A means-tested SchoolKids Bonus to replace the existing Education Tax Refund has been announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a bonus for one million families with school-aged children.
Parents will receive this bonus for each child in school, where an eligibility for Family Tax Benefits Part A exists.
- $820 per year for high school students
- $410 per year for primary school students
The direct cash payments will be paid each 6 months with one full payment being issued in the first year to cover the previous years entitlement.
Education Category Advert
- As part of the transition to the new Schoolkids Bonus, the Education Tax Refund for 2011-12 will be paid out in full to all eligible families as a lump sum payment in June.
The payment will replace the Education Tax Refund from 1 January 2013.
abcdiamond.com.au/education-tax-refund-to-be-replaced-by-schoolkids-bonus
These payments have now been sent out, for 2011/12. Most people have probably received theirs by now.
The Education Tax Refund will therefore NOT be claimed in the tax return this year.
I just want to know if parents of university students are entitled to this payment, as i was allowed to claim before with the education tax refund.
They seem to be very specific saying school aged children, and $820 for High School and $410 for Primary.
However, so was the old ETR:
For the purposes of the ETR, a child or independent student must be:
registered or enrolled in a primary or secondary school course provided at an educational institution, such as a school or TAFE (secondary school study only)
or
registered or enrolled with the education authority of their State or Territory as a home schooled student,
or
registered or enrolled in a course of study or instruction covered under the Student Assistance Act 1973 and which the ETR applies to.
Many people found that Uni students were not entitled to the ETR, but as it was a self claim on the tax return, it appears that it was automatically paid, with the only criteria being FTB eligibility.