How to change or cancel travel we’ve arranged

If you need to change or cancel ABSTUDY travel, use the ABSTUDY Travel Authorisation Booking Form. This is the Excel spreadsheet you use for ABSTUDY bookings.

Open the form that you sent us to book the trip and update it with new details. If it’s simpler, you can fill out a new form. Remember to not copy or paste text into the form or delete or insert rows. If you do, the form won’t work correctly.

When you’ve filled in all the new details, email the form to ABSTUDY.travel@servicesaustralia.gov.au.

If you need help with the form, call the National Business Gateway to talk to an ABSTUDY travel officer.

Request to change travel

In tab 1 of the booking spreadsheet, choose Amendment travel request in the box next to Action.

In tab 2, put in the new travel dates. In the comments section:

• add any new information about accommodation, transfers or meals
• tell us why you’re requesting the change.

If we’ve booked travel for a supervisor, you’ll also need to request to change their travel.

In tab 3 you don’t need to do anything unless there will be a new supervisor. If so, you’ll need to change the linked traveller details. You’ll also need to request a booking for the new supervisor.

Request to cancel travel

In tab 1 of the booking spreadsheet, choose Cancellation travel request in the box next to Action.

In tab 2, tell us in the comments section why you’re cancelling.

In tab 3 you don’t need to do anything.

If we’ve booked travel for a supervisor, you’ll also need to request to cancel their travel.

Valid reasons to change travel

If you need to change or cancel travel due to exceptional circumstances, we can rebook it for you.

Exceptional circumstances may include when the student or other approved traveller can’t travel due to:

• illness or injury of themselves or an immediate family member
• the death or funeral of an immediate or extended family member, like a parent, guardian, grandparent or sibling
• needing to take part in a significant cultural event
• the travel destination changing because their parents or guardians have recently moved
• needing to participate in extracurricular activities after we booked their travel such as a sporting carnival.

Depending on the situation, you may need to provide proof of these circumstances. This may be a medical certificate or confirmation from the school.

We usually need at least 24 hours notice to cancel travel arrangements. However, this timeframe depends on the circumstances of the situation.

If the change or cancellation is for a reason other than exceptional circumstances, we can’t rebook it. In this case, you or the student’s family will need to book and pay for the travel. We may reimburse you for the cost of travel later.

Penalties for missed travel

There are penalties for students who miss travel we’ve booked.

For every trip they miss without a valid reason, they may get a debt of up to $100. We’ll continue to book travel for these students, but they may get further debts for every trip they miss.

Make sure your students know:

• what their travel arrangements are
• that missing travel can result in a debt.