Business Manager
Joanne Hayes
School Saving Bonus
In Term 4, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will received a one off $400 School Saving Bonus.
This support will help cover the cost of school uniforms, textbooks, and school activities like camps, excursions and sports.
The School Saving Bonus is in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) and the Affordable School Uniforms Program.
The School Saving Bonus will be provided to schools and families in Term 4, 2024.
Actions for parents and carers
Parents and carers of children who meet the School Saving Bonus eligibility above are required to do the following by Friday 18 October 2024:
- Complete enrolment
If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025, please complete enrolment. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.
- Check your contact information
- Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date by logging into Compass through the web browser (not app on your phone).
- Go to Tools – Update My Details and make changes as necessary.
- Click Update Detais at the bottom of the screen.
- Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date by logging into Compass through the web browser (not app on your phone).
Accessing the $400 School Saving Bonus
You do not need to apply for the School Saving Bonus.
The Department of Education will email you in November 2024 with your $400 School Saving Bonus. You will be able to access it via an online system.
You can decide how to best use the School Saving Bonus for your family's needs. You can choose how to allocate the $400 in the online system.
The bonus can be used towards 2025 school costs, which may include:
- camps, excursions and incursions
- swimming and sporting programs
- outdoor education programs
- graduations
- school uniforms
- textbooks.
The bonus can be used at Campion or Dobsons, either in-store or online, or through State Schools’ Relief. The list of suppliers may include a school uniform or bookshop. Any amount that you choose to allocate to textbooks and uniforms will be valid until 30 June 2025. It will then transfer to your child’s school account for future activities.
Funds will roll over for use in future years if it is not all spent in 2025.
More information
To learn more about the School Saving Bonus visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus. Translated information will also be available on the School Saving Bonus website in the next few weeks.
