Purpose
The Department of Education provides recurrent and capital assistance to eligible non-profit organisations providing hostel accommodation in rural areas to accommodate geographically isolated primary and secondary students (including students with disabilities) so they may have daily access to schools.
Duration of program
The student hostel recurrent grant is a per capital grant designed to assist hostels with operational costs. The department strongly encourages expenditure of 40% on pastoral care services to students in hostels.
Continued payment is conditional upon: the provision of a financial certificate signed by a qualified auditor, the completion of a satisfactory statement of uses and benefits for the funds received in the previous calendar year and submission of a satisfactory accountability checklist per semester. Student attendance is also certified by both the hostel management authority and school principal(s).
Capital assistance
A subsidy of up to 50% is available for approved capital expenditure incurred by eligible organisations in maintaining, establishing, improving or equipping an approved student hostel.
Hostel management authorities must account for capital grant funds received by completing a financial statement and audit report, to be signed by a qualified auditor.
The hostel assistance kit
For operators wishing to make application for financial assistance under the Student Hostel Support Scheme, please refer to the information contained within the
hostel assistance kit.
Payment details
Recurrent assistance
| Semester 1 | March | Students are in attendance for at least 4 weeks prior to claim being submitted |
| Semester 2 | August | Students are in attendance for at least 4 weeks prior to claim being submitted |
| Supplementary | November | New students are enrolled between March and June or August and October |
Capital assistance
| During financial year of approval | Up to 50% of approved project costs |
Current rates
Student hostel recurrent assistance
2025
Rates of payment for recurrent grant from 1 January 2025:
- first 20 students, $4,742 per student per annum
- each additional student $4,048 per student per annum.
Minimum grant per hostel $16,712 per annum (hostels with 8 eligible students or less) plus $2,653 per student per annum.
2026
Rates of payment for recurrent grant from 1 January 2026:
- first 20 students, $4,794 per student per annum
- each additional student $4,083 per student per annum.
Minimum grant per hostel $17,128 per annum (hostels with 8 eligible students or less) plus $2,653 per student per annum.
Capital assistance
Up to 50% of approved project costs up to a maximum of $50,000 per hostel per annum.
Data requirements
Recurrent assistance
| Student names, home addresses, boarding dates, schools attended, years enrolled | Hostel | March, August, November |
| Financial certificate and statement of uses and benefits | Hostel | Semester 2 |
Capital assistance
| Formal application | Hostel | May |
| Financial statement and audit report | Hostel | Accompany next financial certificate for recurrent funding |
How to apply
To apply for funding, the following forms need to be completed and returned to School Financial Resourcing. Once forms are received, eligibility will be determined. Payments will be made to hostels listed in the payment details section above.
Forms
Further information
Paragraph 368 of the
Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (Part 9) (PDF, 2.1MB)
All benefits are conditional upon hostels being approved to receive funding. Hostels must demonstrate annually via accountability checklist that they continue to meet hostel general funding conditions.
Contact us
School Financial Resourcing
Phone: (07) 3034 5825