If you're a first home buyer, the good news is that there are several schemes set up by the Australian government to help you financially through the process.
The bad news is that it can be very confusing trying to navigate all the different schemes with their various eligibility criteria!
Fortunately, this ultimate guide helps explain which programs apply to you and how to find out more information.
Let's get into it!
Overview: Government First Home Buyers Schemes and Grants
Government first home buyer schemes can be categorised based on whether they apply nationwide or are state-specific:
National Initiatives
- Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme (formerly the First Home Guarantee) — Buy with a 5% deposit. The government guarantees part of your deposit, so you don't pay LMI.
- First Home Super Saver Scheme — You can make voluntary contributions to your super and withdraw it to use as a home deposit.
- 5% Deposit Scheme: Single Parent Stream— This stream is for single parents with dependents. They can buy with a 2% deposit, and the government guarantees part of the deposit.
- Regional buyers — There is no longer a separate regional scheme. Regional buyers use the 5% Deposit Scheme, with regional property price caps.
- Help to Buy scheme — The government funds some of the upfront cost of a home in exchange for equity in the property.
State-specific Initiatives
- First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) — each state and territory runs its own grant, with different amounts and rules. The ACT has no FHOG, and the NT has replaced it with the HomeGrown Territory Grant.
- One-off transfer duty (stamp duty) waivers or concessions
National First Home Buyers Schemes and Grants
The new option: OwnHome's Deposit Boost Loan
An OwnHome Deposit Boost Loan provides the opportunity for customers to get a foot on the property ladder without hundreds of thousands of dollars upfront.
A Deposit Boost Loan is a loan, so OwnHome does not take a share of your home’s equity. There is also no cap on income, and you can take out a Deposit Boost Loan for a home up to $3 million.
OwnHome is backed by some of Australia’s most trusted financial institutions.
What is it?
With an OwnHome Deposit Boost Loan, all you need is the Low Deposit Premium upfront (up to 2.2% of the purchase price, minimum $9,500), and we’ll cover the rest of your 20% deposit - so you don’t pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)! Plus, once you're ready to start the house-hunt, you'll be supported by our team of expert Buyer's Agents - at no additional cost when you pay your Low Deposit Premium upfront!
Here's how it works:
- Bridge your deposit gap - For a Low Deposit Premium of up to 2.2% of the purchase price (minimum $9,500), we’ll cover the deposit you need to unlock your very own 80% LVR mortgage.
- Hello, pre-approval - Your Deposit Boost Loan is paired with an 80% LVR home loan.
- Find your home - When you pay your Low Deposit Premium upfront, our Buyer's Agent service is included to help you from search to settlement.
- Repay over time - You repay your OwnHome Deposit Boost Loan over a 15-year term, with principal and interest repayments at a variable rate. Think of it as paying for your deposit while you live in your home.
Who is eligible?
OwnHome exists to help aspiring homeowners who need a boost to their deposit. Key requirements for a Deposit Boost Loan are:
- Credit in good standing
- Proof of employment
- Permanent residency or citizenship for at least one applicant
- Looking to buy an owner-occupier property
- Savings to cover the Low Deposit Premium (up to 2.2% of the purchase price, minimum $9,500) and government fees
Option 1: Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme
The 5% Deposit Scheme was set up by the federal government as a way for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder with a little help.
What is it?
The scheme allows eligible first-home buyers to buy a property with just a 5% deposit, which is much less than the normal 20%.
The government basically guarantees the rest of the deposit amount so you don't have to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance. This insurance is usually paid by the borrower to protect the lender in case the borrower cannot pay back the loan.
How many places are available?
Places are uncapped, so there is no waitlist.
Who's eligible?
- Individual applicants or joint applicants (with one other person).
- Australian citizen(s) or permanent resident(s).
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old.
- There are no income caps, but property price caps apply. The caps depend on where you buy.
- You must intend to be an owner-occupier(s) of the property.
- First home buyers, or you must not have owned property or land in Australia in the last 10 years.
Option 2: First Home Super Saver Scheme
The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme is an Australian Government initiative that allows first home buyers to save for their deposit using their superannuation.
What is it?
Under this scheme, you can make voluntary contributions to your super of up to $15,000 per financial year, and up to $50,000 in total.
You may benefit from lower super tax rates or tax offsets depending on the type of contributions you make.
Do note that you can only withdraw voluntary contributions which you've made to your super fund. This does not include employer contributions.
You can contribute to this fund through salary sacrifice (pre-tax) which you'll need to arrange with your employer.
Alternatively, you can make voluntary contributions from your after-tax income.
When you're ready to buy your home, you can withdraw your savings, plus any earnings, and use them towards your deposit.
How many places are available?
There are no limits to the number of applicants for this scheme.
Who is eligible?
- You must be 18 years old or older to request that your super be released under the FHSS scheme. But you can start saving up before you're 18.
- Those who have not owned any property in Australia before. This includes investment property and land.
- You do not need to be an Australian citizen or Australian resident to qualify for the FHSS scheme.
Option 3: 5% Deposit Scheme Single Parent Stream
The Single Parent Stream (formerly the Family Home Guarantee) is meant to assist eligible single parents or single legal guardians with dependent children in buying their family home sooner.
What is it?
Approved applicants can buy a home with just a 2% deposit without paying Lenders Mortgage Insurance. The government guarantees the rest of the 18% to make up the typical 20%.
How many places are available?
Places are uncapped, and there are no income caps.
Who is eligible?
- Single persons. You must not have a spouse and/or a de facto partner. If you are separated but not divorced, you will not be deemed single.
- You must have at least one dependent child.
- You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, aged 18 or over.
- You don't need to be a first home buyer, but you can't hold any other property interest once the new home settles.
Option 4: Buying in a regional area
The Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee is no longer a separate scheme. Since 1 October 2025, regional buyers use the 5% Deposit Scheme, with regional property price caps.
Option 5: Help to Buy Scheme
Help to Buy is a federal shared equity scheme that opened on 5 December 2025.
What is it?
Labor’s Help to Buy scheme is a shared equity scheme for eligible home buyers. The government contributes up to 40% of the price of a new home, or up to 30% of an existing home, in return for an equity share.
This means the federal government would own part of your home equity. Eventually, the equity share will need to be repaid to the government, either over time or when the property is sold.
How many places are available?
There are 10,000 places a year. Applications opened on 5 December 2025.
Who is eligible?
Help to Buy is for Australian citizens only: permanent residents are not eligible. Your taxable income must be $103,000 or less if you're single, or $165,000 or less for joint applicants and single parents. You must not own any property in Australia or overseas.
Eligible applicants will need to have saved a minimum deposit of 2% and show they can comfortably finance the rest of the property price through a home loan.
State-specific government grants and schemes for first-home buyers
Now that we've covered the nationwide schemes, let's get into some of the state-specific schemes.
Generally, you'll find that each state will provide their own version of:
- The First Home Owner Grant (FHOG). Each state and territory runs its own version, with different amounts and rules.
- One-off transfer duty (stamp duty) concessions
New South Wales (NSW)
There are currently 2 schemes available to first-home buyers in NSW:
First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme
What is it?
- Exemption from paying transfer duty (may be full or partial).
Main Requirements
- First-home buyers who are Australian citizens or permanent residents.
- Applicants must be over 18 years old.
- Full exemption for homes up to $800,000, and a concession for homes up to $1,000,000.
Other requirements can be found here.
First Home Owner Grant (New Home)
What is it?
- You can receive $10,000 towards your property purchase. This can also be used in addition to the First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme benefits.
Main requirements
- It's your first home (buying or building).
- No one has lived in the home before.
- It can't be above $600,000 in value for a new home, or $750,000 for land plus a build contract.
- Find out about more requirements
Queensland (QLD)
Queensland has the following grants and schemes for first-home buyers:
- You can receive $30,000 through the FHOG scheme. It applies to those buying or building a new house. But must be worth less than $750,000.
- Pay some or no stamp duty through the First Home Concession. Value limits apply, so check the Queensland Revenue Office for the current thresholds.
- Pay some or no stamp duty through the First Home Vacant Land Concession. Value limits also apply.
Please visit the Queensland Government website for more details.
Victoria
Here's a look at some of the grants and concessions available to first-home buyers in Victoria:
- The $10,000 FHOG is available for first-home buyers. The value of the home must be $750,000 or less. The home must also be new.
- Stamp (transfer) duty exemption, reduction, and concessions are available. A full exemption is available for new or established properties valued at up to $600,000. The duty concession kicks in for properties valued between $600,000 and $750,000.
Please visit the State Revenue Office of Victoria’s website for more information.
Northern Territory (NT)
The NT has several government schemes for first-home buyers.
Here's a quick overview of the options:
- $50,000 HomeGrown Territory Grant (which replaced the $10,000 First Home Owners Grant) for building or buying a new home. Contracts must be signed by 30 September 2027.
- Stamp duty exemption for house and land packages under the House and Land Package Exemption.
Please visit the NT government website for more information.
South Australia (SA)
South Australia launched new schemes in 2024 to help tackle housing affordability:
- First-home buyers in South Australia can access a one-off $15,000 FHOG for buying or building a new home.
- A 2% deposit loan launched through HomeStart in 2024.
- Stamp duty relief on new homes and vacant land. Check RevenueSA for the current rules.
Please visit the Revenue SA website for more information.
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
In the ACT, the FHOG has been replaced with the Home Buyers Concession Scheme.
Under this scheme, you won't need to pay stamp duty on your property purchase.
Who's eligible?
- Those 18 and older.
- From 1 July 2026 there is no income test and no property value cap, and you don't need to be a first home buyer.
- All buyers must not have held a property interest in the past 5 years.
- At least one buyer has to live in the home for a year.
Please visit ACT Revenue Office’s website for more details.
Tasmania (TAS)
First-home buyers in Tasmania can access:
- $20,000 FHOG for first home buyers either building or buying a new property, for transactions from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
- There has been no stamp duty exemption for first home buyers since 30 June 2026.
Please visit the State Revenue Office of Tasmania’s website for more information.
Western Australia (WA)
If you're in WA, here are the schemes available to you:
- $10,000 FHOG which can be used by first-home buyers purchasing or building their new residential property. The home must be worth $800,000 or less south of the 26th parallel (including all of Perth), or $1,000,000 or less north of it.
- Stamp duty waiver for first-home buyers below a set home value, with concessional rates above that up to a cap. Check RevenueWA for the current thresholds.
For both schemes, the home must be your principal place of residence.
Please visit the WA government website for more details.
Lenders mortgage insurance (LMI)
It's worth noting that if you're unable to provide a full 20% deposit to a traditional lender, you may be required to pay Lenders Mortgage Insurance. This is because any loan with a deposit that's smaller than 20% of the property's value (higher than 80% LVR) is usually deemed risky to the lender. The insurance helps reduce this risk by protecting the lender if the borrower defaults on the loan. in this instance, you may find that your interest rate is higher than home owners with lower LVRs.
Many government schemes help home buyers by guaranteeing part of the deposit so no LMI needs to be paid.
If you aren't eligible for government schemes or you want to avoid paying LMI, there are alternative pathways to homeownership that you may be eligible for such as OwnHome's Deposit Boost Loan.
Foreign Ownership Changes
In February 2025, the Labor Government announced a ban on foreign owners buying established homes from 1 April 2025. The ban has since been extended: from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, foreign investors are generally prohibited from purchasing established dwellings. Permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are exempt.
The Minister for Housing, Clare O'Neil made the announcement on February 16 2025. The change was made in a bid to reduce competition for existing homes and "ease pressure on the housing market".
According to ATO data, 5360 residential and real estate purchases had a level of foreign ownership in 2022-23, amounting to fewer than 1 per cent of all transactions.
Foreign investors that have already acquired or are proposing to acquire vacant residential or non‑residential land will be subject to heightened scrutiny by the ATO and Treasury to ensure they comply with development conditions.
FAQs
Yes, you might be able to apply (and receive the benefits) for a few government grants at the same time. But you'll need to check the specific eligibility criteria of each scheme before proceeding.
For the individual home buyer, there aren't any significant disadvantages to government grants. However, most have eligibility rules, such as property price caps, and Help to Buy also has income caps and a limited number of places each year.
This can mean that many people are still excluded from receiving these grants or concessions.
The best way to apply for these grants is to head to the relevant government department website to get more details about the procedure.
Remember, some of these schemes are state-specific. So you might have to go to your individual state governments' websites.
When the first homeowner grant is paid depends on the type of real estate transaction you've arranged. For example, you may be able to get your FHOG on settlement day if it's an off-the-plan home and you applied for the grant through an approved agent. But if it's a contract-to-build home, it might be later.
You can check with your individual state government authorities about the details of when FHOG is usually disbursed.
Bear in mind that there are various eligibility requirements for FHOG that you must be aware of before purchasing your home (e.g. those buying an investment property will not qualify).
