Government Bursaries

Boarding Allowance scheme

A boarding allowance can help students living in remote areas or facing other barriers, board away from home and focus on their studies. Parents or caregivers have to apply for this allowance and funding is paid directly to schools.  If you are a parent or caregiver, go to the parents website for information on boarding allowances and how to apply .

Funding for boarding allowances

Funding is paid to the school at the start of each term.  The amount of boarding allowance funding a student receives depends on:

• what type of barrier they are facing (an access barrier or multiple barriers)

• where they board.

Funding given for access or multiple barriers and the type of board

Additional funding 

• Extra funding is provided to cover the cost of students making 4 return trips each year between their home on Great Barrier Island, Pitt Island or Chatham Islands and their boarding school. Actual and reasonable costs of air and/or boat fares are paid. These are calculated on the cheapest appropriate public transport and are paid direct to the family at the beginning of each school term.

• For students who receive the boarding allowance because they are facing multiple barriers, the school receives an additional $500 for pastoral care to help the student.

The boarding allowance may not cover all of the student’s boarding fees. The difference will need to be paid by the student’s family. The boarding allowance will continue for as long as the student is at school, or until the barriers they are facing no longer exist. 

Closing dates for applications

All applications for the following school year are due by 31 October each year.  Decisions are issued early December.  Applications outside of this annual date may be considered, at the discretion of the Ministry of Education.