The Australian Apprentice Support Loan (AASL) helps Australians start and complete an apprenticeship or traineeship by easing financial pressures. It’s an interest-free, government-funded loan designed to support everyday living costs while you complete your training.

To be eligible for the AASL, you must:

• Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident living in Australia.
• Be completing an Australian Apprenticeship or Traineeship in a Certificate III, IV, Diploma, or Advanced Diploma qualification that leads to an occupation on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.

Full-time, part-time, and school-based apprentices and trainees can apply.

You choose how much to borrow with the AASL. You could borrow a small amount over a few months or receive payments throughout your apprenticeship, up to the lifetime limit of $25,983 (2025–26).

Monthly payments are generally:

• $866.17 in the first year
• $649.58 in the second year
• $433.08 in the third year
• $216.50 in the fourth year

Payments are higher in the early years to compensate for lower wages. The loan is paid in monthly instalments for up to six months at a time.

Repayments start once your income reaches the minimum repayment threshold of $67,000 (for 2025–26). Payments are made through the tax system, similar to a University HELP loan. Your loan will not need to be repaid until you earn above this threshold. Australian Apprentices who complete their qualification will receive a 20% discount on their total loan amount.

SYC can help you check your eligibility, explain the process, and guide you (and your parent or guardian, if you’re under 18) through the loan program. For more information, read the AASL Fact Sheet, AASL Parents and Guardians Guide, or get in touch with our team.

The Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment (AATSP) is a government initiative that provides direct financial support to eligible apprentices in priority occupations and qualifications. It is designed to help with cost-of-living expenses and support apprentices to successfully complete their training.

Eligible Australian Apprentices may receive:
Up to $5,000 over the first two years of their apprenticeship, paid in instalments. Payments are processed through the Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) and become due at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.

Apprentices have 12 months to submit their claim forms. For full details on payment schedules, refer to the AATSP Fact Sheet.

Payments are considered taxable income. To avoid extra tax being withheld, you must provide your Tax File Number when lodging your claim.

To be eligible for the AATSP, all of the following criteria must be met:

• You must be an Australian citizen, a foreign national with permanent residency, or a New Zealand passport holder who has lived in Australia for at least six months.
• You must have commenced or recommenced a Certificate III or IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma listed on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.
• You must be undertaking an Australian Apprenticeship in a priority occupation listed on the Priority List.
• You must not be receiving payments through the New Energy Apprentice Support Payment (NEASP) or the Key Apprenticeship Program (KAP).
• Your employer must be registered for Single Touch Payroll or have an exemption so that wage evidence is available.
• You must lodge your claim via the Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) within 12 months of each payment period.

SYC’s team can help you check your eligibility, explain the process and guide you through lodging your claim. To learn more about the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment, read the AATSP Fact Sheet or get in touch with us.

The Key Apprenticeship Program is a government initiative that provides direct financial support to Australian apprentices training in critical industries, including clean energy and housing construction.

The program has two streams:

New Energy Apprenticeship (NEA) Stream – for apprentices working in roles that design, build, maintain or improve renewable energy systems, battery storage, transmission systems and low- or zero-emissions technologies.

Housing Construction Apprenticeship (HCA) Stream – for apprentices working in residential building and construction, renovations, repairs and projects for houses, apartments or nursing homes.

Eligible Australian Apprentices may receive:

• Up to $10,000 for full-time apprenticeships
• Up to $5,000 for part-time apprenticeships (same payment milestones apply).

* Payments are made in instalments at 6, 12, 24, 36 months and upon apprenticeship completion.

To be eligible for the KAP an Australian apprentice must:

• Commence or recommence your Australian apprenticeship on or after 1 July 2025
• Be enrolled in a Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma in a clean energy or housing construction occupation listed on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.
• Your employer must provide meaningful training and experience in the relevant industry.

Have an employer registered for Single Touch Payroll with the ATO or has ATO Exemption, and therefore wage evidence is available through Single Touch Payroll.

Note: The KAP does not replace the New Energy Apprentice Support Payment (NEASP). If you are already receiving NEASP, your payments will continue until your eligibility period ends unless reassessment is required.

SYC’s team can help you check your eligibility, explain the process and guide you through lodging your claim. Simply get in contact with us.

For more information, read the KAP factsheet

The Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA) is a government initiative that provides weekly, tax-free payments to eligible Australian apprentices who need to move away from their parental or guardian’s home for the first time to start or continue their apprenticeship. LAFHA can also support apprentices who become homeless during training

This allowance helps cover the additional cost of living away from home and is available for the first three years of training.

If you’re an eligible apprentice, you may be entitled to receive LAFHA payments, made monthly in arrears, at the following weekly rates:

First year: $120

Second year: $90

Third year: $45

To be eligible for the LAFHA, all of the following criteria must be met:

• You must be undertaking an apprenticeship at the Certificate II level or above.
• You must be within 36 months of the commencement date of your apprenticeship (whether full-time or part-time).

You must move away from your parental or guardian’s home for the first time to:

• Take up an Australian Apprenticeship; or
• Remain in an Australian Apprenticeship; or
• Receive essential supplementary on-the-job training with another employer.

You must meet the residential criteria, including demonstrating that without moving you would have:

• More than 90 minutes travel time each way between home and work; or
• Unreasonable Travel delays; or
• Limited or unsuitable transport arrangements; or
• Prohibitive transport costs.

You are NOT eligible if:

• You have lodged a claim for Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY.
• You receive rental or accommodation assistance from Centrelink or your employer.

• You moved away from your parental or guardian’s home three months or more before starting your apprenticeship.
• You move away to attend block release training, courses not part of the apprenticeship.

Note: For Australian school-based apprentices, moving to boarding school does not satisfy the residential criteria.

SYC can check your eligibility and guide you through the process, making it simple to apply for the Living Away From Home Allowance (LAFHA). Get in touch to request your application form or read the LAFHA Fact Sheet for more information.