School Drive Subsidy eligibility
The School Drive Subsidy is available in areas where there is limited or no public transport. The subsidy is intended to partly offset the cost of using a private vehicle to drive the eligible student all or part of the way to school.
If you already receive a school drive subsidy, you will need a different page. Login to the School Drive Subsidy Parent Portal if you want to:
- add another student
- update your details or travel requirements
- track your journeys and payments
Who's eligible for School Drive Subsidy?
School Drive Subsidy contributes to the cost of transporting a child by car to school or the closest transport stop.
To be eligible, your child must:
- be a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education
- be aged 4 years 6 months or older and enrolled full-time in school or TAFE (pre-school children are not eligible)
- live in an area where there is no public transport and more than the minimum distance to school (the minimum distance varies according to the year or grade the child is enrolled in)
Please also note:
You only need to submit a new application if you're applying for the School Drive Subsidy for the first time.
The application must be made by the student's parent or guardian (even if the student is aged 16 years or over).
If you need to update your details, go to the School Drive Subsidy Parent Portal and submit a change application.
Where public transport is available at the prescribed minimum distance from home, eligible students may also be entitled to a free school travel pass under the School Student Transport Scheme.
- The distance to school exceeds 1.6 km (straight line distance) or is at least 2.3 km walking distance, and
- The distance to the nearest transport pick up point (where available) exceeds 1.6 km (straight line distance) or is at least 2.3 km walking distance.
Note: Pre-school children are not eligible for subsidised travel between home and school under the School Drive Subsidy.
- The distance to school exceeds 2 km (straight line distance) or 2.9 km walking distance, and
- The distance to the nearest transport pick up point (where available) exceeds 2 km (straight line distance) or is at least 2.9 km walking distance.
are eligible if:
- They are under 18 years of age at 1 January of the year of application
- They are enrolled in a full-time TAFE course for a minimum of 16 hours per week
- They are not employed
- The walking distance from home to TAFE exceeds 3.2 km, and
- The distance to the nearest transport pick up point (where available) exceeds 2 km (straight line distance) or is at least 2.9 km walking distance.
- They attend the closest TAFE where enrolment is available.
If no public transport is available, boarding school students are eligible for subsidised travel between the family home and school at weekends and school holidays. Trips may also be for various purposes during school time, including students attending a school event or sick students travelling home.
Students who board in town and attend a day school during term may also be eligible for subsidised travel between the family home and the place of boarding at weekends and school holidays.
- Students that are weekly boarders are entitled up to 22 trips per semester
- Students that are term boarders are entitled up to 9 trips per year
Journeying to school at the beginning of the week or term and journeying back home at the end of the week or term is counted as one overall trip for a boarding school student.
There is no subsidy cap on the distance travelled.