Are private school fees tax deductible in Australia?

Private school fees are not tax deductible in Australia. School fees are a private expense and do not have a business or income-producing connection, so they cannot be claimed as a deduction on your tax return.

Uniform costs for school are also generally not deductible for the parent. The ATO allows deductions for clothing only when it is a specific occupational uniform or protective gear required for work, not school clothing.

The Education Tax Refund that existed until 2011 was abolished and replaced by the Schoolkids Bonus, which was itself abolished in 2016. There is currently no federal government tax offset or rebate for school fees. Some state-based concessions exist for private school fees in limited circumstances, but these are separate from the federal income tax system. The only education-related deductions in the federal tax system are for work-related self-education expenses that are directly connected to your current employment.