Self-education expenses
Self-education expenses can be deductible if the expenses fulfil the following criteria:
- The course/training has a connection to your current employment
- The course/training will maintain/improve skills related to your current employment OR results in an increase in your income from current employment
You are unable to claim deductions for self-education expenses if it is used to help you to get new employment.
Here are some examples of related expenses that you can claim:
| Tuition fees | Phone calls |
| Computer Consumables | Postage |
| Textbooks | Car/Public Transport Expenses |
| Stationary Expenses | Home Office Running Expenses |
| Internet Usage | Academic Journals |
Important Note*
Some of the expenses listed above needs to be appropriated between private use and usage for self- education purposes.
E.g. If a computer is used 50% of the time for study and 50% for private purposes, you can only claim half of the cost of the computer as a deduction.
For Travel Expenses:
You can claim travel from home to your place of education and back and from work to place of education and back.
Calculating what you can claim:
Although you are able to claim all of these expenses, you will have to subtract the first $250 from that total amount of self-education expenses, as the first $250 is not claimable.
For example, if your total self-education deductions came up to $3,000 you can only claim $2,750 of self-education expenses as your deduction.
What you cannot claim:
Here are examples of expenses that you cannot claim
| Tuition fees paid by someone else | Home office occupancy expenses |
| Repayment of HELP Loan | Accommodation and meals |