Tax Return for Students in Australia: What to Claim & How to Lodge in 2026
Updated: 4 days ago
Quick Answer: Yes, most students can get a tax refund in Australia
If you worked and had tax withheld between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, lodge your student tax return by 31 October 2026, either yourself or through Tax Falcon. Resident students pay no tax on the first $18,200 earned, and working students studying in a related field can claim eligible self-education expenses.
Can Students Get a Tax Refund in Australia?
Yes — if tax was withheld from a part-time or casual job during the year, you're likely owed some or all of it back.
Employers withhold PAYG tax from every pay based on what you'd earn if you worked that job all year. Most students earn well under that full-year estimate, so by 30 June you've often had more tax taken out than you actually owe. Lodging a tax return is how the ATO works out the difference and pays back what you're owed. Tax Falcon's Student Tax Return service takes care of this for you, checking your figures and lodging on your behalf. Getting a tax refund as a student is the norm rather than the exception once you've had any tax withheld.
Do I Need to Lodge a Tax Return If I Earn Less Than $18,000?
The tax-free threshold is actually $18,200, not $18,000. Whether you must lodge depends on tax withheld, not just your income.
Tax was withheld: Â If tax was withheld from your pay at any point in the year, lodge a return, even if your total income for the year is under $18,200, so you get that tax back.
No tax withheld: If you earned under $18,200 for the whole year and had zero tax withheld, you don't need to lodge a full return. Instead, submit a non-lodgement advice to the ATO so their records show you weren't required to lodge that year.
Tip: Not sure whether you had tax withheld? Tax Falcon can check your income statement for you and let you know straight away if you're due a refund.
What's the Tax-Free Threshold for Students in 2025/26?
$18,200 is the amount an Australian resident can earn tax-free in a financial year, and it applies whether that comes from one job or several.
If you're an Australian resident for tax purposes, which includes most domestic students and many international students who've lived here six months or more, you pay no income tax on your first $18,200. If you have more than one employer, each one applies the threshold separately through your Tax File Number (TFN) declaration, which is the usual reason students end up owing a little or getting more back at tax time.
Student type | Tax-free threshold | Notes |
Australian resident student | $18,200 | Standard resident tax rates apply above this |
International student (resident for tax, 6+ months) | $18,200 | Same as above, you'll need a TFN |
Working holiday maker (417/462 visa) | None, taxed from $1 | Special working holiday maker rates apply instead |
Does a 17-Year-Old Need to Lodge a Tax Return in Australia?
Age doesn't decide it. Income and tax withheld do, so a working 17-year-old follows the same rules as an adult student.
Minors have special, higher tax rates on unearned income (like interest or dividends), designed to stop income being shifted to kids to dodge tax. But wages from an after-school, weekend, or holiday job count as ordinary “excepted income” and are taxed the same way as an adult's, with the same $18,200 threshold and the same lodgement rules covered above.
What Can Students Claim on Tax in Australia?
You can claim work-related self-education expenses only if you're working and studying in a field directly related to your current job. General university tuition paid via HECS-HELP or as a Commonwealth-supported place can't be claimed.
The ATO's rule is straightforward: the course has to maintain or improve skills for the job you already have, or be likely to increase your income in that job. A course aimed at getting you a new job or profession doesn't qualify, no matter how you pay for it.
You can claim (if study relates to your job) | You can't claim |
Textbooks, stationery, printing | HECS-HELP or Commonwealth-supported tuition fees |
Work-related course/tuition fees paid upfront | Courses aimed at a new job or profession |
Laptop or software (work-related %) | Meals and general living costs |
Internet (work-related %) | Travel from home to uni that isn't work-related |
Technical journals and subscriptions | Private tutoring unrelated to your job |
How Do International Students Lodge a Tax Return in Australia?
The same way as domestic students, once you have a Tax File Number and are a resident for tax purposes.
Apply for a free TFN at ato.gov.au and you'll get the same $18,200 tax-free threshold as any other resident student. Tax Falcon can take care of the rest, checking your residency status and lodging your return for you. One thing to keep separate: the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP) is a claim on your leftover super when you leave for good. It's a different process from your annual income tax return.
How to Lodge Your Student Tax Return: Step-by-Step
 Gather your details: your income statement information and receipts for any work-related self-education expenses.
Start with Tax Falcon: sign up online and answer a few quick questions about your income and study.
Review your deductions: Tax Falcon's registered agents check what you're entitled to claim.
Lodge: your return is submitted on your behalf, usually within about 10 minutes.
Get your refund: paid straight to your bank account once the ATO processes it.
You can also lodge a tax return yourself directly with the ATO, but Tax Falcon's Student Tax Return service does the whole thing for you, deductions and all, for just $69.
How Much Does It Cost to Lodge a Student Tax Return?
Lodging it yourself is free. Lodging with Tax Falcon costs more but takes the guesswork out: its affordable Student Tax Return service is $69, well under its $88 standard return.
Doing it yourself costs nothing, but leaves you to work out your own deductions and check everything before you submit it. Tax Falcon's registered agents review your return, chase down deductions you might miss (like the work-related self-education expenses covered above), and take on the responsibility if something's wrong. Because student returns are usually simpler (one or two jobs, no investment income), Tax Falcon prices its Student Tax Return service at $69, cheaper than its standard $88 return, with the same maximum-refund guarantee and about a 10-minute turnaround.
Option | Cost | Best for |
Lodge it yourself | Free | Confident finding and claiming your own deductions |
Tax Falcon, Student Tax Return | $69 | Students who want Tax Falcon's registered agents to check it and maximise the refund, fast |
Tax Falcon, Standard return | $88 | Non-students or more complex work income |
Key Dates for Your Student Tax Return (2025/26)
Milestone | Date |
Financial year starts | 1 July 2025 |
Financial year ends | 30 June 2026 |
Income statements usually finalised | Mid to late July 2026 |
Self-lodgement deadline | 31 October 2026 |
Lodging through Tax Falcon (registered agent) | Later deadline generally applies, but you must register with Tax Falcon before 31 October 2026 |
For the ATO's own guidance on tax residency and thresholds, see ato.gov.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't lodge a tax return as a student?
If tax was withheld, you simply won't get that refund until you lodge. You can usually still lodge for a few past years. If nothing was withheld and you earned under $18,200, submit a non-lodgement advice instead so the ATO doesn't chase you for an overdue return.
Do international students pay tax in Australia?
Yes, if you're a resident for tax purposes (generally living here six months or more), you're taxed the same way as a domestic student, including the $18,200 tax-free threshold.
Can I lodge a tax return without a TFN?
No. You need a Tax File Number to lodge online through myTax. You can apply for one for free at ato.gov.au before you start your return.
How much can I earn as a student before I start paying tax?
Up to $18,200 in a financial year is tax-free for Australian residents. You only pay income tax on the amount above that.
Can I claim my laptop or phone as a student?
Only the work-related portion, and only if you're working and studying in a directly related field. A laptop used purely for uni assignments with no connection to your job isn't deductible.
Ready to get your student refund without the guesswork? Start My Return with Tax Falcon's $69 Student Tax Return service and have it lodged in about 10 minutes.
