Tertiary Access Payment (TAP)

Up to $5,000

Once Off Payment

December 31, 2024

December 30, 2025

External

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 the payment you must move from a regional or remote area for tertiary study.   Regional areas are places that aren’t in or near a major city. You can check if your family home is in a regional or remote area using the Student Regional Area Search.   You can still claim TAP if you get ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance or Relocation Scholarship in your first year of study.


YYou need to be an eligible student from a regional or remote area, moving away from home to study at a tertiary education provider.

To get this payment you must be all of the following:

  • 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
  • be in your first year of tertiary study
  • 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 Tertiary Access Payment (TAP) at any time between 1 January and 31 December for the current year.

You must also meet all of the study rules.

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 give us 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.

If you apply for TAP you may also be eligible to apply for other student payments like Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.

Please refer to the Services Australia website for more information.

Please refer to the Services Australia website for more information.

Please refer to the Services Australia website for more information.

To apply for the Tertiary Access Payment, refer to the Services Australia website.