Travel and accommodation assistance grants

On this page:

• Purpose
• Selection criteria
• Grant application
• Reimbursement of travel costs
• Grant criteria
• Employer assistance with travel and accomodation

Purpose

The travel and accommodation assistance grant is designed to help trainees working in areas 100km or more away from their Skills Matter funded training programme.

The grant is intended to contribute to the costs of attending the formal teaching component of the training programme.  It is not intended to cover all travel and accommodation costs.

The funding is limited; applying does not guarantee that your application will be successful.

Selection criteria

Application for the travel and accommodation assistance grant is open to any person who is:

• an eligible trainee enrolled in, and attending a Skills Matter funded training programme
• employed in an area more than 100 kilometres from the training programme location.

Grant application

Skills Matter funded students must apply for eligibility for 2013 grants. Students can apply by downloading an application form. In addition, application forms will be posted to Skills Matter funded students before the end of February 2013. The closing date for applications for eligibility will be 30 April 2013.

Reimbursement of travel costs

For all eligible students, reimbursement for travel and accommodation costs will be made in two lots only. The first payment will be in August for costs incurred during Semester 1. The second payment will be in December for costs incurred during Semester 2.

For more information about relevant dates, please see our frequently asked questions page. Payments will only be made up to the maximum amount you are eligible for – you will be informed of this once all applications have been processed after 30 April 2013.

Travel and accommodation assistance grant criteria

There are a number of criteria considered by Skills Matter in making funding decisions regarding travel assistance for trainees enrolled on Skills Matter-funded programmes:

1. Trainees who join Skills Matter-funded programmes after 30 April 2013 will not be eligible to apply for the Skills Matter travel and accommodation assistance grant (unless their application for eligibility was received prior to 30 April). This is because the fund is allocated across all eligible trainees as of 30 April.

2. Any trainee who receives other grants or scholarships to cover travel or accommodation costs will not be eligible for assistance through the Skills Matter travel and accommodation assistance grants unless the other grants or scholarships are a contribution from the trainee’s employer to cover the shortfall between a trainee’s actual costs and what Skills Matter has allocated for the trainee.

3. The grant assists with expenses relating to:

• accommodation costs of up to $120 per night (including GST if any)
• airport shuttles
• buses
• flights
• petrol costs (not mileage). 

The grant will not cover any other expenses, including without limitation, expenses relating to:

• meals
• parking costs
• reading material
• taxis
• telephone charges.

4. All claims must be accompanied by proof of payment (original receipts) including claims for petrol (petrol claims without original receipts will not be accepted). Proof of payment includes receipts for accommodation and evidence of travel (itineraries showing dates of travel).

5. A trainee who has use of an employer vehicle (for example a DHB car) to travel to the training programme will not be eligible for assistance with transport costs from the Skills Matter travel and accommodation assistance grant.

6. In the case of car-pooling to attend Skills Matter-funded training, only one person will be able to apply to Skills Matter for reimbursement of transport costs.

7. Reimbursement will not be made to trainees who do not attend the formal teaching component (blocks) of their courses.

8. In 2013 there will be four bands of grants, based on distance travelled from a trainee's workplace to the Skills Matter funded training programme:

9. Estimates are provided above to give an indication of the maximum likely to be available for each grant band for 2013. Once all travel and accommodation grant applications have been received, Skills Matter will be able to confirm the maximum amount applicants can claim in each band. Skills Matter will inform applicants of the maximum amount that will be available after the application deadline of 30 April 2013.

10. Skills Matter reserves the right to alter, from time to time, the maximum amount above or any other sums set out in these guidelines or in the website.

11. The Skills Matter travel and accommodation assistance fund is a finite fund. Applying for travel and accommodation assistance grant does not guarantee that applications will be accepted.

12. Skills Matter will determine the eligibility of applications and that determination is final.

13. Under special circumstances applications may be made for unexpected travel costs (e.g. air travel). Reimbursement will be at the discretion of Skills Matter.

Employer assistance with travel and accommodation

If your employer is supporting your studies by assisting with travel and accommodation costs they can claim reimbursement from Skills Matter provided that you are eligible. To complete this process you will still need to apply online in order to demonstrate that you meet our eligibility criteria (see Grant Application information above).

Your employer also needs to complete the Travel and Accommodation Assistance Grant: Criteria and application for reimbursement of Mental Health and Addiction Services for all employees they are supporting. This form will be available on this website from 15 Feburary 2013.

More information

Can't find what you are looking for? Visit our frequently asked questions page for more information.