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27.1 Application Process
Students relocating to study at a university, vocational education and training or non-university higher education provider must apply for the TAP through Services Australia.
Applications are open each calendar year and students can submit a claim for the TAP between 1 January to 31 December in their first year of tertiary study.
27.2 Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the TAP a student must:
- be from an inner regional, outer regional, remote, or very remote area as defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard - Remoteness Area classification,
- have completed Year 12 or an equivalent level of education and commenced your first year of study in a qualifying tertiary course which is a Certificate IV or above qualification, with a minimum course duration of one academic year,
- have relocated to study at an education provider, which includes: (1) a vocational education and training (VET) provider that offer higher-level tertiary education courses (Certificate IV or above), (2) a non-university higher education provider (NUHEP), or (3) university, at least 90 minutes by public transport from their family home, OR have relocated to study at an education provider and you are registered and accessing a Regional University Study Hub or Suburban University Study Hub at least 90 minutes by public transport from their family home,
- be enrolled in at least 75 per cent of your course’s normal full-time study load, or an approved concessional study load,
- be studying face to face, or in dual delivery method, for at least part of the course,
- show that parent(s) or guardian(s) have a combined income of $250,000 or below in the relevant tax year or be exempt from providing parental income, and
- meet Australian citizenship or residency requirements
27.3 Receiving the payment
The TAP is a payment made in a student’s first year of eligible tertiary study. Students will only be eligible for the TAP once.
Successful applicants from outer regional and remote areas will be paid up to $5,000 in their first year of study, with two payments, $3,000 after confirmation of enrolment i.e. following the first census date, to assist with upfront costs, and $2,000 after confirmation of ongoing enrolment i.e. following the second census date.
Successful applicants from inner regional areas will be paid a single payment of $3,000 after confirmation of enrolment in your first year of study.
27.4 Further information
Further information on the TAP is on the department’s website.
The Tertiary Access Payment Guidelines.
Application for the TAP is through Services Australia.