Leaving Australia? How Nepali Students Claim Their Super Back (DASP)
If you worked in Australia on a student visa, your employers paid superannuation into a fund in your name, and you can claim it back after you leave. The Australian Taxation Office calls this the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). You apply online for free once your visa has ended and you have left Australia. Tax of 35% is taken from the taxed part of your super.
Last checked: 14 October 2026. Based on the ATO’s DASP guidance.
Who can claim DASP
According to the ATO, you can generally claim if all of these apply:
- You built up super while working in Australia on a temporary visa (a Student visa counts).
- Your visa has ceased: it has expired or been cancelled.
- You have left Australia and do not hold another active Australian visa.
- You are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident.
So if you move from a Student visa to a 485 graduate visa or another visa, you cannot claim yet. Your super stays in the fund until you finally leave.
How to claim, step by step
- Before you leave: log in to myGov (linked to the ATO) and find all your super accounts. Many students have two or three small accounts from different jobs.
- Note each fund’s name and your member number. Update your email and overseas contact details with each fund.
- You can start and save a DASP application in the ATO’s online DASP system while you are still in Australia.
- After you leave and your visa ends: submit the application. The system checks your visa status with Home Affairs automatically.
- The fund pays you after taking tax. Keep your Australian bank account open, or give overseas bank details if your fund accepts them.
How much tax comes off
| Part of your super | DASP tax rate (not working holiday makers) |
|---|---|
| Tax-free component | 0% |
| Taxed element | 35% |
| Untaxed element | 45% |
What happens if you don’t claim within 6 months
The ATO says your fund will transfer your super to the ATO as unclaimed super money once it has been 6 months or more since you left Australia and your visa has ceased. The money is not lost: you then claim it from the ATO through the same DASP process instead of from your fund.
Practical tips
- Combine small accounts while you are still in Australia so you claim once, not three times.
- Watch out for anyone offering to “get your super back” for a big fee. The ATO’s DASP online system is free.
- Keep copies of payslips. They show your employer’s super contributions if anything is missing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim my super while I’m still in Australia?
You can start the application, but you can only submit it after you have left and your visa has ended.
Is it free to claim?
Yes. Applying through the ATO’s online DASP system is free.
I left more than 6 months ago. Is my super gone?
No. It has usually been moved to the ATO, and you claim it from there.
Related guides
Minimum wage in Australia for international students · Getting a TFN and other student tax numbers · Sending money to Nepal
Sources
- Departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP) – Australian Taxation Office
- How superannuation applies to temporary residents – Australian Taxation Office
This is general information, not tax or financial advice. Check the ATO or your fund for your own situation.
