Tertiary Access Payment

The Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) is a one off payment of up to $5,000. It’s to help eligible students with the cost of moving to study. This is for study after you’ve finished year 12 or equivalent.

To get this payment you must meet all of the following things:

• be an Australian resident meeting residence rules
• come from an inner regional, outer regional or remote area
• move to study at a tertiary education provider that’s at least 90 minutes away from your family home location by public transport
• have completed year 12 or equivalent
• studying a tertiary course at certificate IV or above
• be 22 or younger on the day you start your tertiary course
• have parents or guardians whose income is under the current combined parental income limit of $250,000 if you are a dependant.

You can claim this payment in your first year of tertiary study only.

To get the payment, you must be studying one of the following:

• university course
• Vocational Educational and Training (VET) course
• other higher education course.

You meet the rules for qualifying study if you do all of the following:

• study a certificate IV or above at an accredited Australian tertiary education provider
• study at least 75% of a full-time study load
• study a course with a minimum duration of one academic year.

You may still be eligible if you can’t study full time. This needs to be for a special reason and you’ll need to provide proof.

There are also rules you need to meet for the delivery of your study program. It must be one of the following:

• face-to-face
• a combination of face-to-face and online study
• at a Regional University Study Hub or Suburban University Study Hub.