we’ll pay Term 4 STA to eligible students. | N/A |
Boarding schools or hostels
The tables list key dates for boarding schools or hostels in Queensland.
Term 1
| Date | Item | Details | Date action needed by |
|---|
| 5 February 2026 | Payment on Advice (POA) request | We’ll send you a POA request for term 1. You need to confirm student start dates. | 13 February 2026 |
| 16 February 2026 | POA suspensions | We’ll suspend students’ ABSTUDY payments if you haven’t completed our POA request. | N/A |
| 19 February 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 1 of 2 | We’ll pay eligible ABSTUDY students the first board and tuition payment. | N/A |
| 26 March 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 2 of 2 | We’ll pay the second board and tuition payment to eligible ABSTUDY students. | N/A |
Term 2
| Date | Item | Details | Date action needed by |
|---|
| 30 April 2026 | POA request | We’ll send you a POA request for term 2. You need to confirm student start dates. | 8 May 2026 |
| 11 May 2026 | POA suspensions | We’ll suspend students’ ABSTUDY payments if you haven’t completed our POA request. | N/A |
| 14 May 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 1 of 2 | We’ll pay eligible ABSTUDY students the first board and tuition payment. | N/A |
| 18 June 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 2 of 2 | We’ll pay the second board and tuition payment to eligible ABSTUDY students. | N/A |
Term 3
| Date | Item | Details | Date action needed by |
|---|
| 23 July 2026 | POA request | We’ll send you a POA request for term 3. You need to confirm student start dates. | 31 July 2026 |
| 3 August 2026 | POA suspensions | We’ll suspend students’ ABSTUDY payments if you haven’t completed our POA request. | N/A |
| 6 August 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 1 of 2 | We’ll pay eligible ABSTUDY students the first board and tuition payment. | N/A |
| 17 September 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 2 of 2 | We’ll pay the second board and tuition payment to eligible ABSTUDY students. | N/A |
Term 4
| Date | Item | Details | Date action needed by |
|---|
| 1 October 2026 | Claim lodgements for 2027 | ABSTUDY claims for 2027 can be submitted from this date. | 31 December 2027 |
| 15 October 2026 | POA request | We’ll send you a POA request for term 4. You need to confirm student start dates. | 24 October 2026 |
| 26 October 2026 | POA suspensions | We’ll suspend students’ ABSTUDY payments if you haven’t completed our POA request. | N/A |
| 26 October 2026 | Board and tuition details for 2027 | We’ll ask you to give ABSTUDY your board and tuition amounts for 2027. | 11 December 2026 |
| 29 October 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 1 of 2 | We’ll pay eligible ABSTUDY students the first board and tuition payment. | N/A |
| 3 December 2026 | Board and tuition payments, instalment 2 of 2 | We’ll pay the second board and tuition payment to eligible ABSTUDY students. | N/A |
| 31 December 2026 | Closing date for 2026 claims | We need students to submit 2026 ABSTUDY claims by this date. | 31 December 2026 |