How much you can get

Depending on your circumstances, there are 2 different rates of Pensioner Education Supplement you can get.

Your rate will depend on your study load and the payment you get from us or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

There are 2 different rates, either:

  • $62.40 a fortnight
  • $31.20 a fortnight.

Getting a payment from us

You’ll get $62.40 a fortnight if you’re studying at least a 50% full time course load and you get one of these:

  • Carer Payment
  • Parenting Payment single
  • Disability Support Pension
  • Jobseeker Payment as a single principal carer
  • Special Benefit as a single parent.

If you get Disability Support Pension, you’ll also get this amount if you study at least a 25% full time course load.

You’ll get $31.20 a fortnight if you’re studying less than a 50% full time course load and you get one of these:

  • JobSeeker Payment as a single principal carer
  • Carer Payment
  • Parenting Payment Single
  • Special Benefit as a sole parent.

Getting a payment from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs

You’ll get $62.40 a fortnight if you’re studying at least a 25% full time course load and you get either:

  • Invalidity Service Pension
  • Income Support Supplement, paid under permanently incapacitated.

You’ll get $62.40 a fortnight if you’re studying at least a 50% full time course load and you get one of these:

  • Partner Service Pension
  • Carer Service Pension
  • Veteran Payment
  • Income Support Supplement
  • War Widow Pension or War Widower Pension with a dependent child.

You’ll get $31.20 a fortnight if you’re studying less than a 50% full time course load and you get one of these:

  • Partner Service Pension
  • Carer Service Pension
  • Income Support Supplement
  • Veteran Payment
  • War Widow Pension or War Widower Pension with a dependent child.

Read more about other financial support on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website.

Limits on how long you’ll get it for

There are limits on how long you can get the Pensioner Education Supplement for.

We’ll calculate how long you’ll get the supplement based on both:

  • the least time it takes to complete the course
  • any other study or courses you’ve done.
Page last updated: 14 March 2023.
QC 51763