Is my scholarship taxable?

This is an interactive decision tool that will assist you to determine if your non-government scholarship is taxable.

On this page

• Before you use the tool
• What this tool doesn’t cover
• Access the tool

Before you use the tool

The tool results are based on the information you provide. You should use these results for guidance purposes only.

If your scholarship is taxable:

• you should advise your scholarship provider that your scholarship is assessable income for tax purposes – they may need to withhold tax from your periodic payments depending on the information you provide on your tax file number declaration and the amount paid to you (talk to your scholarship provider about this)
• you need to show your scholarship amount as assessable income in your tax return.

If your scholarship is not taxable:

• you should advise your scholarship provider that your scholarship is exempt income – they do not need to withhold tax from your periodic payments
• you should not show your scholarship as assessable income in your tax return.

What this tool doesn’t cover

This tool does not deal with Commonwealth education or training payments such as:

• Austudy
• ABSTUDY
• Assistance for Isolated Children
• Youth Allowance.

These payments are not scholarships. However, some of them may be exempt from tax under other provisions of the income tax law.

Some scholarships, bursaries, grants and awards – including education benefits provided under a friendly society scholarship plan – are taxable. If you are not sure about a payment contact the organisation that paid you.

Access the tool

Our tool will take between 2 and 10 minutes to use.

Is my scholarship taxable? This is an interactive decision tool that will assist you to determine if your non-government scholarship is taxable.