Travel and accommodation assistance grants

Purpose

The travel and accommodation assistance grant is to help trainees when the distance from their work to their place of study is more than 100 kilometres. 

The grant is a contribution to the travel and accommodation costs of attending the formal teaching component of the training programme.

Note, the grant only contributes to travel and accommodation costs, it is not intended to cover all costs. 

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

The travel and accommodation assistance grants are open to anyone who is:

• an eligible trainee enrolled in and attending a Skills Matter funded training programme
• employed in an area more than 100km from the training programme location
• not receiving any travel and accommodation funding from another source, for example, a scholarship or from your employer.

2020 grants

Applications open on Monday, 22 June 2020 and will close at midday on Friday, 21 August 2020.

Eligible trainees will be sent an email notification of when the grant opens and closes. Online grant application requests are submitted via our grants portal https://grantsportal.tepou.co.nz/SignIn

All applicants will be advised of the outcome and grant payments can be expected by mid-September 2020. 

How much is the grant? 

The estimated grant amount is allocated by bands depending on how far you have to travel one way between your place of employment and your place of study. 

In 2020 there are four bands of grants based on distance travelled from a trainee’s workplace to the Skills Matter-funded training programme:

Band 1

Distance between workplace and training programme (one way): 100-300km
Maximum indicative amount (estimate) per eligible trainee: up to $500

Band 2

Distance between workplace and training programme (one way): 301-500km
Maximum indicative amount (estimate) per eligible trainee: up to $900

Band 3

Distance between workplace and training programme (one way): 501-800km
Maximum indicative amount (estimate) per eligible trainee: up to $1,400

Band 4

Distance between workplace and training programme (one way): more than 800km
Maximum indicative amount (estimate) per eligible trainee: up to $2,000

Estimates are provided above to give an indication of the maximum amount likely to be available for each grant band for 2020.

Once all travel and accommodation grant applications have been received, Skills Matter will be able to confirm the maximum amount applicants can be awarded in each band.

As our travel and accommodation funding is limited, the amount per individual grant is an estimate only and may be reduced if we have more applications than in previous years. 

If you are studying part-time, the above grant amounts will be allocated on a pro-rata basis. For example, a person studying part-time will receive half of the grant entitlement each year. 

How do I apply?

Through the Te Pou grants portal https://grantsportal.tepou.co.nz/SignIn.

In the portal, you can save your application and come back to it as necessary, as well as track the status of your application.   

Important Information

For payment of grants to occur, it is vital that the correct bank account details are provided. We require a screenshot of your bank account number or a copy of a bank deposit slip/statement so payment can be made as soon as the decision making has been agreed on. 

All applicants will be advised of the outcome and grant payments can be expected by mid-September 2020.  

Do I need to keep receipts?

No receipts are necessary to account for the grant. Remember, the grant is only a contribution towards travel and accommodation costs. 

Further information

Please check our FAQs or contact grants@tepou.co.nz if you need further information.