If a child in your care must board away from home to access secondary education (Years 7 to 12), you may be eligible for the Living Away from Home Allowance.
To be eligible for the allowance, your child must:
- be living away from your usual NSW home address
- have a primary carer who is a permanent resident of NSW
- be enrolled at a government secondary school (Years 7 to 12) or non-government secondary school of preferred religion.
Other circumstances taken into consideration include:
- medical conditions
- impassable roads
- inability to provide adequate supervision outside school hours
- a change of residence when the student is in Year 12.
You must send in applications before 30 September of the year you are applying for the allowance.
The allowance starts at the beginning of the year you put in the application. You get paid yearly in two equal instalments.
Contact
For more information about how to apply, visit the Rural and Distance Education webpage.
You can get help call completing the form from Rural and Distance Education on (02) 6334 8070 or (02) 6334 8072.
Last published: 3 November 2025