School Transport Assistance Scheme
The Department of Transport and Main Roads provides assistance under the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) in situations where access to education is impeded by distance, income or isolation. You can download the policy for more information (PDF, 529KB).
The following information is a summary of STAS assistance available, terms and conditions and how to apply.
General eligibility
All types of STAS assistance require that a student:
- have parents/guardians who reside in Queensland
- attend an approved school
- are 18 or younger
- require transport assistance to and from one home address only
- make 2 or more trips per week by the same mode of transport.
Funding for shared care arrangements
Students in shared care arrangements will be able to apply for STAS assistance from 2 addresses so they can continue to get to school.
The Queensland Government has committed over $18 million plus $4.3 million per year from 2026–27. This funding will expand the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) for students living in shared care arrangements travelling from a second address.
We are developing plans to implement this initiative including system and operational changes.
Type of assistance available
- Bus and ferry assistance
- Rail travel assistance
- Conveyance allowance
- Drought assistance
- Assistance for isolated students
Find more information on other school travel assistance schemes.
Bus and ferry assistance
There are 2 types of assistance available to students travelling on bus or ferry services to school.
Distance based assistance
Students without a state school in their local area may be eligible for distance-based assistance if:
- their nearest state primary school is more than 3.2km away
- their nearest state secondary school is more than 4.8km away
- non-state school students must live the required distance from both the nearest state and non-state school.
Safety-net assistance
If students reside too close to their school to qualify for distance-based assistance, they may still be eligible for STAS assistance if they are listed as a dependent on the applicants:
- Health Care Card issued by the Services Australia (or hold their own Health Care Card)
- Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Services Australia or Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Or if they are under a Child Protection Order by Child Safety Services
Applications must be the name of the cardholder and require evidence of eligibility. The cardholder must also agree to data-matching being performed with the Department of Human Services.
Rail travel assistance
Rail travel assistance is available to eligible students who travel on the Queensland Rail Citytrain network or Gold Coast light rail tram (G:link).
To be eligible students must be listed as a dependent on the applicants:
- Health Care Card issued by the Services Australia (or hold their own Health Care Card)
- Pensioner Concession Card issued by the Services Australia or Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Or if they are under a Child Protection Order by Child Safety Services
Eligible students receive government funded travel between the closest station to their home and the closest station to their school. A STAS go card will be issued for school travel.
Conveyance allowance
Available for families who must make private arrangements to transport their children to and from school, or to and from a bus stop or train station.
Students may be eligible for conveyance allowance if:
- their nearest state primary school is more than 3.2km away
- their nearest state secondary school is more than 4.8km away
- non-state school students must live the required distance from both the nearest state and non-state school.
Students who attend a non-state school and reside outside the Brisbane Local Government Area boundary may be eligible for conveyance allowance. Applicants must live over the distance criteria from their nearest non-state school of the type attended.
Drought assistance
Available for families who live on a drought declared primary producing property, and who qualify for conveyance allowance Class A or C.
Eligible properties must be situated in a drought declared shire or be classified as an individually droughted property by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Assistance for isolated students
Students who live in isolated parts of Queensland may be eligible for additional assistance if they:
- live in an isolated area as designated by the Director-General, Department of Transport and Main Roads (PDF, 529KB)
- live more than 16kms from the nearest state school
- live more than 16kms from the nearest approved bus service which can transport the student to school.