The Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA) Education and Training Scheme (MRCAETS) provides financial assistance, student support services, guidance and counselling for eligible children to help them achieve their full potential in education and career training. The MRCAETS has been developed to help support children undertaking primary, secondary and tertiary study, apprenticeships and traineeships, and is normally provided only for full-time study within Australia. Support may also be available in limited circumstances for approved part‑time study.

Benefits available under the MRCAETS may include:

• Education allowance
• Additional Tuition
• Special Assistance
• Fares Allowance
• Guidance and counselling 
• Student Start-up and Relocation Scholarships

Payments and services administered by the MRCAETS may also include support delivered on behalf of other Australian Government entities, where eligibility requirements are met

The MRCAETS operates under legislative instrument prescribed by the Repatriation Commission in accordance with section 258 of the MRCA.

Delegates should note that the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme (VCES) was closed on 1 July 2026. From this date, all VCES students were transferred into the MRCAETS. 

All education scheme administration from this date is undertaken solely under the MRCAETS.

The following decisions are a formal decision point which must be made by a delegate with appropriate authority:

• whether a person is an eligible child for the purposes of the MRCAETS.
• whether a person is a VEA eligible child or VEA eligible grandchild, meaning a person determined under s257C of the MRCA to be included in an additional class for the purposes of the MRCAETS.
• whether a person is eligible for payment of education allowance under the MRCAETS.
• who receives payment of education allowance, including any change in the person to whom payment is made.
• the rate of education allowance payable, including any change in the rate of payment.
• whether a student receives a scholarship.
• whether a student receives fares allowance, additional tuition, special assistance or rent assistance.
• ceasing payment due to unsatisfactory academic progress.
• reinstating payment where a student has resumed satisfactory academic progress.

If a delegate decides to vary the rate of education allowance, they must also make a new decision in relation to the person to whom the payment is made.

Decisions must be provided to the individual in writing, along with the reasons for the decision and information on their appeal rights.

The MRCAETS instrument sets out review provisions for decisions made under the Scheme. Under the instrument, a person must be given written notice of any decision regarding MRCAETS eligibility or entitlements. The person then has three months from receipt of the written notice to request a review of the decision. 

Where a request for review is received, the decision must be reviewed by a delegate (other than the original decision-maker) within three months of the application date unless the applicant has agreed in writing to a later timeframe. 

If the applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the review, they have a further right of review to the Administrative Review Tribunal (ART). 

Decisions which contain a legal error 

There is no express power to undertake an own motion review of decisions made under the MRCAETS. 

However, in circumstances where it is obvious that a decision contains a legal error, the Repatriation Commission (RC) can reconsider the decision and determine that it should be treated as invalid and of no effect. Where this applies, a new decision can be made. If a legal error has occurred, the delegate must seek policy advice.

Review of VCES decisions made prior to 1 July 2026 

From 1 July 2026, all VCES students were transferred into the MRCAETS. Transitional provisions preserve review rights for VCES decisions in the following circumstances: 

If a person received a VCES reviewable decision before 1 July 2026 and the 3-month period to request a review had not expired, they may request a review of the decision under the MRCAETS. 

If a person made an application for a review of a VCES decision before 1 July 2026 and the review had not been decided, it continues under the MRCAETS.

In both cases, the review outcome is made under the MRCAETS and is taken to be a MRCAETS decision, meaning the person has a further right of review to the ART.