LegalGroupsFinancialFAQ

Home education need not be expensive. You can home educate with a library card, the resources you already have at home and the free resources available in your community. An internet connection is highly recommended. Many commercial home education supplies are available if families choose to use them and prices vary. The reality is there is no specific cost of home education; it can cost very little or it can cost thousands of dollars, depending on what method and which resources you choose to use. We advise families to look carefully at materials before making a large investment. It is unfortunate when families spend a lot of money on a resource, only to discover later that their money could have been better spent.  See Resources for ideas on home education materials.

Financial assistance

There is no specific financial assistance to home educators in Australia and home educators are ineligible for the Education Maintenance Allowance. However, registered home education is recognised as a valid form of education and, as such, you may be eligible for the following payments if you meet the other eligibility criteria:

Receiving payments when kids are 16+ is more complex.

 

More details below:

October 4, 2016

Ending is Better than Mending

Schooling and Commercialism By Susan Wight Early Australian society needed, and indeed the land itself demanded, that people be frugal, self-sacrificing and hard-working. This was a time when there was nothing to spare. Possessions were few and were confined to […]
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June 1, 2016

Mr Micawber’s Lesson

Financial Education at Home By Rob Wight If teaching your children about money has been on your “to do” list for some time, don’t delay any more – now is the time to act, no matter how old they are […]
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September 2, 2015

Home ed on a budget

By Sue Wight It doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg So you’ve decided to home educate, but now you are worried about how you will ever afford all of those flashy curriculum resources, especially if home education means […]
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September 2, 2015

Turning 16 & Youth Allowance

If parents are eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A, it normally ceases when a child turns 16. At that point, school students are moved to the Youth Allowance (YA). In some states, the same applies to home educated students. […]
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August 28, 2015

Student & Travel Card Alternatives

For those looking for student and travel cards, there are a number of options. The pros and cons for each and which one will suit your student’s needs will depend on how old they are and what they are most […]
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August 28, 2015

Youth Allowance

Youth Allowance is a Social Security payment for young people based on the family’s means, which is paid through Centrelink, a federal body.  Centrelink’s policy is that to be eligible a young person under 18 normally needs to be a […]
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August 24, 2015

Isolated Children’s Allowance

The ‘Isolated Children’s Allowance’ is available to some parents for children educated outside of the school or at home. The old eligibility criteria for this allowance was very strict – basically your child had to be ‘incapable of attending school’ […]
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August 24, 2015

Family Tax Benefit Part A

Under age 16: Home educating families with children up to age 16 are eligible for the Family Tax Benefit Part A if they meet the other criteria. Aged 16+: The eligibility criteria for FTB Part A require students 16 and […]
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August 24, 2015

Parenting Payment and Newstart Allowance

Centrelink payments for parents and home educators can be a little complicated, as eligibility is based on various requirements and circumstances.  These are: income, relationship status, age of children, registration status (for home educators). Partnered Parents If you are eligible […]
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