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.

If you are a student from outer regional, remote, or very remote areas you can apply for up to $5,000 to relocate to participate in tertiary education in your first year of study. The payment is made in two instalments the first payment being made 42 days (six weeks) after the qualifying tertiary course start date.

If you are a student from an inner regional area you can apply for $3,000 to relocate to participate in tertiary education in your first year of study. A single instalment is made 42 days (six weeks) after the qualifying tertiary course start date.

You can apply for the TAP in the calendar year you commence your first year of study in a qualifying tertiary course until the age of 22 (inclusive). You must apply between the applicable opening and closing dates.

The TAP is intended to help you with the costs of relocating to access and participate in tertiary education. Eligible students are not restricted as to how the payment can be used.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the TAP you must:

• be from an inner regional, outer regional, remote, or very remote area as defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard - Remoteness Area classification.
• have completed Year 12 or an equivalent level of education and commenced your first year of study in a qualifying tertiary course which is a Certificate IV or above qualification, with a minimum course duration of one academic year
• have relocated to study at an education provider, which includes: (1) a vocational education and training (VET) provider that offer higher-level tertiary education courses (Certificate IV or above), (2) a non-university higher education provider (NUHEP), or (3) university, at least 90 minutes by public transport from their family home, OR have relocated to study at an education provider and you are registered and accessing a Regional University Study Hub or Suburban University Study Hub at least 90 minutes by public transport from their family home 
• be enrolled in at least 75 per cent of your course's normal full-time study load, or an approved concessional study load
• be studying face to face, or in dual delivery method, for at least part of the course,
• show that parent(s) or guardian(s) have a combined income of $250,000 or below in the relevant tax year or be exempt from providing parental income (see section 9.8 of the guidelines for further information); and
• meet Australian citizenship or residency requirements.

The minimum age for eligibility for the TAP is 16 years, unless you are:

• over the minimum school leaving age for the state or territory in which you reside, or
• under the minimum school leaving age and have a formal exemption from attending school by the state or territory in which you reside, and
• independent according to the criteria for ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance in which case the minimum age is 15 years.

The maximum age is 22 years at the time of commencement of the course, noting you may have taken a break during secondary studies for reasons outside of your control such as medical reasons or emergencies, or have completed Year 12 or equivalent level of education over multiple years.

• Phone: 132 490
• Fax: 1300 786 102
• Email: regional@dese.gov.au