Some 800 children of veterans have started receiving new scholarship payments to help them complete their tertiary education, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin announced today. Mr Griffin said university students receiving an education allowance under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme would be eligible for scholarship payments under the Student Start-Up and/or Relocation Scholarship schemes.

“I’m pleased to announce the start of these initiatives that will help veterans’ children meet the costs of tertiary education including books and special equipment,” Mr Griffin said. “Completing tertiary study is a very expensive exercise and alleviating some of the financial burden from our veterans and their children is a small way we can say thank you to those who have served and suffered in defence of our nation.”

Under the Student Start-Up Scholarship, eligible students will receive an annual amount payable in two instalments at the beginning of each semester, indexed annually on 1 January. In 2010, the amount will be $1300 or $650 per semester, increasing to $2,128 or $1,064 per semester in 2011.

Under the Relocation Scholarship, eligible students will receive $4,000 for the first year at university and $1,000 for each subsequent year. This amount will be paid annually and indexed annually by the Consumer Price Index (commencing 1 January 2011).

Both scholarships came into effect on 1 April 2010. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has now commenced processing payments of Student Start-Up and Relocation Scholarships.

The Student Start-Up Scholarship replaces the existing Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship, with existing recipients remaining on the CECS. The Relocation Scholarship replaces the existing Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship, with existing recipients remaining on the CAS