Secondary Assistance
Educational Program Assistance
Secondary Assistance Scheme
The Western Australian Department of Education provides an allowance to assist eligible families with secondary schooling costs. Parents/guardians must apply for the Secondary Assistance Scheme (SAS) each school year (annually) – applications do not carry forward to future years.
Years 7 to 12
You may be eligible for up to:
$350
towards school expenses
Do you hold a:
- Centerlink Health Care Card
- (or) Centerlink Pensioner Concession Card
- (or) Veterans Affairs Pensioner Concession Card
Please note that Applications for 2024 have now closed.
The Parent/Guardian must be the holder of a card that is valid some time during first term. (31 January 2024 – 28 March 2024). Students must be listed on claimant’s card (except for some Year 11 and 12 students, or in cases of disability/health reasons). In this instance, the School must sight both concession cards. The only exception to this is when a student holds their own health care card and has been declared Independent by Centrelink (e.g. living away from home). In this instance, a letter of confirmation or statement from Centrelink needs to accompany the application.
The allowance is paid up to and including the year the student turns 18 years of age i.e. students born in 2005 or before are ineligible in 2024.
ABSTUDY
The ABSTUDY Supplement Allowance is available to valid Services Australia (Centrelink) card holders, this funding supplements the Centrelink ABSTUDY Fees Allowance payment. The school or parent must have received the School Fee Allowance of $78 or $156 from the Centrelink as part of the student’s ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance. The Department of Education ABSTUDY Supplement Allowance consists of $79 Education Program Allowance paid directly to the school.
Please note that the Secondary Assistance Scheme cannot be claimed as well as the Abstudy Allowance.