The School Saving Bonus will provide $400 in support for Victorian school-aged students to use on 2025 school costs. Here are the answers to the questions we’re being asked.
How do I access the School Saving Bonus?
Parents and carers of students enrolled at a government school for 2025 will access their School Saving Bonus via an email sent from the Department of Education.
A School Saving Bonus email will be sent per child, so parents and carers with multiple children will get an email for each child in their family. The emails may arrive at different times.
The email contains a unique code for the $400 bonus and access to the School Saving Bonus online system.
What if I didn’t receive the email?
The Department has experienced some difficulties delivering the email to some email systems, but say the problem has now been corrected. If you haven’t received your email, check your junk or spam folders again, and if it’s still not there, contact the Department using this School Saving Bonus enquiry form.
Am I eligible if I attend a non-government school?
Families of eligible students at non-government schools will also receive the $400 School Saving Bonus.
The Bonus will be allocated to eligible students once the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) process has been completed for 2025.
Non-government school students receiving the means-tested Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) in 2024 are eligible for additional support through the School Saving Bonus.
There is no application required for eligible non-government school students to receive the School Saving Bonus. Talk to your school if this support applies to you.
How do I use the School Saving Bonus system?
For help using the School Saving Bonus system, you can download the step-by-step user guide (DOCX, 945KB) or watch this video. User guide translations are also available in 14 languages.
How can I spend my School Saving Bonus?
Families can choose how they allocate and spend the School Saving Bonus funds using the online system. The School Saving Bonus can be used towards 2025 school costs, which may include:
- camps, trips, excursions and incursions
- swimming and sporting programs
- outdoor education programs
- graduations
- school uniforms
- textbooks.
Families can use the online system to choose how they’ll spend their School Saving Bonus.
The Bonus can also be used at your school’s designated textbook or uniform suppliers in-store or online, or through State Schools’ Relief until 30 June 2025.
If your school does not have a uniform, or if you would like to use your bonus for unbranded school uniform items, you can use the bonus through the State Schools’ Relief.
What if I don’t need all the Bonus?
If any amount is unspent as at 1 July 2025, it will automatically become a school activities credit for you to use through your school. This will help cover the cost of things like excursions and camps.
Families who do not want to use the School Saving Bonus can elect to provide this money to their school for use by other students needing support. Please contact your school directly.
