How to Claim Tax Self Education Expenses on Your Tax Return

Want to boost your skills and get a juicy tax refund at the same time? Welcome to the world of tax self education expenses. If your course helps you in your current job, the ATO might just let you claim it — and we’re about to show you how.

What Are Tax Self Education Expenses and Why They Matter

Tax self education expenses are the costs you rack up while studying for something that helps you do your job better. Think upskilling, staying relevant, or chasing a promotion. If there's a clear link between your course and your current work — bingo, it's deductible.

Claiming these bad boys can:

• Boost your knowledge and job skills

• Pump up your income potential

• Keep you up to date with your industry

• Tick off employer or licensing requirements

• And yep, help slash your taxable income!

What Can You Claim (and What’s Off the Table)?

Here’s the 4-step sniff test to see if your study costs pass the ATO test:

1. What course are you doing?

2. How does it relate to your current work?

3. Can you prove the connection?

4. Do any ATO exceptions knock you out of the running?

Examples? ✔️ Accountant studying Master of Taxation = claim it. ❌ Accountant studying Bachelor of Arts = nope.

Tax Deductible Expenses:

• Tuition/course fees

• Textbooks, stationery, internet, phone

• Depreciation (laptop, desk, etc.)

• Transport (bus, train, car) gotax works that out for you

• Accommodation & meals (overnight study trips)

• Interest on loans for study

Not Tax Deductible:

• Childcare while you study

• Travel between home and uni/TAFE

• Buying the laptop outright (but depreciation is fine)

Real-Life Example (Because We Love Numbers)

Meet Alex, a hard-working accountant doing a Master of Taxation. Here’s what Alex forked out:

• Course fees: $10,000

• Textbooks: $500

• Stationery: $100

• Internet: $300

• Laptop: $2,000 (depreciated over 4 years = $500 this year)

• Car expenses: $200

• Accommodation and meals (interstate seminar): $400

Total Tax Self Education Deduction:

$10,000 + $500 + $100 + $300 + $500 + $200 + $400 = $12,000

So Alex gets to claim $12,000 in tax deductions. Easy!

And just to make your life even easier, use the Gotax Deduction Grabber app to record every dollar — textbooks, travel, tuna sandwiches — if it’s legit, log it!  https://www.deductiongrabber.com.au

How to Claim It All

You’ll need to:

1. Track all those tasty deductible expenses

2. Keep receipts, invoices, diary notes — anything that proves the expense

3. Use GoTax to guide you step-by-step through the claim

Final Thought

Tax self education expenses are a killer way to grow your skills and shrink your tax bill — just make sure you meet the rules, keep those records, and use GoTax to power through your tax return without the brain strain.

Signup to GoTax and not only get your tax return done, you can also ask as many questions as you like and get informed answers. You have access to the equivalent of a Tax Einstein — that is our very own D.e.r.e.k as well as the best credentialed Tax Accountants around.

Check out our Craaaaazy Tax Questions page at: https://www.gotax.com.au/crazy-tax-answers