ESSI Money Updates for 2026: What Educators Need to Know
ESSI Money Challenge taking a break in 2026, returning bigger in 2027
We know many teachers incorporate the ESSI Money Challenge into their Term 3 planning each year, so we wanted to inform you that the program will not be running in 2026.
While the two-week national Challenge won’t run this year, ESSI Money is still available for you and your students to use at any time.
The year-round ESSI Money game remains free for Australian educators and gives students the chance to explore earning, saving, spending and investing through a fun, interactive simulation game. It is a great option for classroom lessons, homework, extension activities, personal development programs, Mathematics, Economics and Business, and broader financial literacy units.
And we’re not stepping away from the Challenge for good…
In 2027, we’re planning to launch ESSI Money Champions: a refreshed, year-long version of the competition that will give schools more flexibility, more time to participate, and more opportunities for students to engage with ESSI Money throughout the school year. It will also feature a more streamlined entry process.
ESSI Money Champions will include cash prizes and is being designed to make it easier for teachers to incorporate the competition into their planning, rather than having to fit everything into a single two-week window in Term 3.
More details will be shared later this year, including how the competition will work, key dates, prize information and how to get your students involved.
You asked and we listened... ESSI Money Workbooks are back!
After much demand the ESSI Money Workbooks are available again, giving teachers a practical and structured way to extend learning beyond gameplay and reinforce key financial concepts.
Designed for students to complete as a complementary resource for the ESSI Money online game, the workbooks guide students to reflect on their decisions made in the in-game weekly activities. This helps turn gameplay into deeper learning, encouraging students to think critically about how their choices impact their financial position by analysing outcomes and improving their financial strategies over time.
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Latest news:
There are two workbook variations depending on the game level your students are playing (ESSI Money or ESSI Money Plus) and each workbook also comes with a dedicated teacher resource support guide, making it easier to implement in the classroom.
Visit the ESSI Money Workbook page to download the workbooks today!
A refreshed website experience
We’ve introduced a new layout across our ESSI Money webpages to make it easier, faster and more intuitive for educators to find the resources they need.
The updated design features clearer navigation, improved page structure and easier access to key tools and downloads.
Whether you are setting up a class, accessing teaching materials or exploring the game, everything is now organised to reduce clicks and save time.
Navigate and quickly access key areas using the new submenu at the top of all ESSI Money pages. The drop-down menus group related resources together, making it easy to move between sections without getting lost.
We hope you enjoy the new look and find it easier to use.
As always, we welcome your feedback as we continue to improve and refine our resources.