Indigenous Away From Base (AFB) Funding Program
AFB funding is provided by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to assist eligible Australian Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students to participate in the necessary academic components of an approved course, where that course requires students to travel from their permanent home or study location to undertake their studies. AFB funding covers fares, meals and accommodation only.
The two categories of AFB assistance are:
- Indigenous Education Training Program (IETP) or ‘mixed-mode’ AFB, administered by DEEWR and paid to the institution (CDU is involved with this category)
- ABSTUDY AFB – administered by Centrelink and paid to the individual
Students may only receive assistance under one form of AFB for their course. Students enrolled in ‘mixed-mode’ AFB courses are not eligible for ABSTUDY AFB assistance from Centrelink but may be eligible for ABSTUDY AFB assistance to undertake a ‘testing and assessment’ course before enrolling in the ‘mixed-mode’ course.
‘Mixed-mode’ study is a form of tertiary education where students undertake accredited courses of study through a combination of distance education and ‘residential’ periods of intensive face-to-face teaching (i.e. a 50/50 split between the two, not all face to face. There must be evidence that work has been left for students to continue with in their community).
This is a DEEWR requirement. Only ‘mixed-mode’ courses which would include a minimum of 20 residential days in a funding year (where students are enrolled on a full time basis) are eligible for ‘mixed-mode’ funding. A ‘residential day’ is a day spent on campus for related academic purposes by a ‘mixed-mode’ student or in the community where a Reverse Block delivery of face - to - face is taking pace.
An approved ‘mixed-mode’ AFB activity is one that is an essential academic component of an approved course which requires students to travel from their permanent home for a short period of training, including residential schools, student placements, field trips and teaching staff of a funded provider to deliver the face-to-face component of the training as a Reverse Block delivery.
Reverse Block delivery is a form of ‘mixed-mode’ AFB where a provider pays the costs of one of its representatives to travel to students’ home community or communities to deliver on-site training. The provider must demonstrate that this is a more cost-effective option than if the student/s were to travel to the provider. AFB funding may cover relevant travel costs of provider representatives, but not training delivery costs such as wages or venue hire.
For more information about the AFB Funding Program at CDU please contact:
Julia Alexander, Co-ordinator, Australian Indigenous AFB Funding Program
T: 8946 7036 M: 0458 665 255 E: julia.alexander@cdu.edu.au
Student Eligibility
An eligible student is:
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Australian Indigenous – (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander or a combination of both)
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Enrolled in and studying one or more VET or Higher Education approved ‘mixed-mode’ course (% external and % internal, dependent upon the nominal hours of each course), and can be identified from the CDU list of courses shown on the AFB Funding Program website.
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The approved course delivery must consist of a combination of face-to-face, (student to lecturer, either at a CDU location or by ‘Reverse Block’ where the lecturer delivers the face-to-face tuition in the students community) and the balance of studies completed by the student externally (ie at home).
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Successful application, through the submission of the Centrelink, ‘Claim for ABSTUDY Allowances and Part-time Award’ form per each mixed-mode’ course enrolment undertaken in any given year.
IMPORTANT ADVICE: This is a non means tested application and does not affect individual Living Allowance claims. It is however, an essential DEEWR requirement for student AFB funding eligibility.
All the Information and Links you need to Access AFB
Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view pdf files. Get Adobe Acrobat reader.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS – please read
- ALL Australian Indigenous students enrolled in tertiary courses at CDU can claim the ‘Centrelink Incidental Allowance’ payment against each course enrolment.
- This payment is a non means tested allowance provided by Centrelink to assist students to purchase items that support their study.
- Payment is made directly to the student upon approval of ABSTUDY eligibility by Centrelink.
- A student who is not in an AFB approved course can still make a direct claim to Centrelink for this allowance.
- Those students enrolled in an approved AFB ‘mixed-mode’ (internal and external studies) course are required to complete the ABSTUDY FORM d.
- A partially completed assisted version of the ABSTUDY FORM d can be found in the ‘CDU AFB Application Pack’ along with the VET enrolment form.
- Students wanting to access financial assistance for their travel, meals and accommodation to attend, or be provided with mixed-mode tuition in their remote community, should contact the course co-ordinator or team leader for direction and assistance.
- Further information relating to any of the above can be accessed by contacting the AFB Co-ordinator,
Julia Alexander Tel: (08) 8946 7036 or email: julia.alexander@cdu.edu.au
Information about the DEEWR/CDU Indigenous Education Agreement
DEEWR Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000, Program Guidelines 2009-2012
Staff, Student and Stakeholder Information
AFB Application Links
- CDU - AFB Application Pack
- ABSTUDY FORM d – BLANK document for Incidental Allowance claims made by individual students not in mixed-mode courses
- Centrelink Incidental Payment
- Information you need to know about your claim for ABSTUDY Allowances and Part-time Award
- 2012 VET and HE Linked CDU AFB Approved Courses
CDU Staff and Stakeholder Information
Documents to assist with coordination of AFB at CDU
- >>> Download the five step process information sheet
- Process for establishing ABSTUDY eligibility
- Activity NOT covered by AFB
- AFB Account Codes: CDU Internal Financial Administration for the AFB Funding Program
Away From Base Funding Program - Five Step Process (AFBFP 5)
- ABSTUDY Application for ALL Australian Indigenous students - CDU personnel to provide assistance with form completion, or organise student to ring Centrelink Tel:13327 for on-line completion, again assist when necessary. The latter option provides quicker notification of eligibility and is finalised by the faxing of the signature page to the student to sign and return at completion of phone call.
- Formalities directed to AFB Co-ordinator – Include; Reverse Block requests prior to course commencement, Completed ABSTUDY Form, or advice of phone application directly to Centrelink on Tel: 13 2317, Student AFB Enrolment in ‘Mixed-Mode’ Course – Travel, Accommodation and Food expenditure must be identified with the AFB #, Course Code/Name, Term and Dates and Student ID#.
- Best Outcomes – Channel all AFB Funding requests from Lecturer, Team Leader, CSO/AL, to the Co-ordinator AFB Funding Program, Casuarina Campus, Tel: (08) 8946 7036,julia.alexander@cdu.edu.au
- Financial AFB expenditure – Raised by CSO/AL and checked by AFB Co-ordinator through the on-line financials to ensure student AFB eligibility and enrolment has been carried out to DEEWR Guidelines – Use individual Area Code and Activity Code to capture the School’s ACH/EFSEL, followed by one of the six AFB Account Codes – students costs - 349/05(A), 349/06(F), 349/07(M) or staff costs 384/05(A), 382/02(F), 384/08(M)
- Provide FEEDBACK to AFB Co-ordinator - Enables the full utilisation of the AFB Funding for ALL our Indigenous students.
My door is always open and no query is too small.
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