Financial Assistance
To assist families with the payment of contributions and charges, the Department of Education offers financial assistance through the Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS).
To find out more please click here.
Applying for the Secondary Assistance Scheme*
The Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS) is to assist low-income families with secondary schooling costs for students in Years 7 to 12. It is made up of 2 allowances:
- the Education Program allowance (EPA) paid directly to the school
- the clothing allowance paid to the applicant or the school.
Note: On 1 July 2024, the state government announced an increase in the SAS clothing allowance from $115 to $300 for 2024 and 2025 only. This is to provide cost-of-living relief for eligible low-income families.
Application Form: 2025_SAS Public School Education Program Allowance form
Eligibility
To be eligible for the scheme, the parent or guardian must hold at least one of these concession cards:
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card (blue card).
The concession card must:
- be valid for at least 4 weeks
- be valid for some time within Term 1, 2025 (5 February to 11 April 2025)
- have the student listed on it
- not be expired at the time of applying for SAS.
Changes for 2025
The ABSTUDY supplement allowance has been removed from 2025.
Parents, guardians or independent students receiving ABSTUDY schooling assistance payments through Services Australia (Centrelink) can now apply for SAS if they hold an eligible concession card.
* Application forms must be completed in Term 1 each school year.