A university student has lifted the lid on a little-known Centrelink hack to help those studying away from home.
Lea Šimić, 20, left her family in Sydney to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth three years ago.
Although she was determined to go to the world-renowned school, which boasts alumni like Hugh Jackman, she was worried about being separated from her family and the high cost of flights across the country.
However, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to study at WAAPA—especially as it offered a directing component to undergraduate students, a rarity.
Fortunately, last year she discovered Centrelink Fares Allowance.
As Ms Šimić receives a Centrelink allowance, she can claim the cost of flying to Perth at the start of the academic year, back to Sydney at the end, and a return flight in between.
The allowance is available to those who receive Youth Allowance, Austudy, or the Pensioner Education Supplement for more than three months a year.
‘To have the option to see your family and a reminder of why you’re doing these programs, I think it’s really beneficial,’ Ms Šimić told Yahoo.
Lea Šimić (pictured) is able to claim four flights between Sydney and Perth each year through the Centrelink Fares Allowance
The allowance is available to students studying away from home and can be used to reimburse public transport and eligible flights
Those who receive eligible Centrelink payments for less than three months a year can only claim two flights: one to their place of study and one home.
Ms Šimić recently used the Fares Allowance to claim back a $600 flight from Sydney to Perth.
While she tries her best to book flights in advance, she said one-way fares across the country can cost more than $1,000.
Services Australia will also reimburse the cost of standard luggage fees, in addition to “the least expensive and most available” transport.
That includes people taking public transport back to their university.
It could apply to claiming the cost of a train trip from your home to the airport on top of the airfare.
It could also be used to reimburse the cost of taking a train from Sydney to Bathurst, a nearly four-hour trip.
Ms Šimić is glad she accepted her position at WAAPA as it opened “so many avenues and opportunities” and she is still able to regularly see her family.
The allowance is available to those who receive Youth Allowance, Austudy or the Pensioner Education Supplement more than three months a year
‘Being able to come back and forth was really vital for me, because I have a very close connection to my family, and they’re part of the reason why I want to create a very specific art,’ she said.
‘Centrelink has definitely helped me out in that regard.’
More information about Fares Allowance is available on the Services Australia website.
