When kids finish high school it feels like watching baby birds leave their nest. It’s both sad & exciting to see them start their own life. If your children are graduating soon they need to prepare for their next steps.
As someone who helps young people become independent I suggest telling your kids to check the Services Australia website. They can find out what help they can get if they want to study or start an apprenticeship next year. The website shows all the support options they might qualify for.
Students can get money & help from us while they learn. We offer basic support payments like Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY. These programs helped more than 158000 students each month last year.
Students who need to move from the city to study in rural areas or the other way around can also get extra support. This makes it easier for them to focus on their education without money stress.
Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY: What Students Must Know
Young people in Australia can get money from Youth Allowance. This payment helps students & workers between 16 & 24 years old. You can get it if you study or train full-time. It also helps people doing apprenticeships. To receive the money you need to live in Australia.
Your income must be under certain limits. If you live with your parents their income also matters. The government checks if you qualify based on these rules.
Students who live away from their parents can get payments of $663.30 every two weeks. If they stay at home with their family they can receive $472.50 every two weeks.
Students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds can apply for ABSTUDY instead. This program works like Youth Allowance but has special features to help Indigenous students.
Tertiary Access Payment: Extra Support for Rural and Regional Students
The Tertiary Access Payment helps students from regional and remote areas with their moving costs when they start university or college.
Students from outer regional and remote areas can get $5000 split into two payments. Students from inner regional areas can get one payment of $3,000. This money helps cover the costs of relocating to study at a tertiary level.
Starting in January 2025 students no longer need to start college right after high school. Anyone under 23 who is starting their first year of college can now get TAP benefits.
This new rule helps students who want to take a break before going to college. The change makes it easier for young people to choose when they want to start their education.
Check if you can get the Tertiary Access Payment by entering your address on the Services Australia website. This will tell you if your current location qualifies for the payment.
Student Start-Up Loan: Interest-Free Boost for University Learners
Students can get extra money through the Student Start Up Loan program. This loan gives you $1321 two times each year.
It works just like HELP or HECS loans and you pay it back later. Many students don’t know about this helpful option that covers early school costs.
Remember that you need to pay back the loan plus extra money based on price changes. Before you sign up think about how this will affect your money in the future.
You might want to look at other choices first. Some loans don’t charge any interest at all and could work better for you.
sub 4 – Step-by-Step Guide: How to Claim Centrelink Youth Payments in 2025
You can apply for Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY payments up to 13 weeks before you begin your full time studies or start an Australian Apprenticeship.
If you qualify for the TAP benefit you must submit your application by December 31 during your first study year.
You can get different types of payments from the government. Youth Allowance ABSTUDY and TAP are separate options. You might be able to get one of them or more than one.
It depends on your situation. To apply you need a myGov account first. If you don’t have one yet you should make one. Then you can connect your Centrelink to myGov and send your application. The process is pretty straightforward.
You’ll need to show some papers to support your request. These include your class details where you live and how much your parents earn if you still depend on them.
To learn more about college payment options, visit the Services Australia website. Source: Department of Social Services annual report 2023-24
