Pensioner Education Supplement

The Pensioner Education Supplement (PES) helps you undertake full-time or part-time study.

You qualify for the Pensioner Education Supplement if you are receiving:

  1. Any of these payments from Centrelink:
  2. If you were receiving Pensioner Education Supplement immediately before 1 July 2006, and are still on the same course, and are now receiving one of the following payments, under certain circumstances you may continue to receive the Pensioner Education Supplement.:
    • Newstart Allowance
    • Youth Allowance
    • Parenting Payment (Partnered)
  3. A payment from the Department of Veterans' Affairs:
    • Defence Widow/er Pension (if you have a dependent child under 16)
    • Invalidity Service Pension
    • Partner Service Pension (if your partner is receiving an Invalidity Service Pension)
    • Partner Service Pension in combination with Carer Allowance (from Centrelink)
    • Special Rate Disability Pension (if you have a dependent child under 16)
    • War Widow/er Pension (if you have a dependent child under 16)
    • weekly compensation under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act (if you have a dependent child under 16).

You must be undertaking approved full-time or part-time study. Secondary education courses, graduate courses, undergraduate courses, and some Masters, diplomas and TAFE courses are approved for Pensioner Education Supplement. The part-time study must be at least 25 per cent of a full-time study load and can be approved if you are a sole parent, carer or you have a substantial disability. The Pensioner Education Supplement is a non-taxable payment and does not have an income or assets tests.

You must also meet certain residence requirements.

Other conditions may apply.

The Centrelink website has more pensioner education supplement information

Last updated: