Travel Assistance Grant

Clinical Training Agency
Travel Assistance Grant

The policy and guidelines for providers and applicants are provided in full text below. They can also be downloaded in Word format, along with the application form and distance driving charts, from the box on the right.

Purpose of the Grant

The Travel Assistance Grant promotes equity of access to CTA-funded training programmes for trainees employed in areas remote to CTA-funded PECT training programmes.

It is designed to subsidise trainees for their personal out of pocket expenses relating to travel to attend CTA-funded PECT programmes.

Selection criteria

Application for a Travel Assistance Grant is open to any person who:

is an eligible trainee enrolled in a CTA-funded training programme, and
is employed in an area remote from the training location and an equivalent CTA-funded programme is not offered at any closer location.

Further information on eligibility criteria is available in the Travel Assistance Grant Policy.

In completing the application form, it is acknowledged that this does not constitute a binding agreement between us, nor will the CTA necessarily enter into a contract to provide the Travel Assistance Grant.

Policy

There are a number of criteria the CTA uses in making funding decisions regarding travel assistance for trainees enrolled on CTA funded PECT programmes who work remote from the training location:

Travel assistance funding applies to actual and reasonable travel costs personally incurred by trainees, associated with attending a CTA funded training programme.
Trainees who have the use of an employer vehicle for travel associated with attending the training programme are not eligible for assistance with transport costs.
Trainees who receive any other funding (eg from an employer) to cover travel costs personally incurred by the trainee associated with attending the CTA funded training programme are not eligible for assistance for that part of the travel expense.
Travel grants apply to trainees who normally work at a locality remote from the training location (as defined in Clause 5) and an equivalent CTA funded programme is not offered at any closer location.
The grant is set at the maximums shown for the three bands set out below (GST does not apply to travel assistance grants) per full time equivalent or training unit per programme, but may be less depending on factors such as available budget, and distance travelled.
- Band 1 (travel less than 100km one way from place of work to location of training programme): no additional funding.
- Band 2 (between 100 – 250km one way from place of work to location of training programme): additional funding up to $1,500.
- Band 3 (above 250km one way from place of work to location of training programme): additional funding up to $2,000.
Mileage will be calculated at a rate not greater than the Public Service rates.
Where more than one trainee is travelling by car from the same locality to the same training programme, it is expected that car-pooling will occur up to a maximum of three trainees per car. Applications for transport costs should be completed by the driver only.
The grant is for personally incurred travel expenses only and includes accommodation. Accommodation funding applies to actual and reasonable accommodation costs up to $100 per night (GST does not apply), associated with attending a CTA funded training programme where the trainee normally works or resides at a site remote from the training location (ie, more than 100km one way) and the programme is not offered at any closer location. The grant does not include meals.
Part-time study will be funded on a pro-rata basis. The maximum amount for the appropriate band will be pro-rated according to the percentage FTE or Training Unit of study.
Funding is limited and should eligible applications exceed available monies, the grant funding will be apportioned equally among eligible applicants on the basis of the number of eligible applications. No grant will exceed the value of the initial application.
If the trainee does not attend the training programme as indicated in the application it is expected that the unused portion of the grant will be refunded to the CTA (or not invoiced).
Trainee travel expenses for any given programme may be submitted only once to the CTA for consideration for a travel assistance grant.
CTA will determine the eligibility of applications and that determination is final.

Application form

Please ensure the application form is completed fully and accurately. The information provided contributes towards determining eligibility for a Clinical Training Agency Travel Assistance Grant. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

You can download the application form in Word format from the box above.

A separate application form must be filled in and signed by each trainee applying for a travel assistance grant. If car-pooling, only the driver is required to fill out an application form, but the driver must supply the details of the car-pooling trainees.

A driving distance chart is also provided to assist with distance calculation.

Administration

Applications for travel assistance must be made during the application periods shown for programmes that commence during the dates shown in the table below. Applications will not be accepted outside of these periods or after the closing dates.

Programme commencement date	Application period
1 December to 30 June	1 March to 31 March
1 July to 30 November	1 August to 31 August

CTA-funded programme contract holders are responsible for dispensing the application forms to trainees and collecting and sending the completed applications, by mail or courier, to the address below:

Contracts Administrator
Clinical Training Agency
Level 4
Charles Luney House
P O Box 3877
CHRISTCHURCH

After the closing date all applications will be reviewed and the grant funding allocated to successful applicants. Contract holders will be accountable for ensuring that all eligible trainee(s) identified receive the grant.

Evaluation and review

In order for the Ministry of Health to continue with the Travel Assistance Grant it is important that we undertake an evaluation to assess the effectiveness of this programme. Please note that successful applicants may be contacted to participate in this evaluation.

The Travel Assistance Policy will be reviewed by CTA on a regular basis.

Deadline

The applicant should return completed application forms, and provide any supporting documentation, to the training provider. The training provider then collates and forwards the application documents to the CTA.

The application forms and supporting documentation must be received by CTA no later than:

5pm, 31 March
for programmes that commenced between 1 December and 30 June
and
5pm, 31 August
for programmes that commenced between 1 July and 30 November

These deadlines are strictly enforced to ensure trainees who get their applications in on time are not disadvantaged.

Hard copies only will be accepted (ie, do not send completed applications by email).

Mail or courier to:
Contracts Administrator
Clinical Training Agency
Level 4
Charles Luney House
P O Box 3877
CHRISTCHURCH

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Page last reviewed: 24 March 2009

Download the guidelines, application form, and distance driving charts

CTA Travel Assistance Grant guidelines, application form, and distance driving charts (Word, 178 KB)