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Don’t let finances get in the way of your education … there are options for help, just take a look!

Youth Allowance

Youth Allowance is available to all eligible students aged 16 to 24 years, including apprentices and trainees. The allowance is means-tested, which means it is paid only if the student and/or their family fall below a certain income threshold. It may also be paid in circumstances where the student is considered independent or needs to live away from home to study.

transport assistance

There are 2 types of transport assistance schemes:

The Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) consists of 3 programs:

  • Bus Fare Assistance Program (BFAP)—helps families with bus fare costs where the children attend non-state schools outside the Brisbane City Council boundary.
  • Students with Disabilities—helps families with the cost of transporting students with disability to non-state schools.
  • School Transport Assistance Program for Students with Disabilities—provides eligible students with disability transport assistance to and from school.

Check out the summary of schemes and how to apply.

Travel & accommodation subsidy for apprentices and trainees

Apprentices and trainees who travel at least 100km (return trip) to attend training at their closest training organisation may be eligible for travel and accommodation subsidies.

Help with school costs

Textbook and Resource Allowance

This is an assistance scheme offered to parents of secondary school students to contribute to the cost of textbooks and other learning resources.
Check the eligibility requirements if you attend a:

School uniforms

Many Queensland schools have a uniform shop or arrangements with uniform suppliers. Many schools also have second-hand uniforms for sale.

Contact your school for more information about buying school uniforms or if you can’t afford to buy them.

Find school contact details in the schools directory or by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

Rural and remote support

Living Away from Home Allowances Scheme

The Living Away from Home Allowances Scheme offers financial help to eligible families whose children live away from home to attend a state school, or an accredited non-state school.

The scheme provides 4 allowances:

  • Remote Area Tuition Allowance
  • Remote Area Travel Allowance
  • Remote Area Allowance
  • Remote Area Disability Supplement.

Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme

The Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme can help parents and carers of school-age students who cannot go to a state school, because they either:

  • live in an isolated area
  • have a disability
  • have special health needs.

Students who are boarding may also qualify for the Additional Boarding Allowance.

Computer costs

If you attend a School of Distance Education, your parents may be eligible for help with your computer equipment and internet access costs.

Check details of the Distance Education ICT Subsidy Scheme.

Isolated students bursary

The Queensland Academies Isolated Students Bursary helps eligible students with their travel and accommodation costs when attending Queensland Academies.

Support for indigenous students

ABSTUDY

The ABSTUDY allowance scheme supports students of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who are enrolled in an approved course or apprenticeship and who are not receiving any other government assistance to study. ABSTUDY is designed to help with costs relating to education, accommodation, living, travel fares and prescription medicine. Payment rates depend on factors such as study load (full time or part time) and age.

Help for teenage parents

Legally, schools must provide support to help young parents and pregnant teenagers complete their studies. Schools may have to adapt the way they teach you, the way they assess you, any uniform or dress codes and even the hours you need to attend to make sure you are able to continue your education.

When it comes to financial support, there are a number of financial supports for teenage parents available to enable you to care for your child while balancing your education and earning an income.

Secondary school scholarships

The Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) offers scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at non-state secondary schools across Queensland. It also offers tertiary residential scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander university students in New South Wales and Queensland.

Yalari offers scholarships for full boarding and tuition for full boarding and tuition for some boarding schools in Australia. Scholarships are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote, regional and rural areas who are beginning their first year of high school. Applications for scholarships usually open around March each year.

QATSIF (Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation) through its Queensland Certificate of Education Scholarship Program provides scholarship funding to support eligible students across Years 11 & 12. Schools should apply when students are in Year 10. In 2017, QATSIF supported 2,290 students from across the State, Catholic and Independent sectors.

Apprenticeship and training support

Options for financial assistance

In addition to Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY (fortnightly payments provided by Centrelink for eligible apprentices and trainees) and travel and accommodation subsidies, you may be eligible for the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Programme which offers financial support and incentives to eligible apprentices and trainees to help cover costs associated with their apprenticeship or traineeship.

Subsidised training programs

A range of subsidised training options.

Disability support

Child Disability Assistance Payment

Financial assistance for carers of children with disabilities. Find out more about assistance for carers.

School Transport Assistance Program for Students with Disabilities

Provides eligible state school students with disability transport assistance to and from school.

Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme

Supports students whose home is isolated from a local government school or whose specific health or educational needs cannot be met locally. Find out more about the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme.

If you’re not sure if any of these options can help, talk to your guidance officer, a year level coordinator, or another teacher or school leader to chat about options.

Note: If you are interested in any of the options above, please check the links for the most up-to-date availability information and application criteria as these may change over time.