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Tertiary Access Payment (TAP)

The Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) is a one-off $5000 scholarship provided by the Australian Government to help reduce the financial pressure of moving away from home to start full time tertiary studies. It is designed to assist with the costs of travel, transport, accommodation etc.

Eligible students completed year 12 in 2020, and are relocating from an outer-regional, remote, or very remote area, more than 90 minutes away from the location of their course at UOW. You can check your eligibility by using the Student Regional Area Search tool.

TAP recipients will receive a total of $5000, which will be paid in two instalments over the year. $3000 will be paid upon confirmation of enrolment for session 1 at the end of March 2021, followed by $2000 paid upon confirmation of enrolment for session 2 at the end of August 2021.

You are eligible for this scholarship if you:

  • Are an Australian Citizen or resident currently residing in Australia
  • completed Year 12 or equivalent in 2020;
  • are commencing an Undergraduate Program (certificate 4 and above) at UOW in Session 1, 2021;
  • Be under 22 years of age on Monday 1 March, 2021,
  • will be enrolled full-time in this program as a full time student,
  • be studying face to face, or in dual delivery method, for at least part of the course, and
  • are from an outer regional, remote or very remote area to study at UOW as per the Student Regional Area Search tool.

You will also need to demonstrate that:

  • You are relocating from your family home to study at UOW;
  • your family home (prior to relocating) is more than 90 minutes away by public transport from the UOW campus at which you will be studying, and
  • your parent(s) or guardian(s) have a combined income of less than $250,000 per year.

 

Applications are now closed for 2021.

 

 

 

 

Applications are now closed for 2021.

The TAP will be made in two instalments to your nominated bank account – a $3,000 payment toward the beginning of the year, to assist with upfront costs, and a $2,000 payment toward the end of the first year.

This payment will only be available in a student’s first year of study – no further payments are made in the second year of study or beyond.

There are no restrictions on what the TAP money is used for and UOW won’t impose conditions or direct you how to spend it. The TAP can be used to cover costs associated with study including, but not restricted to:

  • bond for accommodation
  • assistance with rent and other household bills
  • groceries
  • textbooks and other study supplies.

Where you are asked to supply evidence please provide original documents. Please have the following documentation ready as part of your application:

Proof of home/original residence and relocation address

If you are dividing your time between two houses (i.e. between your parents or guardians’ homes) you may nominate which address you would like to use.  If you are not moving from a family home, you should provide the address that you consider to be your primary residence (the address you use when you enrol to study or for your driver’s license) where you lived 6 months prior to commencing your course.

You need to provide proof indicating that your home address is in an outer regional, remote or very remote area in Australia, as well as evidence of the address you are relocating to. Proof confirming your addresses must include your name and address and can be documents like your:

  • Driver’s License
  • Proof of Age Card
  • Bank Statement
  • Utility Bill
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • Electoral enrolment card

Evidence of combined parent/guardian(s) income

A tax return must be provided in the first instance.

Combined parental income equals the sum of:

  • taxable income (a negative amount is counted as zero. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) consider a loss as meaning the person has no taxable income and often taxation losses can be deducted from future taxable income. A tax loss cannot be offset against the other components of parental income)
  • adjusted employer provided reportable fringe benefits including salary sacrifice. The reportable fringe benefit amount as recorded on an applicant's group certificate should be advised and recorded:
    • exempt reportable fringe benefits are automatically converted to the lower adjusted amount using the fringe benefits tax rate
    • other reportable fringe benefits will not be converted. 100 per cent will be included in parental income
  • reportable superannuation contributions
  • target foreign income (except if received as a gift from an immediate family member)
  • total net investment losses
  • tax free pensions and benefits
  • less maintenance paid. (i.e. child support)

Depending on your circumstance you may also be asked to provide documentation supporting the following:

  • Evidence of special circumstances for study load reduction
  • Evidence of special circumstances delayed commencement
  • Proof of living arrangements/independence
  • Documents to support parent/guardian(s) loss (or estimated loss) in income

Yes. Outer regional and remote students also receiving Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY can also receive the TAP, if they meet all other eligibility criteria. For these students, this payment will provide additional support to recognise the extra challenges faced by students from low-income families relocating to study.

Students who are eligible for the Relocation Scholarship linked to Youth Allowance/ABSTUDY payments are also able to receive the TAP.

For more detailed information about the Tertiary Access Payment, Program Guidelines are available at the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website.