Free Home Internet

The Australian Government is offering free home internet until 31 December 2025, for up to 30,000 unconnected families with school aged students, through its School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI).

Who is eligible for the SSBI Program?

The SSBI aims to help families with school-aged children who may be struggling with cost-of-living issues and are unable to maintain a broadband internet connection at home.

To be eligible for the SSBI, families must:

• have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school (from Kindy up to year 12 in NSW)
• not have an active nbn® network internet service in the previous 14 days. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility
• not have had an active nbn connection in the previous 14 days
• live in a premises that can access a standard nbn service
• either be referred by a Nominating Organisation or have your suitability determined via an assessment conducted by the program's National Referral Centre (NRC).

How can families check their eligibility?

A National Referral Centre (NRC) has been established to help Australian families that meet the eligibility criteria to have the National Broadband Network connected at their home. To check their eligibility, families should be advised to follow these simple steps:

1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm), visit their website at https://www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internetExternal link or email studentinternet@anglicarevic.org.au. Callback and webchat functions are also available via the anglicare website.
2. Check their eligibility – the National Referral Centre team will assess the family’s eligibility for the SSBI, including a check of their residential address and current financial situation.
3. If eligible, the family will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating SSBI retail service providers. The National Referral Centre is also available to assist with contacting your SSBI internet provider of choice or providing follow-up support.

What services will the National Referral Centre offer?

The National Referral Centre (NRC) is the first point of contact for both self-nominating families and Nominating Organisations.

The NRC is set up to answer questions, assess eligibility, issue vouchers and provide information regarding participating retail service providers. Centre staff can also provide follow-up support for anyone experiencing challenges redeeming the voucher.

For people from non-English speaking backgrounds, or people with accessibility challenges, the NRC can offer translation services through Language Loop and some of their own bi-lingual staff; and their website is equipped with ReciteMe technology.