If you're a low-income family with children attending government schools, you can get financial help with school fees, materials and services charges through the School Card scheme. You could also get access to a free device if your child is in year 7 or 10 and their school takes part in the department's School Device Program.
Parents should speak directly to their school about financial help.
On this page
Who can apply
School Card is available to:
- families with children aged four years and over who attend a school full-time
- independent full-time students studying year 10, 11 or 12
- adult re-entry students who are completing their SACE.
How to apply
Applications for the 2025 school year are now open. Fill in the correct application form based on your circumstances.
School Card A - most used application
This is the most commonly used school card application. Use this form if you are liable for your child’s school fees and you're not:
- self-employed
- an independent youth
- an adult re-entry student
- a migrant who arrived in Australia after 1 July 2023
- receiving Veteran’s Affairs benefits
- applying for a foster child in your care.
Adult re-entry student - School Card S
Use this form if you're an adult re-entry student – over 18, returning to study and have not achieved your SACE.
Independent student - School Card Y
Use this form if you're a student who receives Independent Youth Allowance as at 28 February 2025.
Hardship, change of circumstances or self-employed - School Card B
For use where:
- your income for 2023-24 is over the School Card limits but you experienced hardship in the 2023-24 financial year
- you have had a change of financial circumstances during the 2023-24 financial year – or between 1 July 2024 and up to and including 28 February 2025
- you are self-employed or
- you do not have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN).
Migrants or new arrivals - School Card M
Use this form if you have arrived in Australia or have been released from a detention centre since 1 July 2023.
Veterans - School Card V
Use this form if you receive Veteran’s Affairs benefits.
Informal and formal care agreement - School Card F
For use where one or more students are either:
- under an informal care agreement – informal foster arrangement
- in your care through a court order – formal foster arrangement – as at 28 February 2025
- being cared for by a grandparent, family members and caregivers as at 28 February 2025.
Government schools
School Card F - government schools – apply now
School Card F - government schools – download printable form (PDF 182 KB)
Non-government schools
School Card F - non-government schools – apply now
School Card F - non-government schools – download printable form (PDF 182 KB)
Reassessment - School Card R
Use if you've submitted an application but were assessed as not eligible and you want to be reassessed.
Income limits
The income limits are for applications lodged in 2025 – based on your family's gross income in 2023-24.
To qualify for a school card, your family's gross income must be below a certain limit. This limit depends on how many dependent children you have and whether your child attends a government, independent, or Catholic school.
You will need to provide proof of income – such as payslips or Centrelink information.
For an assessment of your family’s gross income to be completed by Centrelink you will need to have:
- lodged your 2023-24 tax return and received a notice of assessment, or
- lodged a non-lodgement advice with the ATO and/or Centrelink.
Government schools
| Number of dependent children | Combined gross family income limit for the 2023-24 financial year | Gross weekly school card income limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $74,189 | $1,426 |
| 2 | $75,514 | $1,452 |
| 3 | $76,839 | $1,478 |
| 4 | $78,164 | $1,504 |
| 5 | $79,489 | $1,530 |
| Each additional dependent child | $1,325 | $26 |
Non-government schools
The income limits for students attending non-government schools are set by the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) and Catholic Education South Australia (CESA).
Catholic schools
| Number of dependent children | Combined gross family income limit for the 2023-24 financial year | Gross weekly school card income limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $74,189 | $1,426 |
| 2 | $75,514 | $1,452 |
| 3 | $76,839 | $1,478 |
| 4 | $78,164 | $1,504 |
| 5 | $79,489 | $1,530 |
| Each additional dependent child | $1,325 | $26 |
Independent schools
The income limits for independent schools may differ for each school. Speak to your child’s school for details.
Access to free devices for year 7 and year 10 students of participating schools
You can get access to a free device - such as a laptop or tablet - to support your child’s studies if:
- you’re on School Card and
- your child is in year 7 or 10 of a school that takes part in the department’s School Device Program.
When your child completes their schooling you need to return the device to the school, unless the school allows you to keep it.
There are currently 342 schools in the program. To find out if your school is taking part this year, see the information for families section on student devices in primary and secondary schools - Department for Education.
The program will be expanded to all secondary school students on School Card by 2026.
Related information
On this site
- Payments and financial support schemes
- Scholarships
- Travel concession and allowances
- Parents in Education funding for school and preschool communities
Other websites
- Services Australia - support and payments while you study, retrain or complete an apprenticeship
Contact
For more information or help to complete the form talk to your school or phone freecall 1800 672 758.
Email: education.schoolcard@sa.gov.au
