Schoolkids Bonus

Important update about the Schoolkids Bonus

Legislation has passed to end the Schoolkids Bonus payments. The Schoolkids Bonus will continue until the end of 2016. This will allow families time to adjust to the change. The last instalment will be paid in July 2016.

An income test will also apply to the Schoolkids Bonus starting on 1 January 2015.

Any updates and news will be published here on the DSS website and the Australian Families Facebook page.

The Schoolkids Bonus aims to help eligible families and students with the education related costs of primary and secondary school studies, such as school fees, uniforms, books and sports, music or other lessons.

Each year, eligible families and students will receive up to:

  • $430 for each child in primary school (two instalments of $215)
  • $856 for each child in secondary school (two instalments of $428)

Half is paid in January and half in July.

Eligibility

The Schoolkids Bonus is available to families and carers who have a child in primary or secondary study and receive one of the following payments in respect of that child:

The Schoolkids Bonus is also available to students, under 20 years of age*,  who receive one of the following payments for themselves:

*students aged 19, must have turned 19 in the relevant calendar year. In order to receive the final instalment of Schoolkids Bonus for a 1 January eligibility day a student may be aged 20, but must have turned 20 on that eligibility day.

Eligibility is determined on 1 January (for the January payment) and 30 June (for the July payment) each year. This means families and students must be receiving one the payments above on these dates to receive the Schoolkids Bonus.

In order to be eligible, a family or individual must not have an annual adjusted taxable income of more than $100,000 for the year in which the bonus test day falls.

More information

For more information about the Schoolkids Bonus visit the Human Services website.

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