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Compassionate travel
You can get the allowance if you’re either a:
- secondary school student
- secondary student not at a secondary school, for example, studying year 11 or 12 at a TAFE
- tertiary student.
You can get help for 2 return trips to your place of study every year for any of the following:
- an immediate family member is critically sick or hurt
- you need to go home because you’re sick or hurt
- a family member has died or you’re going to a family member’s funeral
- you need to attend a community event under Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander lore or kinship obligations.
A close family or community member may also get the allowance to visit you at your term address.
You can get the allowance for a return trip to the following places:
- between your home and place of study
- to a location other than your home and place of study, if it’s on your usual travel route.
A dependent traveller, family or community member, supervisor or travelling companion can also get it if they travel with you.
You need to give us evidence to get Fares Allowance for compassionate travel. This may include a statement from:
- the education or board provider
- a doctor
- the hospital
- a community authority.
We can also accept a statement from a community person responsible for cultural matters. This is if the travel request is for the student being required to return home for a cultural activity.
Travel if you're expelled
You may get help to travel home if you’re expelled from secondary school.
We can only pay for this in specific circumstances and when there’s no other solution.
You need to talk to your school. They must confirm in writing that you meet these specific circumstances.
You can get the allowance for travel that is either to:
- your home
- a location other than your home, if it’s on your usual travel route.
A dependent traveller, family or community member, supervisor or travelling companion can also get the allowance if they travel with you.