Education Funding System Frequently Asked Questions

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The Department of Education has commenced engagement with approved authorities to support Education Funding System access.

To prepare for Release 1 in November 2025 approved authorities need to:

  • Set up myID (if you don’t already have a myID)
  • Check your myID identity strength is at least ‘Standard’ – although an identity strength of ‘Strong’ is recommended.
  • Have the principal authority link the organisations ABN in RAM and assign individual users to act on behalf of the organisation.
  • Individual users need to receive an invitation email from RAM and follow the steps to link their myID to the organisation.

Refer to Digital ID on the EFS webpage for support and user guides to help you onboard.
 

To set up your myID, you need:

  • a smart device, the myID app is compatible with most smart devices, such as smart phones, and is available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play
  • a personal email address, because it’s your personal Digital ID, your ID documents will be linked to the email you choose. It should not be a shared or work email address
  • to be 15 years or older, age restrictions may apply to the use of some government online services.

myID is a product provided by the Australian Taxation Office. To assist you in setting up myID to access the Education Funding System, user guides will be developed.

We are here to help you as much as we can, however, technical issues relating to the myID app or your ability to achieve the required myID identity strength need to be directed to the myID support resources.
 

Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) is an Australian Government online service that allows individuals to access government services on behalf of an organisation.

The person responsible for the business (known by RAM as the ‘principal authority’) will need to set up the business in RAM by linking to the organisation’s Australian Business Number. Once linked, the principal authority can authorise others to act on behalf of the organisation.

To set up users in RAM: 

  • you must be the Principal Authority or an Authorisation Administrator in RAM
  • you must have myID, with a ‘Strong’ identity strength
  • you need to know the user’s name as it appears in myID, and
  • the user’s business email address.

If you are invited by the principal authority or authorisation administrator to act on behalf of an organisation, you will receive an invitation to link your Digital ID (using myID).

To set up RAM as an individual user, you need:

  • a business email address
  • an invitation to link your myID
  • ‘Standard’ myID identity strength (principal authorities must have a ‘Strong’ myID identity strength).

RAM is a product provided by the Australian Taxation Office. To assist you in setting up RAM to access the Education Funding System, user guides have been developed.

We are here to help you as much as we can, however, technical issues relating RAM or your ability link to your organisations ABN need to be directed to the RAM support resources.
 

Accessing the Education Funding System is straightforward, but it differs slightly from how users currently access SchoolsHUB.

Users will access the Education Funding System via EducationHUB.gov.au and will sign in using a Digital ID (myID).

From November 2025, approved authorities will be able to access the Education Funding System in readiness to view the January 2026 payment details and submit the February 2026 address collection.

More information on how to access the EFS will be provided to approved authorities ahead of Release 1.

The EFS is the Department of Education’s new digital platform, designed to modernise the education digital ecosystem. It delivers simple, secure, and connected digital services for schools and higher education providers, replacing legacy systems like SchoolsHUB.

The EFS will improve the way the department collects data, calculates entitlements, and makes payments to education providers. It will reduce administrative burden, enhance user experience, and meet modern IT security requirements.

The EFS will be delivered incrementally over five releases between November 2025 and December 2026. 

The first release in November 2025 will impact Approved Authorities, with further releases expanding functionality to Block Grant Authorities, Non-Government Representative Bodies and higher education institutions from 2026.

The EFS Release 1 in November 2025 is the first of 5 releases that will be delivered between November 2025 and December 2026. 

The Release 1 only impacts approved authorities. From Release 1 in November 2025, approved authorities can access the EFS via EducationHUB (and using their Digital ID) in readiness to view 2026 school payments and submit data as part of their funding requirements. 

There are no changes for Block Grant Authorities (BGAs), Non-Government Representative Bodies (NGRBs), or higher education providers in November 2025.

From Release 1 in November 2025, approved authorities will be able to view their organisation and schools in the EFS. 

All data collections for schools will be submitted using the EFS, in line with existing data collection timeframes, commencing with the February 2026 address collection. 

All payments to approved authorities will be made from the EFS, in line with existing payment timeframes, commencing with the January 2026 recurrent funding payment (for government and non-government schools) and any relevant prescribed or special circumstances payments. 

SchoolsHUB will remain available for approved authorities to view historical data, manage their organisation and schools until Release 2. 

Following the second release, approved authorities will manage their organisation and schools in the EFS. Historical data will remain available to view in SchoolsHub.

Digital ID is a secure, Australian Government-approved way to prove your identity online. 

All EFS users will need a Digital ID (myID) to access the system, replacing traditional passwords and multi-factor authentication for enhanced security. 

myID is the Australian Government’s Digital ID app, used by over 13 million Australians to access more than 150 government services. Once set up, you can use myID to access online government services without needing to remember or update passwords.

Digital ID System

If you don’t already have a myID, you can set one up easily. Head to myID.gov.au for more information.

Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) is an authorisation service that allows you to access government online services on behalf of your business or organisation. 

To access the EFS on behalf of a business, the person responsible for the business (known as the principal authority) will need to link the organisation Australian Business Number (ABN). 

Once linked, others can be authorised to act on behalf of the business and will be invited to link their myID.

The department has developed detailed onboarding instructions to support you to access EFS. You can also visit myID.gov.au and info.authorisationmanager.gov.au for more information. 

myID can be set up at any time by visiting myID.gov.au 

Department of Education service is now available to link to your myID in RAM.

The department will run a comprehensive communication and training campaign from September 2025 to December 2026, including online briefings, user guides, FAQs, and help desk support. For more support information visit the EFS webpage on the department’s website.

EducationHUB is a new dedicated website launched as part of the EFS implementation. 

It is designed to be the main entry point for education providers to access information, resources, and digital services from the Department of Education. 

EducationHUB will streamline the user experience for schools and higher education institutions by providing a single location for funding arrangements, legislation, policy information, training materials, user guides, and secure access to the EFS using Digital ID.

On EducationHUB, you can: 

  • Find up-to-date information about funding arrangements, legislation, and policy
  • Access resources such as training materials and user guides
  • Log in securely to the Education Funding System (EFS) using your Digital ID (myID)
  • Over time, access an expanding range of education services as EducationHUB evolves.

EducationHUB simplifies and secures your interactions with the Department of Education by:

  • reducing the need for multiple logins and manual processes
  • providing self-service functionality and easily accessible information
  • enhancing cyber security through Digital ID authentication
  • supporting a more streamlined and efficient user experience
  • a modern user experience informed by user research.

Approved authorities will begin using EducationHUB from November 2025 to access the EFS, view payment information, and submit required data collections. Other education providers will transition to EducationHUB in later releases.

For more information, visit EducationHUB.

The Department of Education has commenced engagement with approved authorities to support Education Funding System access. You can view the approved authorities onboarding information here.

The Digital ID Act 2024 establishes the rules and governance for how individuals and organisations use Digital ID to  securely access government and business services online.

It came into effect on 1 December 2024 and is part of a national initiative to improve online security and reduce the need to repeatedly share personal documents.

The Act supports the Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS), which includes tools like myID (the government’s Digital ID app) and RAM (Relationship Authorisation Manage.
 

Section 72 of the Digital ID Act 2024 states that the use of a Digital ID is voluntary. However, there are important exceptions, where the use of a Digital ID is not voluntary.

Subsection 74(3)(a) of Digital ID Act 2024 sets out an exception to the voluntary requirement where a relevant entity is providing a service, or access to a service, to an individual who is acting on behalf of another entity in a professional or business capacity.

In this instance, as access to the EFS is being provided to you on the basis that you are acting on behalf of an Approved Authority, Block Grant Authority, non-Government Representative Body or higher education provider, in a professional or business capacity, the department considers that it is not required to offer an alternative access method.

Why is this important?

The Department of Education is strengthening our cyber security arrangements, including access to the Education Funding System. The use of Digital ID will ensure the EFS is accessed only by verified users who are appropriately linked and authorised to act on behalf of a registered organisation.

Where can I get support?

To help with this transition, the Department of Education will provide step-by-step guides, webinars, FAQs, and helpdesk support for EFS-specific queries. 
Digital ID, myID and the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM) are administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). This means that, in addition to the support provided by the Department of Education for EFS-specific queries, the ATO can also assist users with any issues related to setting up or using myID and RAM.