School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS)

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The Queensland Government provides assistance for eligible students travelling to and from school under the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) (PDF).

Assistance is available on bus, ferry, train and tram services, as well as for private vehicle travel.

General eligibility criteria

All types of STAS assistance require that a student:

  • have parents/guardians who reside in Queensland
  • attend an approved school
  • are 18 or younger.

Applications can now be made for school transport assistance (on all government contracted bus, rail or ferry services) for students living in shared care arrangements and travelling to school from two addresses. If approved, assistance is available from May 2023.

For more information, check out the frequently asked questions.

Students with disability

The Queensland Government continues to provide school transport assistance for students with disability, while a national solution around school transport for students with disability is being identified. Students with disability who meet the eligibility requirements may be provided with school transport assistance, whether or not they are eligible to receive funding under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Enquiries about school transport assistance for students with disability should be made with the school attended.

Types of assistance

There are different types of assistance available under STAS:

Students who satisfy the STAS general eligibility criteria may be eligible for bus and ferry transport assistance.

In Queensland, there are two types of bus and ferry transport assistance available to eligible students.

Distance based assistance

Distance based assistance is available to students who do not have a state school in their local area.

To be eligible for distance based assistance:

  • primary school students must live more than 3.2km from the nearest state primary school
  • secondary school students must live more than 4.8km from the nearest state secondary school
  • non-state school students must live more than the required distances from both the nearest state and non-state school of the type attended.

All measurements are by the shortest trafficable route and are based on the nearest school which offers the required year level.

Safety-net travel assistance

If students reside close to the nearest school and are not eligible for distance-based assistance, they may be eligible for safety-net travel assistance if they are listed a dependent on the applicant's current concession card or are the holder of a current concession card. Accepted concession cards are:

  • Health Care Card issued by Services Australia
  • Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia
  • Pensioner Concession Card issued by Department of Veteran's Affairs

Students under a Child Protection Order may also qualify.

Students must not be in receipt of any other STAS assistance.

Applications must be in the name of the cardholder and require evidence of eligibility. The cardholder must agree sign to data matching being performed with Services Australia. Applicants who do not agree to this condition will not be eligible to receive safety-net assistance.

How to apply

Once an application for assistance is approved, students will be issued with a travel pass by the bus or ferry service provider.

Not eligible?

All fares on our SEQ and regional bus, ferry, train and trams services are 50 cents.

Train and tram transport assistance is available to eligible primary and secondary students who travel to and from school on the Queensland Rail Citytrain or Gold Coast tram (G:link) network.

STAS go card – 100% subsidy

We issue the STAS go card to eligible students for use on our services.

Students receive free travel between the closest station to their home and the closest station to their school on gazetted state school days from the first service of the day until 7pm.

Students use their STAS card like a go card and touch on at a card reader at the start and end of each journey.

At the following times the card converts to a regular go card and can be used to travel anywhere on our network for a concession fare:

  • after 7pm on weekdays
  • anytime during weekends
  • anytime on public holidays.

Refer to the full terms and conditions (PDF) of use.

Who is eligible

Students are eligible for a STAS go card if they:

  • meet the STAS general eligibility criteria; and
  • are listed as a dependant on the applicant's current concession card or are the holder of a current concession card. Accepted concession cards are:
    • Health Care Card issued by Services Australia
    • Pensioner Concession Card issued by Services Australia
    • Pensioner Concession Card issued by Department of Veterans' Affairs

Students under a Child Protection Order may also qualify.

How to apply

You can apply online or complete a School Rail Travel Safety-Net Assistance Application (PDF)

Students who are not eligible for this pass should purchase a child or concession go card.

In some areas, parents are required to make private arrangements to transport their students to and from school, or to and from a bus stop or train station. These families may be eligible to apply for conveyance allowance to assist with the cost of this travel if they meet the STAS general eligibility criteria.

To be eligible for conveyance allowance:

  • primary school students must live more than 3.2 km from the nearest state primary school
  • secondary school students must live more than 4.8 km from the nearest state secondary school
  • non-state school students must live more than the required distances from both the nearest state and non-state school of the type attended.

Conveyance allowance may also be available for non-state school students who live outside the Brisbane City Council Local Area boundary and within the required distance from the nearest state school. To be eligible, applicants must live over the distance criteria from their nearest non-state school of the type attended.

All measurements are by the shortest trafficable route and are based on the nearest school which offers the required year level.

You may not be eligible for conveyance allowance if you live in an area with a dedicated school bus service. If unsure of school transport bus services in your area, please contact your local Regional office.

The payment of conveyance allowance for private travel is not available from a second address under the shared care arrangements.

Check the department's school transport information page for relevant information statements.

How to apply

You can apply online or complete the Conveyance Allowance Application Form (PDF)

Not eligible?

All fares on our SEQ and regional bus, ferry, train and tram services are a 50 cents.

Additional conveyance allowance may be available for eligible students who live on a drought declared primary producing property and who qualify for conveyance allowance Class A or C.

To be eligible, the primary producing property must either be situated in a drought declared shire or be classified as an Individually Droughted Property by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Check the department's school transport information page for relevant information statements.

How to apply

You can apply online or complete the Drought Assistance Form (PDF)

Students who live in isolated parts of Queensland may be eligible for additional assistance under STAS if they:

More information on assistance for isolated students is available on the department's school transport information page or in the School Transport Assistance Scheme.

How to apply

You can apply online.

Not eligible?

All fares on our bus, ferry, train and tram services are 50 cents.

EAL/D students who are enrolled in a Department of Education approved Intensive Language Unit (ILU) may be eligible for the Student Special Program Pass.

Assistance is available for 12 months from the original date of enrolment in an ILU. Principals have authority to grant an additional six months of travel assistance for those students requiring continued language support beyond the initial 12 month period.

How to apply

EAL/D students should contact their school to apply.

Assistance for students living in shared care arrangements (to start from May 2023)

Applications can now be made for school transport assistance (all government contracted bus, rail, or ferry services) for students living in shared care arrangements and travelling to school from two addresses. If approved, assistance is available from May 2023.

Students must be eligible for STAS assistance from each address. Eligibility distance measurements will be based on the principal place of residence of the parent/guardian applying for assistance.

The payment of conveyance allowance for private travel is not available from a second address under the shared care arrangements. This means that if a student is receiving STAS assistance from Guardian A address, Guardian B cannot be approved for conveyance allowance.

How to apply

You can apply online.

You must select 'Yes' on the student details page where it asks if the student is living in shared care arrangements and provide travel cycle details.

Applications will only be accepted from a student's legal parent/guardian.

Not eligible?

All fares on our bus, ferry, train and tram services are 50 cents.

STAS fares

Different School Transport Assistance Scheme fares apply across Queensland.

Online applications

Online applications are now available for students across Queensland.

More information

For more information, contact Translink, visit one of our Regional office locations or download the STAS policy.

Read the STAS Information for parents and guardians.

Related links