Scholarship Program spending guide

A guide to spending your scholarship

Please ensure you keep all your receipts or financial statements for each purchase and upload these to Kids Under Cover’s online portal. Instructions for this can be found here. Receipts can be uploaded as soon as they’re purchased. Please ensure that all receipts are uploaded before 1 September 2024.

Please note: Failure to keep within the spending guide may affect your ability to apply for scholarships in the future.

How you can use your scholarship:

School or course fees

Your scholarship covers school and course fees, except where HECS-HELP or FEE-HELP are available. University fees cannot be paid for with the scholarship and non-government school fees are also not covered. If you attend a special development school, the scholarship can go toward your fees.

Laptops and computer equipment

Your scholarship can be used for a laptop or desktop computer. If your school requires you to use a device, such as an iPad or tablet, you can also use the scholarship for this.

If you need a laptop for basic word processing, you should be able to find one for as little as $500. Printers, scanners and other computer-related equipment for your course are covered. You can also put your scholarship toward printing costs at school, TAFE or Uni.

Stationery

Paper, exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, and other stationery are covered by your scholarship.

Textbooks

Textbooks directly related to your study or job training are covered.

Public transport

Public transport costs for travelling to and from school, your course or job training are covered by your scholarship.

If you don’t have public transport in your area, you can use the scholarship for other transport costs such as the school bus or parking.

Uniforms and clothing

You can use your scholarship to buy school uniforms and other clothing related to your course or job training.

School camps / Excursions

Your scholarship can be used to pay for excursions, day trips and school camps related to your course or training. Non-compulsory excursions can be covered when there is a significant benefit to your education or training goals.

Study furniture

Furniture related directly to the young person’s ability to learn at home, e.g., desk and chair.

Tutoring

Professional tutoring directly linked to the young person’s education.

Special equipment

If you have special requirements, your scholarship can be used to buy equipment to assist you in your studies or training. But before you use your scholarship, check whether you are eligible for support for special equipment from other organisations and services. For example, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) offers programs to support people with  disabilities.

If you’d like to use your scholarship for something you don’t see here, call us on (03) 9429 7444 to discuss.

What your scholarship does not cover:

Previous expenses and debt

You should not use your scholarship to cover backdated educational expenses and debt from 2022 and earlier.

Expenses for family members

The scholarship cannot be used to pay for education or training expenses for other family members or anyone other than the scholarship recipient.

HECS-Help / FEE-HELP / University Fees / Non-Government School Fees

These items are not covered.

Expenses NOT related to education:

  • If you are unsure about an item, please contact us.
  • Examples of items NOT covered: mobile phone, mobile phone plan, smart watches, electronics not directly related to education, internet bill over $300 total for your household, expenditure related to a personal vehicle, fuel, bicycle, clothing items, including shoes valued over $150 per item.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact the Kids Under Cover Scholarship team. Please text on 0499 005 284, call on (03) 9429 7444 or email usscholarship@kuc.org.au