Students attending a non-government school will be eligible to apply for the conveyance allowance if they attend their nearest non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level and, if the student is religious, of their chosen religious denomination.
The distance by shortest practicable route from the student’s residence to the school/campus is used to determine the nearest school/campus.
A student attending a non-government school may apply to the department for a determination that the nearest religious non-government school, which has compulsory religious instruction, is not considered ‘appropriate’ for that student where the student does not belong to or associate with the school’s particular religion or engage in religious activities associated with that school’s religious doctrines.
This exemption from the requirement to attend the ‘nearest’ school is set out in the Instrument of Specification: Transport Services and Travelling Allowances (PDF)(opens in a new window).
Seeking CAU review of an application
If a student’s application for the conveyance allowance is assessed as ineligible by SCAS on the ground that the student is not attending the student’s nearest school, but the student does not belong to or associate with the nearest school’s particular religion, or engage in religious activities associated with that school’s religious doctrines, schools can request that CAU consider these circumstances.
To request a CAU review on this basis, schools must activate the override code in SCAS called ‘Request for STU Consideration’ within SCAS. Schools can then enter a note explaining why the CAU review is required (for example: Parent requests consideration based on religious factors. Please see attached signed letter).
Parents/carers must attach a signed letter, which the school must upload to SCAS. The letter must clearly address:
- whether the student does not belong to, or associate with, the relevant nearer school(s)’ particular religion, or engage in religious activity associated with the relevant nearer school(s)’ religious doctrines, and
- whether the relevant nearer school(s) compulsorily requires its students to engage in religious activity associated with that religion or religious doctrines
Since 2013, the department, in consultation with Independent Schools Victoria (ISV), the Catholic Education Commission Victoria (CECV) and the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), adopted the ‘narrow group’ of denominations to identify religious denominations, as set out in the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Australian Standard for Classification of Religious Groups 2011 (ASCRG).
If a non-government school wishes to change their current narrow group category or is not included in the narrow group category of denominations listed below, the school’s principal or delegate must confirm in writing on school letterhead the ABS narrow group category to be mapped to, together with written evidence supporting the reason for the change. Schools must email these documents to: conveyance@education.vic.gov.au by the last school day of Term 4 for any change to your narrow group category for the new school year.
For the purposes of conveyance, the current ABS narrow group category of a school at 1 January for the start of each school year will apply for that school year irrespective of any change to the denomination occurring during the year.
No inference should be made that this policy applies to other government departments and/or authorities including the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority. Refer to the individual policies of any other authority with respect to religious denominations.
See the latest release of the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups (ASCRG)(opens in a new window) from the ABS.
Students not attending their nearest appropriate non-government school may still be eligible under this criterion if they fall within one of the exceptions listed below.
The eligibility of any sibling of a student receiving or eligible to receive the conveyance allowance is assessed individually. A student will not be automatically eligible simply because their sibling receives the conveyance allowance or otherwise satisfies any criterion.
Exceptions (where students may be eligible despite not attending their nearest non-government school)
Lack of accommodation at the nearest appropriate non-government school
If entry to the nearest appropriate non-government school/campus is refused on the grounds the school is at capacity, students attending the next nearest appropriate non-government school will satisfy this criterion.
Students relying on this exception must provide to their school a letter that:
- confirms refused entry from all nearer appropriate schools, and
- is dated prior to the student’s commencement date at the school in relation to which they are applying for the conveyance allowance
Subject choice for students in Years 11 and 12
A student will satisfy this criterion if they are in Year 11 or 12 and travelling to a more distant school if two or more subjects, available at the more distant school, are not available at their nearest school/campus.
Off campus study for students in Years 11 and 12
A student will satisfy this criterion if they are in Year 11 or 12 and are required to travel 4.8km or more to a TAFE institute, Registered Training Organisation or alternate school to access part of their course of study.
In these circumstances, an off campus conveyance allowance rate is calculated according to the number of days attended away from their main campus. The off campus allowance is set out in the chapter – Conveyance Allowance Rates.
Student travel to work placement, work experience or distance education cannot be claimed.
Single sex non-government schools
A student will satisfy this criterion if they are attending their nearest single sex non-government school of a particular denomination, even if there is a nearer non-government co-educational school of the same denomination.
Progression through a split campus school
A student will satisfy this criterion if, for continuity of education, they progress from the junior to senior campus of a school even if there is a nearer non-government school for the same year level and denomination. However, the senior campus must be located outside the metropolitan conveyance allowance boundary or in a postcode area deemed eligible based on the Accessibility Index.
School amalgamation or opening
A student will satisfy this criterion if they are enrolled at a school that was their nearest school but in circumstances in which that school then ceases to be their nearest school due to an amalgamation or new school opening.
All new enrolments at a new or amalgamated school will be assessed under the criteria that apply at the time of enrolment.
