Tax Deductions You Can Claim for Work Related Education Expenses

You can claim a tax deduction for the cost of a course of study provided the study has the necessary connection to your current employment (the nexus has to be established). In order to satisfy the necessary connection the course of study must either maintain or improve specific skills used in your current employment, or is likely to result in you deriving an increase in income from your current employment.

The expenses you can claim in your tax return include:

• course fees
• books 
• travel to your campus
• equipment expenses such as computers and internet

When you are claiming car expenses related to your self education, you can claim the cost of travel:

• From home to your place of study and back again
• From work to your place of study and back again

If you are traveling to all three place (home, work and your place of study) then you cannot claim the last leg of the journey.

You cannot deduct the cost of self education expenses incurred so you can get a different job, even if that job would result in more income for you. Part time students may be able to claim their study expenses if there is a direct connection to your employment activities and the course of study you are undertaking. If you are receiving Youth Allowance or AuStudy, you can claim your study expenses to the extent that you are satisfying the study requirements to receive those benefits.

Under section 82A of the ITAA36, the first $250 of your self-education expenses are not deductible.

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