Frequently Asked Policy Questions

What are parents or guardians expected to provide for their children or pay their school to provide?

Examples of materials and services which parents and guardians may be expected to provide or pay the school to provide include:

• student textbooks including hire or access to class sets of textbooks
• student requisites and stationery (pens, pencils, exercise books, work-books)
• materials for electives where the student consumes or takes home the finished article (e.g. home economics)
• programs provided by outside specialists (e.g. visiting artists, speakers, performers)
• camps and excursions that are integral to the curriculum and that all students are expected to attend
• school identification cards
• school uniform (where applicable)
• official diary/handbook/work planner
• student computer printing beyond the needs of the eight key learning areas

 

How does a parent or guardian become eligible for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)?

Eligibility for the EMA is determined by the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 97(1) which states that:

“If a person is under 16 years of age and attends a State school or registered school and the person’s parent, on the first day of the term in which the allowance is granted, is an eligible beneficiary within the meaning of the State Concession Act 2004 - the parent may apply to the Minister for an education maintenance allowance for the person.”

A state school or registered school must be in Victoria.

The eligible benefit within the meaning of the State Concession Act 2004 is determined and provided through Centrelink. If the applicant is in receipt of an eligible benefit from Centrelink and is a holder of either a Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card, or is a Veterans Affairs (TPI) pensioner (totally and permanently incapacitated ex-service men and women) or is a foster parent, on the first day of term in which the allowance is granted then they will be eligible for the EMA.

In 2010, the first day of Term one is 27 January and the first day of Term three is 12 July.

If a parent or guardian has a current Health Care Card does that automatically mean that they are eligible for the EMA?

No. In addition to holding a valid Health Care Card or a Pensioner Concession Card, the parent and guardian must also be in receipt of a valid benefit from Centrelink on the instalment eligibility date of 27 January 2010 for instalment one or 12 July 2010 for instalment two.

Is the parent or guardian eligible for the EMA based on their child’s Health Care Card?

No. A Health Care Card that is not linked to the parent and guardian’s financial status is not valid for the purposes of applying for the EMA. For more information, see: Eligibility.

How much does a parent or guardian receive if eligible for the EMA?

Eligible parents and guardians of secondary school students will receive $450 per year and eligible parents and guardians of primary school students will receive $225 per year.

This money is divided equally between the parent and guardian and the school, with 70 per cent of the entitled amount paid in the first instalment and 30 per cent of the entitled amount paid in the second instalment.

Payment amounts for 2010:

Instalment	Portion	Primary School Students *	Secondary School Students *
One (70%)	Parent or guardian	$78.75	$157.50
	School	$78.75	$157.50
Two (30%)	Parent or guardian	$33.75	$67.50
	School	$33.75	$67.50

^*Student year level (or age for ungraded and special school students) will form the basis for calculating the amount payable to parents and schools.

Is a parent or guardian paid the EMA for a student over 16?

No. Once a student turns 16 the EMA ceases as the students themselves are able to apply for the Youth Allowance through Centrelink.

What happens to the payment of the EMA for a student who turns 16 during the year?

For students who turn 16 during the year a pro-rata payment of the EMA is payable calculated on the number of months of eligibility up to and including the month that the student turns 16.

For example: If a student turns 16 during April, the parent and guardian and the school will receive 4/12 of the yearly amount in the first instalment and nothing in the second instalment. If a student turns 16 in November, the parent and guardian and the school will receive 6/12 of the yearly amount in the first instalment and 5/12 of the yearly amount in the second instalment.

Pro-rata rates for students who turn 16 in 2010:

Birth Month	Instalment 1	Instalment 2	Total Parent Portion	Total School Portion	Total Payment
January	$18.75	$0	$18.75	$18.75	$37.50
February	$37.50	$0	$37.50	$37.50	$75.00
March	$56.25	$0	$56.25	$56.25	$112.50
April	$75.00	$0	$75.00	$75.00	$150.00
May	$93.75	$0	$93.75	$93.75	$187.50
June	$112.50	$0	$112.50	$112.50	$225.00
July	$112.50	$18.75	$131.25	$131.25	$262.50
August	$112.50	$37.50	$150.00	$150.00	$300.00
September	$112.50	$56.25	$168.75	$168.75	$337.50
October	$112.50	$75.00	$187.50	$187.50	$375.00
November	$112.50	$93.75	$206.25	$206.25	$412.50
December	$112.50	$112.50	$225.00	$225.00	$450.00

At which school should an applicant apply for the EMA when their child is part time at a main stream school and part time at a Special School?

The school that the child is attending for the major part of the week is where the applicant should submit the application. It is left up to the two principals of the schools involved to negotiate a transfer of funds. In this way the school where the child is attending for the minor part of the week still receives a portion of the school’s EMA.

What does a school do when both parents have applied for the EMA and both parents are eligible and have equal custody of the child?

A school should not be put into the position of arbitrating in decisions such as this. Only one parent can put in an application. 

If the parents cannot decide between themselves who should apply, then they should be encouraged to resolve the problem through the Family Court.

Key documents

The following Memorandums provide official advice concerning the EMA:

• Memorandum No s507-2009 Education Maintenance Allowance arrangements for 2010 (Word - 924Kb) (Word - 2.9Mb) - this document provides policy, key dates, payment amounts and forms necessary to process the EMA.
• Memorandum No s373-2009 Parent Payments (PDF - 26Kb) (PDF - 51Kb) - this document provides policy on materials and services that augment the student program, that parents should provide or pay the school to provide, materials and services that parents have the option of paying for, if they choose to use these materials and services; or school materials and services that are supported by voluntary contributions.
• DEECD Standard Cost Model Report (PDF - 146Kb) - To assess the impact of the changed Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) payment process on school administrative activities, a Standard Cost Model Measurement of amendments to the process of Education Maintenance Allowance payments has been prepared.