Student expenses can quickly add up, often making studying a costly exercise, but the good news is these purchases can be claimed as a tax deduction in your Income Tax Return under “self-education expenses” if it has a sufficient connection to your current employment activities.

For example, there is a sufficient connection if your study helps you maintain or improve the specific skills or knowledge you require in your current employment activities, or it will result in or is likely to result in, an increase in your income from your current employment activities.

Like any tax deduction it is important to keep a record of all expenses relating to your study.

You can claim a deduction for the following general course expenses:

• accommodation and meals (if away from home overnight)
• computer consumables – for example, printer cartridges
• course and tuition fees (if you pay these and don’t use study and training support loans such as HELP, SFSS, VSL, SSL, ABSTUDY SSL, TSL)
• decline in value for depreciating assets (cost exceeds $300)
• equipment or technical instruments (costing $300 or less)
• equipment repairs
• fares
• fees payable on some study and training support loans, but not repayments on the loan itself
• home office additional running costs
• interest
• internet and data usage (excluding connection fees)
• parking fees (only for work-related claims)
• phone calls
• postage
• stationery
• student union fees
• student services and amenities fees
• textbooks
• trade, professional, or academic journals
• travel expenses, including car expenses 
• between home and your place of education
• between your workplace and the place of education.

Generally, you can't claim the first $250 of expenses for your self-education expenses, however, you can use the following expenses to offset this $250 reduction:

• childcare while attending self-education activities
• capital expenses related to your self-education such as, the purchase of a desk
• certain fares, travel, or car expenses in relation to the above activities   

Some of these expenses may need to be apportioned and/or depreciated. To do so you base your claim on the percentage you use the equipment for your work-related self-education study.



To ensure that you maximise your tax refund and correctly claim for Self –Education expenses, please contact us to have one of our experienced Accountants prepare your return.