Bendigo students are now eligible for a $3000 Centrelink payment for attending university away from home thanks to a new Services Australia policy.
Services Australia have expanded their regional relocation scholarship to include ‘inner-regional’ areas, allowing Bendigo school leavers to be further financially supported in their tertiary studies.
Students relocating from outer-regional or remote areas are eligible for up to $5000, while inner-regional students are eligible for up to $3000.
However, certain conditions apply for the payments.
Students must be moving away from home to study at a vocational educational and training (VET) provider, university or higher education provider.
They also must be studying immediately after completion of Year 12 – students who have taken gap years are ineligible.
Age and income limits also apply, students must be under 22 years of age and their parents must not earn over a combined $250,000 per year.
Students can claim using their Centrelink online account through myGov.
If they don’t have a myGov account, information about how to set one up is available on the Services Australia website.
Students will need supporting documents to provide proof of the address of their family home in a regional or remote location.
Other support for regional and remote students includes Youth Allowance, ABSTUDY, student start up loans and rent assistance.
For more information on the support available to students leaving secondary school, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/leaving-secondary-school.
