Skip to content

Overall menu:

• Home
• About the Department
• Ministers
• Contact us

Main sections:

• Students and Children
• Parents and Community
• Early Childhood Professionals
• School Professionals
• Browse all topics

Home > At School 5-18 > Life at School > School Start Bonus - Frequently Asked Questions

At School 5-18

• Pre-School
• Choosing and Enrolling in School
• Life At School
  • Homework
  • Travelling to School
  • Care Outside of School Hours
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Financial Assistance
  • Parent Payments in Victorian Government Schools
  • Attendance
  • Uniforms
  • Services for Koorie Students
  • Communication between School and Parents
  • Interpreting and translating services
• Your Child's Health and Wellbeing
• Parent Participation at School
• Student Reports
• Curriculum
• Stages at School
• Careers and Planning for the Future
• Leaving School Before End of Year 12

School Start Bonus

Preparing for primary school, or making the transition to year 7, is an important time for a child and a big expense for a family. The Victorian Government is helping to ease the strain for families by providing a one-off School Start Bonus of $300.00 for each student entering Prep or Year 7 in 2009.

The School Start Bonus will help meet the costs of purchasing school and sporting uniforms, school bags and other school items so that your child gets the best possible start to school.

The Bonus will be paid to families using a Payment Voucher, which a parent or guardian will present at their local Post Office along with Photo Id for a cash redemption. 

Victorian Schools will arrange for the Vouchers to be provided to parents of prep and year 7 students, by the end of the 2008 School Year.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact your School in the first instance or the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Information and Referral Service on 1800 809 834 option 6

The following is a list of frequently asked questions that may assist you.

Frequently asked questions

What is the School Start Bonus?

The School Start Bonus was introduced by the Victorian Government in 2006 to assist parents/guardians in meeting the start-up costs of primary and secondary school. The initiative provides financial assistance to families to purchase school and sporting uniforms, school bags, books and similar items.

 

Community languages - letter to parents

• English (Word - 29Kb)
• Arabic (PDF - 90Kb)
• Bosnian (PDF - 69Kb)
• Cambodian (PDF - 44Kb)
• Chinese (PDF - 113Kb)
• Croatian (PDF - 74Kb)
• Macedonian (PDF - 86Kb)
• Serbian (PDF - 99Kb)
• Somali (PDF - 16Kb)
• Spanish (PDF - 53Kb)
• Turkish (PDF - 98Kb)
• Vietnamese (PDF - 88Kb)

 

Community languages - voucher cover letter

• English (Word - 33Kb)
• Arabic (PDF - 87Kb)
• Bosnian (PDF - 45Kb)
• Cambodian (PDF - 71Kb)
• Chinese (PDF - 88Kb)
• Croatian (PDF - 69Kb)
• Macedonian (PDF - 78Kb)
• Serbian (PDF - 95Kb)
• Somali (PDF - 20Kb)
• Spanish (PDF - 53Kb)
• Turkish (PDF - 64Kb)
• Vietnamese (PDF - 58Kb)

 

Who is eligible for the School Start Bonus?

Each student enrolled in Prep and Year 7 and in attendance in Term 1 at any registered Victorian (government or non-government) school, or who are being home-schooled (for more information) and are registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) will be eligible for the bonus.

Who is not eligible for the School Start Bonus?

• Children not in Prep or Year 7
• Students enrolled after the end of Term 1 in 2009.
• Students attending TAFE colleges as full time students.
• Students who are educated at home and not registered with the VRQA.
• Overseas exchange students attending Victorian Schools but whose principal residence is overseas.
• Students who are on visa sub-classes 560, 571, 572, 573, 574 and 575 (full fee paying).
• Students of temporary resident families whose visa classification falls into any of the following sub-classes:
  • 456-Business-Short Stay
  • 459 – Sponsored Business Visit
  • All 600 sub-class visas – Temporary Visitors visas
  • 771-773 –sub-classes – Transit and border visas
  • UD 956 – Business Entrance – Long Validity
  • UD 976 – Visitor – ETA
  • UD – 977 – Business Entrant – Short Validity
  • APEC Business Person visas

If my child repeats Prep or Year 7, will I be eligible to receive the School Start Bonus again?

No, the School Start Bonus is a one-off payment to assist families with the start-up costs of sending your child to school. If your child repeats Prep or Year 7, you will not be eligible to receive the payment again.

Who will be paid the School Start Bonus?

The Bonus is paid to the parent/legal guardian registered with the child’s government or non-government school. Vouchers cannot be split into 2 payments for shared custody arrangements. Payment disputes will need to be handled through the Family Law Court.

How much is the Bonus and when is it paid?

The $300 School Start Bonus per student cash payment voucher will be available to the parent from the school prior to the end of 2008, for the 2009 school year. The cash payment voucher will be redeemable at most Australia Post Office outlets from the 12th January 2009 so parents will be able to purchase required school items prior to the commencement of the school year.

Where do I take my Voucher to receive the Bonus cash payment?

The Voucher must be presented at an Australia Post office, and you must provide photo identification in order to redeem the voucher.

I cannot access an Australia Post office. How can I get the Bonus paid to me?

Contact the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Information and Referral Service on 1800 809 834 option 6. You can request that the payment be made by Electronic Funds Transfer. You will be sent a form to be completed and returned with the original Voucher. An Electronic Funds Transfer payment will be deposited directly into your bank account.

Why is the Bonus restricted to parents/legal guardians of Prep and Year 7 children?

For most children, Prep and Year 7 are when they make their major transition into primary and secondary schooling. These are the times when many large costs are incurred for items such as uniforms, school bags and other equipment.

Do I need to make a claim or will I just receive a payment?

Eligible parents/legal guardians do not need to make a claim. The school will be able to issue a cash payment voucher to the parent at the end of the 2008 school year. The cash payment voucher will be redeemable at Australia Post Office outlets from the 12th January 2009.

Will a parent/guardian of a student who is being home-schooled be able to access the School Start Bonus?

Yes. Children in Year Prep and Year 7 who are being home-schooled and are registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) by 3rd April 2009 are eligible for the Bonus.

Application forms for registration, together with the home-schooling support materials, are available on the VRQA website Home Schooling - Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) (http://www.vrqa.vic.gov.au/homeSchool/default.htm). For details concerning registration please contact the VRQA on 9637 3386.

Parents/guardians of a student who is being home schooled will need to fill out a School Start Bonus Application Form for Home Schooled Students (PDF - 31Kb). Completed claim forms for home-schoolers and a copy of the home school registration letter from the VRQA must be received by the Department no later than 3rd April 2009 to be eligible for the School Start Bonus.

If my child changes schools during the year, will I be eligible for extra payments?

No. The payment is made for Prep and Year 7 students in both government and non-government schools. Extra payments are not made for students who re-enrol in another school. Multiple payments are not made if students are enrolled in more than one school or if a student repeats a year.

What information is collected by the Department and how can I be sure it is not provided to others?

The names of eligible parents/guardians are collected from schools solely for the purpose of paying the School Start Bonus. Student information including name, gender, date-of-birth and enrolment date is used to verify entitlements and to avoid duplicate payments. Other information such as telephone numbers and family information is not collected. Strict security measures are in place to ensure the information is used only by authorised officers for the purpose of paying the School Start Bonus. Privacy laws protect your information by preventing personal details being provided to other parties

How does the School Start Bonus relate to the Education Maintenance Allowance?

The School Start Bonus is separate from the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). The Education Maintenance Allowance is paid to low-income families who hold a current Health Care Card or Pension Card. For more information, see:  Education Maintenance Allowance. 

SSB is not means tested and has no relationship with Centrelink.

What if my child is in a special school setting that does not grade children according to Prep and Year 7?

In some school settings the standard grades and year-levels do not apply. In these cases, payments will be made based on the age of your child, as follows:

• Prep equivalent – A student must be:
  • in his or her first year at school, and
  • at least five years old by 30 April (in that year), and
  • no older than 6 years old at the beginning of that year.
• Year 7 equivalent – The student must be:
  • at least 11 years of age, and
  • no older than 13 years of age at the beginning of the year.

Parents are only eligible for a single payment for each child who is at the equivalent of Prep or Year 7.

Are there restrictions, such as when children are enrolled late or for children who attend school part-time?

Yes, restrictions apply for late enrolments. Students who enrol in Prep or Year 7 during term 1, 2009 can apply for the School Start Bonus at their student’s school. Students commencing school after Term 1, 2009 are not eligible for the bonus.

Parents of part-time students will receive the full School Start Bonus.

What if I believe I am eligible, but have not received the payment?

If a parent/guardian believes that they are eligible and have not received the payment voucher, they should enquire directly at their child’s school.

What should I do if there has been an error with my payment?

If you believe there has been an error with your payment please contact your child’s school in the first instance to resolve the error. 

If the problem cannot be resolved, please call Department’s Information and Referral Service on 1800 809 834, option 6.

What should I do if the voucher is made out in the wrong name?

The voucher should be returned to the child’s school and the parent/guardian will be issued with a correct voucher upon presentation of photo identification.

What should I do if I lose or damage my voucher?

In case of loss or damage to the voucher, the school will be able to reissue the voucher upon presentation of photo identification by the parent/guardian.  The vouchers have a unique barcode for each School and family, to combat fraud. Only one voucher per School and family of eligible students can be redeemed for payment.  

If your child has been issued a voucher for a school that they will no longer be attending, please contact the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Information and Referral Service on 1800 809 834 option 6.

Will I be asked to pay the School Start Bonus to the school?

The School Start Bonus is intended to go directly to parents/guardians to assist them in meeting the start-up costs of their child’s schooling, eg. to help buy books, uniforms, shoes and other school basics.

How the money is used in meeting these costs is therefore determined by the parent/guardian. There is no obligation for the bonus to be paid to the child’s school.

As part of their normal operations, many schools request voluntary contributions from parents/guardians. Schools might also charge for specific items such as camps and excursions. This is not related to the School Start Bonus and parents/guardians are under no obligation to use the School Start Bonus for this purpose.

How is the School Start Bonus managed for children who are subject to special arrangements, such as wards of the State or students under court orders?

For students who are living in Residential Care, the Residential Care Facility can access the School Start Bonus providing that they can show that the student was legally in their care in Term 1 and will continue to be in their care during the school year.

Do I need to declare the School Start Bonus on my tax return?

The Australian Tax Office advises that the School Start Bonus is not considered income and does not need to be declared on tax returns.

My Prep or Year 7 child is enrolled at a catholic or independent school. Does this make any difference?

This makes no difference to your entitlement to the School Start Bonus. 

I live in Victoria but my child attends a New South Wales (NSW) school, do I receive the School Start Bonus?

No. The School Start Bonus is only paid for students attending registered Victorian schools. The NSW Government pays all students enrolled in NSW schools who reside in other Australian States or Territories the ‘Back to School Allowance’ to assist families with the cost of getting their children to school at the start of the school year, for example, students who reside in Victoria and attend a NSW school.

I live in New South Wales but my child attends a Victorian school, do I receive the School Start Bonus?

Yes. The School Start Bonus is available for all students attending a registered Victorian school.

How do I locate my nearest Australia Post Office so that I can redeem my School Start Bonus voucher?

• Go to the Australia Post Post Office and Street Posting Box Locator
• Enter your state/address/suburb/postcode details
• Tick the “Post Office” box
• Tick the “Bank@Post” box
• Search

Your nearest Australia Post outlet will be displayed.

More information

If parents/guardians have any queries concerning the School Start Bonus, they are advised to contact their child’s school in the first instance or to contact the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s Information and Referral Service on 1800 809 834 option 6.