School leavers - Tips for students and their families

Your child finishing high school is a major milestone – for them and for you. I bet this day came around all too quickly and you’re still reminiscing on their first steps. Now, your child is about to take one of the biggest steps in their life. It’s a time of change for any family, and you’re probably equal parts excited and nervous for them as they begin this next phase in life. The possibilities can feel overwhelming and entering further study can seem daunting to you all – but it doesn’t need to be. I’ve got a few quick tips to help you work out what financial support your child might be eligible for from Services Australia, when finishing high school and continuing study. Tip one – if they’re already set on going on to further study next year, or maybe starting an apprenticeship, I encourage you to use the Services Australia website to see if they might be eligible for financial support. Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY are payments that can help with living costs while they study or train full-time. There are also other payments to help students with the cost of moving and travel from regional and remote areas for study, like Relocation Scholarship, Fares Allowance and Tertiary Access Payment. Tip two – if your child is going to claim a payment, they’re probably going to need to provide your income details in their claim. In most cases kids are still considered dependent when they finish high school, which means their parents’ income affects what support they may be eligible for. Tip three – Now is the time to apply for a payment. Getting organised sooner rather than later can mean money in your child's pockets, sooner. Your child doesn't need to wait until they receive their results, before applying. For some students, applying early means they could have financial support over the summer break. This could be a big positive for the whole household during your child’s much deserved break. And tip four – If your child hasn’t already, we encourage them to create a MyGov account and link it with Centrelink and other services. This will make it easier when lodging their claims. These are my main tips for today. For more information, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/students to explore all the options available.