Higher rates when living away from home

We’ll assess you for the higher rate of ABSTUDY Living Allowance when you claim or tell us of a change to your circumstances.

Primary school students

You may get a higher rate of ABSTUDY if you're living away from home to repeat the final year of primary school so you can start secondary studies.

Secondary school students

You may get a higher rate if you’re in secondary school and live away from home to study if:

• travel time or access makes it hard to get from home to school
• your local government school has a limited program or facilities
• you're doing an approved special course
• you're a person with a disability, health condition or special education need and need a special school program, facilities or environment
• you're excluded from all local government schools and distance education is not suitable
• you faced racial discrimination at all local government schools and the problem couldn’t be fixed
• home conditions make it hard to study.

You might also get a higher rate if you’re in secondary school and live away from home to study if:

• your parents are away a lot because of work
• you’re offered a scholarship to an independent boarding school
• you’re offered a scholarship to a Highly Effective or High Expectations School
• you’re offered a Transition School Scholarship
• your home is in Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale, Doomadgee or Mossman Gorge.

Tertiary students and secondary students not at a secondary school

You may get a higher rate if you’re a tertiary student, or a secondary student not studying at a secondary school. This is if you live away from home to study and either:

• travel time or access makes it hard to get from home to your place of study
• home conditions make it hard to study.

If you’re a tertiary student you may get a higher rate if it’s compulsory to live at your place of study.

Australian Apprentices

You may get a higher rate if you live away from home to do your Australian Apprenticeship if either:

• travel time or access makes it hard to get from home to your place of study or work
• home conditions make it hard to do your apprenticeship.

Independent students and apprentices

You’ll get a higher rate if you’re a full time independent student or Australian Apprentice living away from your parents’ or guardians’ home.

You can only get a higher rate of ABSTUDY if you’re 21 or younger and living in your parents’ home if:

• you’re married or have been married, or are in a registered relationship
• you have, or have had, a dependent child
• you’re 16 or older and have been living with your partner for at least 6 months
• you have care or custody of another person’s dependent child, student or Australian Apprentice, or
• you’re 16 or older and live in an Aboriginal community after being adopted or fostered by a non-Aboriginal family for more than 2 years.