Education

Assistance to buy government school uniforms may be available for students in exceptional or extenuating family circumstances.

An exceptional circumstance may include an event like a house fire; therefore, a concession card would not be required. The amount of assistance to be provided is determined by school social workers on a case-by-case basis.

For more information:

Contact a social worker at the student’s school.

Assistance to buy glasses may be available to low-income families with students from kindergarten to Year 12 at government and non-government schools.

Parents/guardians who have been approved for the Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) or who hold an eligible concession card are eligible to apply.

Assistance is also available to grandparent’s raising grandchildren. Grandparents may need to provide proof that their grandchild is legally in their care.

Approved applicants will receive assistance with the cost of one pair of standard prescribed lenses and standard frames from a participating optometrist in any 12-month period unless special circumstances apply (for example, a prescription change).

Application forms are only available at participating optometrists. Parents/ guardians of students who believe they may be eligible for assistance need to speak directly with their optometrist.

For more information:

Department for Education, Children and Young People
Phone: 1800 827 055
Email: FAU@decyp.tas.gov.au
Web: decyp.tas.gov.au

The Student Assistance Scheme (STAS) provides assistance for low-income families with the cost of levies for:

• Full-time students from kindergarten to Year 12 at government and non-government schools.
• Parents/guardians who hold an eligible concession card.

Assistance with levies in a government school per school year, if the student attends a non-government school parents/guardians need to discuss what assistance is available with their school as assistance to families is at the discretion of the school. Catholic schools do not participate in the STAS scheme and directly assess eligibility for assistance to families.

You can contact your school directly for a confidential discussion about financial assistance.

For more information:

Department for Education, Children and Young People
Phone: 1800 827 055
Email: stas@decypp.tas.gov.au
Web: decyp.tas.gov.au

Concessions on fees for most adult education courses are available to full-time students and holders of eligible concession cards.

Please note that carers supporting learners with disability can attend classes free of charge.

For more information:

Libraries Tasmania 
Phone: 6165 5564
Email: adulteducation.libraries@libraries.tas.gov.au
Web: https://adulteducation.libraries.tas.gov.au/

Financial support assistance is available to Year 11 and 12 students whose nearest school is more than 40 kilometres from their usual home. The allowance is not income tested.

$1,472 is available for full-time students who study for the full academic year (payments of $736 twice a year). The allowance is limited to a maximum of two years, unless special circumstances exist. Application forms are available on the department’s website or from the Financial Assistance Unit via email.

For more information:

Department for Education, Children and Young People
Phone: 1800 827 055
Email: fau@decyp.tas.gov.au
Web: www.decyp.tas.gov.au

Adult students are eligible for adult concession fares on public bus and ferry services when enrolled full time at any senior secondary college, university, TasTAFE or Tasmanian College of English.

Concession applies from the start of the year in which the recipient turns 19 while eligibility is maintained.

Up to 50% off the full fare. A further 20% discount is applied when using a smartcard like Greencard, Transportme, or a 10-trip ticket, where available.

For more information:

Contact your bus service operator.

Web: transport.tas.gov.au

Adult students may be eligible for a special circumstance student bus pass. This pass allows them to travel at the child student fare on one or more fare-charging bus services between 6.00am and 7.00pm on school days.

Eligibility:

• Are aged 18 years or older on 1 January in the year of study.
• Enrolled full time at: any senior secondary college, any university, TasTAFE or Tasmanian College of English.
• Are studying at a level that is no higher than is offered to any year 11 or 12 student at a senior secondary college.
• Have not had the opportunity to complete the equivalent of two years post-year 10 study due to circumstances beyond their control.

If the student holds a concession card, they may be eligible to travel for free.

For more information:

Department of State Growth
Phone: 1300 135 513
Email: bus.passes@stategrowth.tas.gov.au
Web: www.transport.tas.gov.au

Contribution toward the cost of travel and accommodation for eligible apprentices and trainees.

Eligibility

• Have a training contract that’s active under the Training and Workforce Development Act 2013.
• Travel over 21 kilometres to attend off-the-job training or assessments that are part of their training plan.

For travel in Tasmania, apprentices and trainees can receive:

• 41 cents per kilometre for off-the-job training travel over 42 kilometres return.
• 45 cents per kilometre for off-job training travel over 42 kilometre return for West Coast students.
• $55 per night accommodation allowance when travel is 61 kilometres or more each way.

Where apprentices and trainees must travel interstate for training, the Tasmanian Government will:

• Contribute to the cost of airfares.
• Pay $100 accommodation allowance per night.

Complete the ‘Tasmanian Apprentice and Trainee Travel and Accommodation Contribution Claim Form’ to receive the eligible contribution. The registered training organisation must send signed forms to Skills Tasmania.

For more information:

Skills Tasmania
Phone: 6165 6055
Email: travelclaims@skills.tas.gov.au
Web: www.skills.tas.gov.au

An allowance to assist with the cost of transporting students to the nearest school or school bus service is available.

Eligibility:

• Live outside an area with an urban bus service, and more than five kilometres from the nearest government intake area school, educationally appropriate school or bus stop servicing that school.
• Are in grade 11 or 12, living on a Bass Strait Island and needs to attend an educationally appropriate school on mainland Tasmania or interstate.

The allowance is $0.28 per kilometre travelled on public roads. Applications must be received by 15 May to be assessed for the whole school year, or by 15 November to be assessed for terms 3 and 4 only.

For more information:

Department of State Growth
Phone: 1300 135 513
Email: passenger.transport@stategrowth.tas.gov.au
Web: www.transport.tas.gov.au

Child students always pay a flat fare on public transport, regardless of distance, location, or purpose of travel.

• Under 18 years or turning 18 years in the year of study.
• Enrolled full-time at any senior secondary college, any university, TasTAFE or Tasmanian College of English.

A further 20% discount is applied when using a smartcard such as a Greencard or Transportme, or a 10-trip ticket, where available.

For more information:

Contact your bus service operator.

A student bus pass for free travel provides free travel on one or more fare-charging bus services between home and school. Free travel applies between 6.00 am and 7.00 pm on school days:

Eligibility:

• Under 18 years or turning 18 years in the year of study.
• Enrolled full-time at any senior secondary college, any university, TasTAFE or Tasmanian College of English.

In addition, students must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Have an eligible concession card, listed as a dependant on the card, or under a Care and Protection Order.
• Live in a rural area and are attending their Intake Area School, which is also located in a rural area, and there is no free bus service available to that school.
• Require a Free Transfer pass as they must transfer between two or more fare-charging bus operators between home and school.

For more information:

Department of State Growth
Phone: 1300 135 513
Email: bus.passes@stategrowth.tas.gov.au

Website:  Student bus pass for free travel – Transport Services

Fees can be waived in full, or reduced to concession rate or other amount, for students in extreme financial hardship or for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Students are referred to a Student Counsellor or Aboriginal VET Officer for assessment.

For more information:

TasTAFE
Phone: 1300 655 307
Web: www.tastafe.tas.edu.au

Up to a 25% reimbursement of childcare costs (to a maximum of $400 per student per year) is available to students:

• enrolled in an accredited course at TasTAFE, and
• with childcare provided through a carer registered under the Family Day Care Scheme or a day care service or carer licensed by the Department for Education, Children and Young People.

This concession is subject to available funds.

For more information:

TasTAFE
Phone: 1300 655 307
Web: www.tastafe.tas.edu.au

A reduction on the normal tuition fee for government subsidised program for each qualification or skill set is available to enrolled students who:

• are receiving a Centrelink allowance such as Newstart, Youth Allowance, Disability Support Pension, a Pension, Austudy or Abstudy
• are listed on a current Centrelink Card as a dependant
• hold a current Services Australia or DVA Pensioner Concession Card, or
• hold a current Services Australia Health Care Card.

For more information:

TasTAFE
Phone: 1300 655 307
Web: www.tastafe.tas.edu.au