Can I deduct my education costs?

Article Number: 24 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Sat, Nov 5, 2011 at 1:56 PM

If you have decided to follow a course or to go to University, for example to get your MBA these costs can be deductable if the purpose is to get a better job or to make a career step within the current company.

The following costs can be deductible

enrolment fee
application fee
costs of exams
books and other literature
materials and pc

The following costs are never deductible

your own life support, like housing, food and clothes
travel costs and costs of staying somewhere else
costs for a room where you can study including furniture

Minimum and maximum amount

Education costs can only be deductible if they are more then E 500. The first E 500 are not deductible. The maximum deductible amount per year is E 15.000. If the employer pays or reimburses part of the fees then this part is also not deductible.

The deduction only concerns costs made for yourself or your fiscal partner. Costs made for your children, like university fees or international school fees are never deductible as education costs in your tax return.

For the deduction it is relevant when the costs were paid.

Costs of a Dutch language course are not deductible since these costs are too general. This is only different if the Dutch language course is required to follow additional education.