What is the 'Schoolkids Bonus'?

From the 2012/13 year, the Government will transform the Education Tax Refund into a 'Schoolkids Bonus' that will automatically be paid to eligible families, through the family payments system, to provide timely assistance with the costs of educating their children. As a result of this reform, families will not have to wait until tax time to claim this concession, and will not have to keep receipts during the busy back-to-school period.

In particular, eligible families will receive the new Schoolkids Bonus of $410 for each child in primary school and $820 for each child in high school. The bonus will be paid in two equal instalments in January and July each year, starting from January 2013.

As a transitional measure, the full Education Tax Refund for the 2011/12 year will be paid in June 2012.