Payments and support for Indigenous Australians

Payments

Use Payment Finder to help you find out what payments you may be able to get.

ABSTUDY can help you and your family with study, Australian Apprenticeship or traineeship costs, as well as travel.

Relocation Scholarship can help if you need to move to, or from, a remote or regional area to study. It’s paid once a year.

Student Start-up Loan is a voluntary loan you can get up to twice a year. You can get it if you’re an eligible higher education student. It can help you buy study related items like textbooks.

Tertiary Access Payment helps students with the cost of moving from a regional or remote area for tertiary study.

Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme can help you with the extra study costs for your children. It’s for people who can’t go to a state or public school on a daily basis because they either:

• live in an isolated area
• have a disability or special education need.

You may also be able to get Remote Area Allowance if both of the following apply:

• you get one of our payments
• you live in a remote area.

Centrepay helps pay bills and expenses as regular deductions from your Centrelink payments. This can make it easier for you to budget.

Our support services

Indigenous Service Officers

These officers can:

• help connect you to the agency’s information, payments and services
• support you to understand our services
• promote our payments and services at community meetings and forums
• refer you to other services if we can’t help you.

Remote Servicing Teams

These teams travel to remote areas so everyone has access to our payments and services.

Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre

You can speak to our trained staff in the Centrelink Indigenous Call Centre about your Centrelink payments and services.

Voluntary identification

Use the Medicare Voluntary Indigenous Identifier online form to tell us if you’re an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian. You can also tell us the next time you contact us. We use this information for many things. It helps us identify other programs and services Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian’s may find helpful.

Family and domestic violence

If you’re affected by family and domestic violence, we can help. We provide information, support and referrals.

Other support services

There are other support services you may find helpful. You can use the Service Finder to find help in your local area.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency runs the Community Development Program (CDP). It helps job seekers living in remote areas get skills while looking for work in their own community.

Department of Health and Aged Care helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples stay healthy and strong with a free health check.

eSafety has lots of resources and information for parents and carers to keep your family safe online.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) gives you support with your tax and super.

Indigenous.gov.au hosted by National Indigenous Australians Agency, lets you know about Indigenous initiatives and programs such as:

• early childhood
• schooling
• health and safety.

Moneysmart has information to help you make the most of your money. Read the Indigenous section on the Moneysmart website.

myfuture can help you to make career decisions, plan career pathways and manage work transitions.

Australian Apprenticeships has information and resources about Australian apprenticeships and the support available.

beyondblue provides knowledge and skills so you can protect your own mental health. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live. They can help if you’re experiencing anxiety or stress while looking for work or studying.

StudyAssist details assistance to finance your tertiary study and VET Student Loans.