Abstudy v Austudy

Abstudy(Aboriginal Study Assistance)
(Income Tests sometimes apply)		Austudy(non-Aboriginal Study Assistance)
(Income Tests, Assets Tests,
and Actual Means Tests apply)
School Fees Allowance
(Non-taxable)

  • U16 $150 a year
  • $75 a year, if turning 16 before June 30
  • $4,204 a year, if homeless or orphaned

    		•  School Fees Allowance
    Scheme does not exist!

  • If homeless or orphaned may get Rent Assistance
    • School Term Allowance

  • U16 $520 a year
  • Turning 16 during year, entitlement up to 16th birthday

    		•  School Term Allowance
    Scheme does not exist!
    School/Hostel Directed Boarding Allowance

  • U13 $988 a term
  • 13-15 $426 a term

    		•  School /Hostel Directed Boarding Allowance
    Scheme does not exist!
    Fares Allowance
    (no restrictions)
    (NB: includes accommodation and meals)

    Actual costs paid to cover-

  • Secondary students eligible for away from home assistance
  • Full time tertiary students, including Masters and Doctorates
  • Part-time tertiary students required to attend an away from base activity
    		•  Fares Allowance
    (restrictions apply)

    Actual costs paid to cover-

  • Independent tertiary students only
    		•
    Type of travel covered-
    Secondary Students
  • to and from school at the beginning and end of school term (unlimited)
  • travel in connection with successful placement at a new
    boarding location (unlimited)
  • for correspondence student to take part in compulsory residential schools (unlimited)

    Tertiary students:

  • beginning and end of course
  • for courses of more than one semester (17-23 weeks), a return trip during the year
  • exam travel (for a supplementary exam or one held away from normal base of study)
  • graduation travel, if completing equivalent to two-year full-time course or a post-graduate course
    		•  Type of travel covered
    Secondary student:


    Scheme does not exist!




    Tertiary Students:

  • beginning and end of course
  • for courses of more than six months, a return trip during the year
  • for correspondence students to take part in one only residential school requirement
    		•
    Other travel:
  • Compassionate travel (ie critical illness, injury, death or funeral of immediate family member)
    		• Other travel
    Scheme does not exist!
    Assistance to attend away from Base Activities

    Actual costs paid to cover-

  • testing and assessment
  • programs
  • residential schools
  • field trips
  • placements
    		• Assistance to attend away from base Activities
    Scheme does not exist!
    Incidentals Allowance

    Payable to-

  • over 18 secondary students
  • full-time and part-time tertiary students
  • Doctorate students

    Rates-

  • $49 (less than 12 weeks)
  • $86 (12-16 weeks)
  • $172 (17-23 weeks)
  • $341 (24+ weeks)
    		• Incidentals Allowance
    Scheme does not exist!
    Additional Incidentals

    Allowance
    Payable to-

  • full-time tertiary as Masters and Doctorate students who spent more than the above prescribed amounts.

    Rates-

  • $88(less than 12 weeks)
  • $175 (12-16 weeks)
  • $349 (17-23 weeks)
  • $700 (24+ weeks) NB:

    Masters and Doctorate students can claim up to $2,000 a year for things like telephone surveys

    		• Additional Incidentals
    Scheme does not exist!
    Masters and Doctorate Allowance
    (not income tested) (1995 rates)

    Living Allowance-

  • $573.85 (per fortnight) Also available-
  • Relocation and removal costs when moving to take up study
  • HECS or course fees aid (whichever is less)
  • Thesis Allowance
  • Pensioner Education Supplement (in lieu of Living Allowance)
  • Up to 2,000 a year to meet accommodation and travel costs
  • Up to $2,000 for Additional Incidentals Allowance
    		• Masters and Doctorate Allowance
    Scheme does not exist!







  • Masters and Doctorate students do not qualify
    for Austudy at all, except for the first four years only
    of the Master of Engineering and Information Technology and Telecommunications students at Flinders Uni, Uni of
    Adelaide and Uni of South Australia.
    • Failure

  • Failing, and thereby repeating a year will not affect payment
    		• Failure

  • Repeating Year 12 will result in reassessment of payments, unless students can show just cause, ie illness or other factors beyond their control
    • Held in Lawful Custody

    Still eligible for:

  • course costs
  • daily fares
  • Away from Base assistance
  • Fares Allowance
    		• Held in Lawful Custody


  • Automatic disqualification from Austudy!
    		•
    Aboriginal Student Support and Parent Awareness Program

    Funds allocated to schools to pay for students activities:

  • $105 (for each Primary School child)
  • $155 (for each Secondary School Child)
    		• Student Support and Parent Awareness Program
    Scheme does not exist!
    Aboriginal tutorial Assistance Scheme

    Provides professional tutors free of charge:

  • Primary and secondary student up to five hours per week
  • Tertiary students up to two hours per week
  • $50 a year for approved students under Material and Equipment Allowance
  • Students Travelling 20 km or more to attend tutorials have overnight accommodation and travel costs paid for them.
  • Homework Centres established for Aboriginal children to complete homework assignments under the supervision of tutors.
    		• Tutorial Assistance Scheme
    Scheme does not exist!
    Vocational and Educational Guidance for Aboriginals Scheme

  • Provides Government grants to organisations who conduct projects for Aboriginal students and their parents
  • Covers travel, accommodation, meals, equipment, venue hire, administrative costs, insurance, fees of instructors and supervisors, and other program related costs such as stationery expenses
    		• Vocational and Educational Guidence Scheme
    Scheme does not exist!

    It is abundantly clear that a great chasm exists Between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal access to education assistance. Why the financial burdens and hardships on families of comparable incomes differ due to "Aboriginality' is a mystery. Yet the gulf between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians is set to widen further.

    The minister for Education, Senator Amanda Vanstone is already foreshadowing a slashing of Education expenditure with greater financial responsibility falling on students and their parents. The Prime Minister, John Howard, has indicated that expenditure on Aboriginal programs, including Abstudy will be largely untouched by the coming cuts.

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