SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant [X]

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]

Check the appropriate box:

[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement

[ ] Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted
by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

[X] Definitive Proxy Statement

[X] Definitive Additional Materials

[ ] Soliciting Material under Rule 14a-12

Pioneer High Income Trust
(Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

[X] No fee required

PIONEER HIGH INCOME TRUST
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
1-800-622-3265

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
SCHEDULED FOR October 28, 2003

This is the formal agenda for your fund's annual shareholder meeting. It
tells you the matters you will be asked to vote on and the time and place of
the meeting, in case you want to attend in person.

To the shareholders of Pioneer High Income Trust:
The annual meeting of shareholders of your fund will be held at the
offices of Hale and Dorr LLP, 60 State Street, 26th Floor, Boston,
Massachusetts on October 28, 2003 at 2:00 p.m., Boston time, to consider the
following:

1. To elect two trustees of the fund, as named in the attached proxy
statement, one by the holders of Common and Preferred Shares of the
fund, voting together as a single class, and one by the holders of
Preferred Shares of the fund, voting as a separate class. Each elected
trustee will serve for a three year term or until a successor is
elected.

2. To consider any other business that may properly come before the
meeting.

YOUR TRUSTEES RECOMMEND THAT YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL NO 1.
Shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 4, 2003
are entitled to vote at the meeting and any related follow-up meetings.

By Order of the Board of Trustees,

Dorothy E. Bourassa, Secretary

Boston, Massachusetts
September 15, 2003

-----------------

WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING, PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE
ENCLOSED PROXY.

14131-00-0903

PROXY STATEMENT OF
PIONEER HIGH INCOME TRUST
60 State Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02109
1-800-622-3265

ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

This proxy statement contains the information you should know before
voting on the proposal summarized below.

The fund will furnish without charge a copy of its most recent annual
report and any more recent semiannual report to any shareholder upon request.
Shareholders who want to obtain a copy of the fund's reports should direct all
written requests to the attention of the fund, at the address listed above, or
should call Pioneer Investment Management Shareholder Services at
1-800-622-3265.

INTRODUCTION

This proxy statement is being used by the Board of Trustees of your fund
to solicit proxies to be voted at the annual meeting of shareholders of your
fund. Participating in the meeting are the holders of common shares of
beneficial interest (the "Common Shares") and the holders of preferred shares
of beneficial interest (the "Preferred Shares"). The Common Shares and the
Preferred Shares of the fund sometimes are referred to herein collectively as
the "Shares". This meeting will be held at the offices of Hale and Dorr LLP, 60
State Street, 26th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, at 2:00 p.m., Boston
time, on October 28, 2003, and at any adjournments of the meeting to a later
date, for the purposes as set forth in the accompanying notice of annual
meeting of shareholders.

This proxy statement and the enclosed proxy card are being mailed to
shareholders on or about September 15, 2003. The annual report for the fund for
its most recently completed fiscal year was previously mailed to shareholders.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

Shareholders of record of the fund as of the close of business on
September 4, 2003 (the "record date") are entitled to vote on all of the fund's
business at the annual shareholder meeting and any adjournments thereof. The
affirmative vote of a plurality of the Common and Preferred Shares of the fund
present at the meeting in person or by proxy, voting together as a single
class, is required to elect each nominee for trustee designated to be elected
by the Common and Preferred Shares of the fund. The affirmative vote of a
plurality of the Preferred Shares of the fund present at the meeting in person
or by proxy is required to elect each nominee for trustee designated to be
elected by the Preferred Shares of the fund. Election by plurality means those
persons who receive the highest number of votes cast "FOR" up to the total
number of persons to be elected as trustees at the Meeting shall be elected.
Shares represented by properly executed proxies, unless revoked before or at
the meeting, will be voted according to the shareholder's instructions.

If you sign a proxy but do not fill in a vote, your shares will be voted in
favor of each of the nominees for trustee. If any other business comes before
the annual shareholder meeting, your shares will be voted at the discretion of
the persons named as proxies.

PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Shareholders of the fund are being asked to consider the election of two
nominees to the Board of Trustees of the fund. Each trustee shall be elected to
hold office for a three year term or until his or her successor is elected and
qualified. Each nominee has consented to being named in this proxy statement
and indicated his or her willingness to serve if elected. In the unanticipated
event that any nominee should be unable to serve, the persons named as proxies
may vote for such other person as shall be designated by the fund's Board of
Trustees. The persons named on the accompanying proxy card intend to vote at
the meeting (unless otherwise directed) for the election of the nominees named
below as trustees of the fund.

The Declaration of Trust for the fund provides that the Board of Trustees
shall consist of trustees divided into three classes, the classes to be as
nearly equal in number as possible. The trustees of only one class are elected
at each annual meeting so that the regular term of only one class of trustees
will expire annually and any particular trustee stands for election only once
in each three year period. The fund's Board of Trustees is divided into three
staggered term classes - Class I, Class II and Class III. Only Class I trustees
are being submitted to shareholders for election at the Meeting.

The fund's Board of Trustees consists of eight members. The term of Class
I trustees expires each year commencing with the first annual meeting following
the initial public offering of the fund's Common Shares on April 30, 2002. The
terms of the Class I trustees - Ms. Bush and Ms. Piret - expire at the first
annual meeting following the initial public offering of the common shares (the
upcoming meeting); the terms of the Class II trustees - Mr. Cogan, Dr. Egdahl
and Mr. West - expire at the second annual meeting, and the terms of the Class
III trustees - Ms. Graham, Mr. Hood and Mr. Winthrop - expire at the third
annual meeting. Subsequently, each class of trustees will stand for election at
the conclusion of its respective three year term. Such classification may
prevent replacement of a majority of the trustees for up to a two-year period.

The following table sets forth the incumbent trustees and each trustee's
position(s) with the fund, his or her age, address, principal occupation and
employment during the past five years and any other directorship held. Trustees
who are interested persons of the fund within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the "1940 Act") are referred to as Interested
Trustees. Trustees who are not interested persons of the fund are referred to
as Independent Trustees. Each of the trustees serves as a trustee of each of
the 50 U.S. registered investment portfolios for which Pioneer Investment
Management, Inc. ("Pioneer") serves as investment adviser (the "Pioneer
Funds"). The address of all Interested Trustees is 60 State Street, Boston, MA
02109.

Other
Term of Office Directorships Held
Name, age, position(s) and Length of Principal Occupation(s) by this Trustee
held with the fund and address Time Served During Past Five Years or Nominee
- -------------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------------- -------------------

Interested Trustees:
John F. Cogan, Jr. Class II Deputy Chairman and a Director of Harbor
(77)* Trustee since Director of Pioneer Global Global Company,
Chairman of the Board, 2002. Term Asset Management S.p.A. Ltd.
Trustee and President expires in ("PGAM"); Non-Executive
2004. Chairman and a Director
Elected by of Pioneer Investment
Preferred Management USA Inc.
Shares only. ("PIM-USA"); Chairman and
a Director of Pioneer and the
various Momentum Funds;
Director, Pioneer Alternative
Investments; Director and
Chairman of the Supervisory
Board of Pioneer Czech
Investment Company, a.s.;
President and a Director of
Pioneer Funds Distributor,
Inc. ("PFD"); President of all
of the Pioneer Funds; and Of
Counsel (since 2000, partner
prior to 2000), Hale and Dorr
LLP (counsel to PIM-USA
and the Pioneer Funds)

Osbert M. Hood Class III President and Chief Executive None
(50)* Trustee since Officer, PIM-USA since May,
Trustee and Executive June 2003. 2003 (Director since January,
Vice President Term expires 2001); President and Director
in 2005. of Pioneer since May, 2003;
Chairman and Director of
Pioneer Investment
Management Shareholder
Services, Inc. ("PIMSS")
since May, 2003; Executive
Vice President of all of the
Pioneer Funds since June 3,
2003; Executive Vice
President and Chief Operating
Officer of PIM-USA,
November 2000 - May 2003;
Executive Vice President,
Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer, John Hancock
Advisers, LLC, Boston, MA,
November 1999 - November
2000; Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer,
John Hancock Advisers, LLC,
April 1997 - November 1999

Independent Trustees:
Mary K. Bush Class I President, Bush International Director and/or
(55) Trustee since (international financial Trustee of Brady
Trustee 2002. Term advisory firm) Corporation
3509 Woodbine Street, expires in (industrial
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 2003. identification and
specialty coated
material products
manufacturer),
Mortgage
Guaranty
Insurance
Corporation, R.J.
Reynolds Tobacco
Holdings, Inc.
(tobacco) and
Student Loan
Marketing
Association
(secondary
marketing of
student loans)

Richard H. Egdahl, M.D. Class II Alexander Graham Bell None
(76) Trustee since Professor of Health Care
Trustee 2002. Term Entrepreneurship, Boston
Boston University expires in University; Professor of
Healthcare Entrepreneurship 2004. Management, Boston
Program, 53 Bay State University School of
Road, Boston, MA 02215 Management; Professor of
Public Health, Boston
University School of Public
Health; Professor of Surgery,
Boston University School of
Medicine; and University
Professor, Boston University

Margaret B.W. Graham Class III Founding Director, The None
(56) Trustee since Winthrop Group, Inc.
Trustee 2002. Term (consulting firm); Professor
1001 Sherbrooke Street expires in of Management, Faculty of
West, Montreal, Quebec, 2005. Management, McGill
Canada University

Marguerite A. Piret Class I President and Chief Executive None
(55) Trustee since Officer, Newbury, Piret &
Trustee 2002. Term Company, Inc. (investment
One Boston Place, 28th expires in banking firm)
Floor, Boston, MA 02108 2003. Elected
by Preferred
Shares only.

Stephen K. West Class II Senior Counsel, Sullivan & Director, The
(74) Trustee since Cromwell (law firm) Swiss Helvetia
Trustee 2002. Term Fund, Inc. (closed-
125 Broad Street, New expires in end investment
York, NY 10004 2004. company) and
AMVESCAP PLC
(investment
managers)

John Winthrop Class III President, John Winthrop & None
(67) Trustee since Co., Inc. (private investment
Trustee 2002. Term firm)
One North Adgers Wharf, expires in
Charleston, SC 29401 2005.

- -------------
* Mr. Cogan and Mr. Hood are Interested Trustees because each is an officer or
director of the fund's investment adviser and certain of its affiliates.

Board Committees

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee, an Independent Trustees
Committee, a Nominating Committee, a Valuation Committee and a Policy
Administration Committee. Committee members are as follows:

Audit
Marguerite A. Piret (Chair), Stephen K. West and John Winthrop

Independent Trustees
Mary K. Bush, Richard H. Egdahl, Margaret B.W. Graham (Chair), Marguerite
A. Piret, Stephen K. West and John Winthrop

Nominating
Mary K. Bush, Richard H. Egdahl (Chair) and Marguerite A. Piret

Valuation
Marguerite A. Piret (Chair), Stephen K. West and John Winthrop

Policy Administration
Mary K. Bush (Chair), Richard H. Egdahl and Margaret B.W. Graham

During the most recent fiscal year, the Audit, Nominating, Valuation and
Independent Trustees Committees held 11, 1, 4 and 9 meetings, respectively. The
Policy Administration Committee was organized just before the end of the fiscal
year and, consequently, held no meetings.

All members of the Audit Committee are "independent", as defined in the
applicable listing standard of the New York Stock Exchange currently in effect.
The Board of Trustees has adopted a charter for the Audit Committee. A copy of
the Audit Committee Charter in effect on August 31, 2003 is attached as
Appendix A to this proxy statement. In accordance with its charter, the
purposes of the Audit Committee are to:

o act as a liaison between the fund's independent auditors and the full Board
of Trustees of the fund;

o discuss with the fund's independent auditors their judgments about the
quality of the fund's accounting principles and underlying estimates as
applied in the fund's financial reporting;

o review and assess the renewal materials of all related party contracts and
agreements, including management advisory agreements, underwriting
contracts, administration agreements, distribution contracts, and transfer
agency contracts;

o ensure that the independent auditors submit on a periodic basis to the Audit
Committee a formal written statement delineating all relationships between
the auditors and the management company and its affiliates; to actively
engage in a dialogue with the independent auditors with respect to any
disclosed relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and
independence of the independent auditors; and to recommend that the Board
of Trustees take appropriate action in response to the independent
auditors' report to satisfy itself of the independent auditors'
independence.

To carry out its function and its purposes, the Audit Committee, among other
things:

o approves the selection, retention or termination of auditors and evaluates
the independence of the auditors;

o meets with the independent auditors to (i) review the arrangements for and
scope of the annual audit and any special audits; (ii) discuss any matters
of concern relating to the funds' financial statements, including any
adjustments to such statements recommended by the auditors, or any other
results of the audits; (iii) consider the auditors' comments with respect
to the funds' financial policies, procedures and internal accounting
controls and management's responses thereto; and (iv) review the form of
opinion the auditors propose to render to the Board and shareholders; and

o considers the effect upon the fund of any changes in accounting principles or
practices proposed by management or the auditors.

The Audit Committee reports that it has (1) reviewed and discussed the
fund's audited financial statements with management; (2) discussed with the
independent auditors the matters relating to the quality of the fund's
financial reporting; and (3) received written disclosures and an independence
letter from the independent public accountants and

discussed with the independent accountants that firm's independence. Based upon
the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended
to the Board of Trustees that the audited financial statements be included in
the Annual Report for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003 for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").

The Nominating Committee reviews the qualifications of any candidate
recommended by the Independent Trustees to serve as an Independent Trustee and
makes a recommendation regarding that person's qualifications. The Committee
does not accept nominations from shareholders.

The Valuation Committee reviews the valuation assigned to certain
securities by Pioneer in accordance with the fund's valuation procedures.

The Policy Administration Committee reviews the implementation of certain
of the fund's administrative policies and procedures.

The Independent Trustees Committee reviews the fund's management contract
and other related party contracts annually and is also responsible for any
other action required to be taken, under the 1940 Act, by the Independent
Trustees acting alone.

The fund's Declaration of Trust provides that the fund will indemnify the
Trustees and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection
with any litigation in which they may be involved because of their offices with
the fund, unless it is determined in the manner specified in the Declaration of
Trust that they have not acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that
their actions were in the best interests of the fund or that such
indemnification would relieve any officer or Trustee of any liability to the
fund or its shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.

During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003, the Board of Trustees held 8
meetings. Each Trustee attended at least 75% of such meetings. All of the
current trustees and committee members than serving attended at least 75% of
the meetings of the Board of Trustees and applicable committees, if any, held
during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003. The following table indicates the
value of shares that each Trustee beneficially owned in the fund and Pioneer
Funds in the aggregate as of August 31, 2003. Beneficial ownership is
determined in accordance with SEC rules. The share value of any closed-end
Pioneer fund is based on its closing market price on August 31, 2003. The share
value of any open-end Pioneer fund is based on the net asset value of the class
of shares on August 31, 2003. The dollar ranges in this table are in accordance
with SEC requirements.

Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities in
All Pioneer Funds
Dollar Range of Overseen or to be
Equity Securities Overseen by Trustee
Name of Trustee or Nominee in the Fund or Nominee
- ------------------------------- ------------------- ------------------------

INTERESTED TRUSTEE or
NOMINEE
John F. Cogan ................. over $100,000 over $100,000
Osbert M. Hood ................ None over $100,000
INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE or
NOMINEE
Mary K. Bush .................. None $10,001 - $50,000
Richard H. Egdahl ............. None $50,000 - $100,000
Margaret B. W. Graham ......... $1 - $10,000 $10,001 - $50,000
Marguerite A. Piret ........... $10,001 - $50,000 $10,001 - $50,000
Stephen K. West ............... $1 - $10,000 over $100,000
John Winthrop ................. None over $100,000

During the most recent fiscal year ending March 31, 2003, none of the
trustees or any nominee for election as a trustee of the fund engaged in the
purchase or sale of securities of Pioneer, UniCredito Italiano or any other
entity in a control relationship to Pioneer or Pioneer Funds Distributor, Inc.
("PFD").

Material Relationships of the Independent Trustees.

For purposes of the statements below:

o the immediate family members of any person are their spouse, children in the
person's household (including step and adoptive children) and any dependent
of the person.

o an entity in a control relationship means any person who controls, is
controlled by or is under common control with the named person. For
example, UniCredito Italiano is an entity that is in a control relationship
with Pioneer.

o a related fund is a registered investment company or an entity exempt from
the definition of an investment company pursuant to Sections 3(c)(1) or
3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, for which Pioneer or any of its affiliates act as
investment adviser or for which PFD or any of its affiliates act as
principal underwriter. For example, the fund's related funds include all of
the Pioneer Funds and any non-U.S. funds managed by Pioneer or its
affiliates.

As of December 31, 2002, none of the Independent Trustees, nor any of
their immediate family members, beneficially owned any securities issued by
Pioneer, UniCredito Italiano or any other entity in a control relationship to
Pioneer or PFD.

During the past five years, none of the Independent Trustees, nor any of
their immediate family members, had any direct or indirect interest (the value
of which exceeded $60,000), whether by contract, arrangement or otherwise, in
Pioneer, UniCredito Italiano, or any other entity in a control relationship to
Pioneer or PFD.

During the past five years, none of the Independent Trustees, nor any of
their immediate family members, had an interest in a transaction or a series of
transactions, or in any currently proposed transaction, or series of similar
transactions, in which the aggregate amount involved exceeded $60,000 and to
which any of the following were a party (each a "fund related party"):

o the fund

o an officer of the fund

o a related fund

o an officer of any related fund

o Pioneer or PFD

o an officer of Pioneer or PFD

o any affiliate of Pioneer or PFD

o an officer of any such affiliate

During the calendar years 2001 and 2002, none of the Independent Trustees,
nor any of their immediate family members, had any relationship (the value of
which exceeded $60,000) with any fund related party, including, but not limited
to, relationships arising out of (i) the payment for property and services,
(ii) the provision of legal services, (iii) the provision of investment banking
services (other than as a member of the underwriting syndicate) or (iv) the
provision of consulting services, except that Mr. West, an Independent Trustee,
is Senior Counsel to Sullivan & Cromwell and acts as counsel to the Independent
Trustees and the Independent Trustees of the other Pioneer Funds. The aggregate
compensation paid to Sullivan & Cromwell by the fund and the other Pioneer
Funds was approximately $67,000 and $53,000 in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

During the calendar years 2001 and 2002, none of the Independent Trustees,
nor any of their immediate family members, served as a member of a board of
directors on which an officer of any of the following entities also serves as a
director:

o Pioneer

o PFD

o UniCredito Italiano

o any other entity in a control relationship with Pioneer or PFD

None of the fund's trustees or officers has any arrangement with any other
person pursuant to which that trustee or officer serves on the Board of
Trustees. During the calendar years 2001 and 2002, none of the Independent
Trustees, nor any of their immediate family members, had any position,
including as an officer, employee, director or partner, with any of the
following:

o the fund

o any related fund

o Pioneer

o PFD

o any affiliated person of the fund, Pioneer or PFD

o UniCredito Italiano

o any other entity in a control relationship to the fund, Pioneer or PFD

Compliance with Section 16(a) Reporting Requirements

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the fund's executive officers,
trustees and person who own more than ten percent of the fund's shares ("10%
Shareholders") to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the
SEC. Executive officers, Trustees and 10% Shareholders are required by SEC
regulations to furnish the fund with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they
file. Based solely on a review of the copies of these reports furnished to the
fund and representations that no other reports were required to be filed, the
fund believes that during the past fiscal year its executive officers, trustees
and 10% Shareholders complied with all applicable Section 16(a) filing
requirements.

Other executive officers

In addition to Mr. Cogan and Mr. Hood, who serve as President and
Executive Vice President, respectively, of the fund, the following table
provides information with respect to the other executive officers of the fund.
Each executive officer is elected by the Board of Trustees and serves until his
or her successor is chosen and qualified or until his or her resignation or
removal by the board. The business address of all officers of the fund is 60
State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02109.

Name, age and position with the fund Principal occupation(s)
- -------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------

Dorothy E. Bourassa (55) Secretary of PIM-USA; Senior Vice President -
Secretary Legal of Pioneer; and Secretary/Clerk of most of
PIM-USA's subsidiaries since October 2000;
Secretary of all of the Pioneer Funds since
September 8, 2003 (Assistant Secretary from
November 2000 to September 2003); Senior
Counsel, Assistant Vice President and Director of
Compliance of PIM-USA from April 1998 through
October 2000.

Vincent Nave (58) Vice President - Fund Accounting, Administration
Treasurer and Custody Services of Pioneer (Manager from
September 1996 to February 1999); and Treasurer
of all of the Pioneer Funds (Assistant Treasurer
from June 1999 to November 2000).

Name, age and position with the fund Principal occupation(s)
- -------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------

Katherine Kim Sullivan (29) Fund Administration Manager - Fund Accounting,
Assistant Treasurer Administration and Custody Services since
June 2003; Assistant Vice President - Mutual
Fund Operations of State Street Corporation from
June 2002 to June 2003 (formerly Deutsche Bank
Asset Management); Pioneer Fund Accounting,
Administration and Custody Services (Fund
Accounting Manager from August 1999 to
May 2002, Fund Accounting Supervisor from
1997 to July 1999); and Assistant Treasurer of all
of the Pioneer Funds since September 8, 2003.

Luis I. Presutti (38) Assistant Vice President - Fund Accounting,
Assistant Treasurer Administration and Custody Services of Pioneer
(Fund Accounting Manager from 1994 to 1999);
and Assistant Treasurer of all of the Pioneer
Funds since November 2000.

Gary Sullivan (45) Fund Accounting Manager - Fund Accounting,
Assistant Treasurer Administration and Custody Services of Pioneer;
and Assistant Treasurer of all of the Pioneer
Funds since May 2002.

Christopher J. Kelley (38) Assistant Vice President and Senior Counsel of
Assistant Secretary Pioneer since July 2002; Vice President and
Senior Counsel of BISYS Fund Services, Inc.
(April 2001 to June 2002); Senior Vice President
and Deputy General Counsel of Funds Distributor,
Inc. (July 2000 to April 2001; Vice President and
Associate General Counsel from July 1996 to
July 2000); and Assistant Secretary of all of the
Pioneer Funds since September 8, 2003.

David C. Phelan (46) Partner, Hale and Dorr LLP and Assistant
Assistant Secretary Secretary of all of the Pioneer Funds.

Compensation of trustees and officers

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the
compensation of each trustee of the fund for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2003. The amounts paid to the trustees differ due to (i) membership on or
chairing certain committees of the boards of trustees and (ii) attendance at
meetings. The fund does not pay any salary or other compensation to its
officers.

Pension or Retirement Total Compensation
Aggregate Benefits Accrued as from the Fund and
Compensation Part of Fund Other Pioneer
Name of Trustee from Fund Expenses Funds**
- --------------------------------- -------------- ----------------------- -------------------

Interested Trustees:
John F. Cogan, Jr.* ............. $ 500.00 $0.00 $ 17,000.00
Daniel T. Geraci*+ .............. 500.00 0.00 17,000.00
Osbert M. Hood*++ ............... 0.00 0.00 0.00

Independent Trustees:
Mary K. Bush .................... $ 1,880.84 0.00 100,750.00
Richard H. Egdahl, M.D. ......... 1,826.65 0.00 96,500.00
Margaret B.W. Graham ............ 1,880.84 0.00 100,750.00
Marguerite A. Piret ............. 2,094.43 0.00 117,750.00
Stephen K. West ................. 1,877.67 0.00 100,750.00
John Winthrop ................... 1,917.16 0.00 103,937.50
---------- ----- -----------
$12,477.60 $0.00 $654,437.50
========== ===== ===========

- -------------
* Under the management contract, Pioneer reimburses the fund for any
Interested Trustees fees paid by the fund.
** There are 50 U.S. registered investment portfolios in the Pioneer Family of
Funds.
+ Mr. Geraci resigned as trustee effective April 30, 2003.
++ Mr. Hood became a trustee of the fund on June 3, 2003 and consequently
received no compensation for the most recently completed fiscal year.

Investment adviser and administrator

Pioneer, whose executive offices are located at 60 State Street, Boston,
Massachusetts 02109, serves as investment adviser and administrator to the
fund.

Required vote

In accordance with the fund's declaration of trust, the holders of Common
Shares and Preferred Shares will vote on the respective nominees designated to
be elected by such class of shares. Ms. Bush and Ms. Piret are the current
nominees for election (Ms. Bush by the holders of Common and Preferred Shares
and Ms. Piret by the holders of Preferred Shares only). The affirmative vote of
a plurality of the Common and Preferred Shares present at the meeting in person
or by proxy, voting together as a single class, is required to elect each
nominee for trustee designated to be elected by the Common and Preferred Shares
and, where applicable, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the

Preferred Shares of the fund present at the meeting in person or by proxy is
required to elect each nominee for trustee designated to be elected by the
Preferred Shares. This means that the two nominees receiving the greatest
number of votes will be elected as Class I trustees to the Board.

Recommendation
For the reasons set forth above, the trustees of your fund unanimously
recommend that shareholders vote in favor of each of the nominees.

AUDITOR INFORMATION

Audit fees

The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by Ernst &
Young LLP for its audit of the fund's annual financial statements for the
fiscal year ended March 31, 2003 contained in the annual report filed by the
fund were $20,000.

Financial information systems design and implementation fees

There were no fees billed by Ernst & Young LLP for financial information
system design and implementation for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003.

All other fees

The aggregate fees billed for all other services rendered by Ernst & Young
LLP to the fund, Pioneer and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with Pioneer that provides services to the fund, other than the
audit fees described above, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2003
amounted to $68,500 (tax and miscellaneous audit services to the fund).

The Audit Committee of the Board has considered whether the provision of
services, other than audit services, by Ernst & Young LLP to the fund, Pioneer
and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with Pioneer
that provides services to the fund, is compatible with maintaining Ernst &
Young LLP's independence in performing audit services.

Representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be available at the shareholder
meeting (either in person or via telephone), will have the opportunity to make
a statement should they desire to do so, and will be available to answer
questions.

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE MEETING

Outstanding shares and quorum

As of the record date, 26,712,192 common shares and 6,040 preferred shares
(2,020 Series M, 2,020 Series W and 2,000 Series TH) of beneficial interest of
the fund were outstanding. Only shareholders of record as of the record date
are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. The holders of one-third
of the outstanding shares entitled to vote in person or by proxy, shall be a
quorum for the transaction of business with respect to such class or classes.

Ownership of shares of the fund
To the knowledge of the fund, as of the record date, the following persons
owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of a class of the outstanding shares
of the fund:

Record Holder Share Class Number of Shares % of Class
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. .......... Series M 309 15.30
390 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10013

Merrill Lynch .......................... Series M 396 19.60
l4 World Financial Center Series W 852 42.18
New York, NY 10080 Series TH 1,349 67.45

PaineWebber ............................ Series M 1,285 63.61
Lincoln Harbor Series W 718 35.54
800 Building Series TH 651 32.55
Weehawken, NJ 07087

Jeffries and Co. ....................... Series W 388 19.21
520 Madison Ave.
11th Floor
New York, NY 10022

Cede & Co. ............................. Common Shares 26,660,819 99.80
Box 20
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10004-0001

Shareholder proposals
If you wish to include a proposal in the fund's proxy statement for the
2004 annual meeting, your proposal must be received by the Secretary of the
fund at the fund's principal offices at 60 State Street, Boston Massachusetts
02109 on or before May 18, 2004. A proposal that is not to be included in the
fund's proxy statement may only be made at the 2004 annual meeting if it is
received by the Secretary of the fund at the fund's principal offices at 60
State Street, Boston Massachusetts 02109 not more than 120 days and at least 90
days before the anniversary date of the mailing of the fund's proxy materials
for this year's annual meeting provided, however, that in the event that the
date of the mailing of the notice for the 2004 annual meeting is advanced or
delayed by more than thirty (30) days from the anniversary date of the mailing
of the notice for this year's annual meeting, notice by a shareholder to be
timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the 120th
day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for the 2004 annual meeting and
not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to the
date of mailing of the notice for the 2004 annual meeting or the 10th day
following the day on which public announcement of the date of mailing of the
notice for the 2004 meeting is first made by the fund.

The submission by a shareholder of a proposal for inclusion in a proxy
statement does not guarantee that it will be included. The fund currently
expects to hold the next annual shareholders' meeting on or about September 28,
2004, which date is subject to change. Shareholder proposals are subject to
certain regulations under the federal securities laws.

Proxies, quorum and voting at the meeting
Any shareholder who has given his or her proxy to someone has the power to
revoke that proxy at any time prior to its exercise by executing a superseding
proxy or by submitting a notice of revocation to the secretary of the fund. In
addition, although mere attendance at the meeting will not revoke a proxy, a
shareholder present at the meeting may withdraw his or her proxy and vote in
person. All properly executed and unrevoked proxies received in time for the
meeting will be voted in accordance with the instructions contained in the
proxies. If no instruction is given, the persons named as proxies will vote the
shares represented thereby in favor of the nominees in Proposal No. 1, as
described above, and will use their best judgment in connection with the
transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting or
any adjournment thereof.

One-third of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, present in person or
represented by proxy, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at
the meeting with respect to each series or class. In the event that at the time
any session of the meeting is called to order a quorum is not present in person
or by proxy, the persons named as proxies may vote those proxies that have been
received to adjourn the shareholder meeting to a later date. In the event that
a quorum is present but sufficient votes in favor of the proposal have not been
received, the persons named as proxies may propose one or more adjournments of
the shareholder meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies with respect
to such proposal. Any such adjournment will require the affirmative vote of
more than one half of the shares of the fund present in person or by proxy at
the session of the meeting to be adjourned. The persons named as proxies will
vote those proxies which they are entitled to vote in favor of any such
proposal in favor of such an adjournment and will vote those proxies required
to be voted against any such proposal against any such adjournment. A
shareholder vote may be taken on one or more of the proposals in the proxy
statement prior to such adjournment if sufficient votes for its approval have
been received and it is otherwise appropriate. Such vote will be considered
final regardless of whether the meeting is adjourned to permit additional
solicitation with respect to any other proposal.

Shares of the fund represented in person or by proxy, including shares
that abstain or do not vote with respect to a proposal, will be counted for
purposes of determining whether there is a quorum at the meeting. Accordingly,
an abstention from voting has the same effect as a vote against a proposal.
Similarly, if a broker or nominee holding shares in "street name" indicates on
the proxy card that it does not have discretionary authority to vote on a
proposal and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner, those
shares will be considered present and entitled to vote on that proposal.
Because Proposal No. 1 is a routine matter, a "broker non-vote" has no effect
on the voting.

Other business
While the meeting has been called to transact any business that may
properly come before it, the only matters that the trustees intend to present
are those matters stated in the attached notice of annual meeting of
shareholders. However, if any additional matters properly come before the
meeting, and on all matters incidental to the conduct of the meeting, it is the
intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote the proxy in
accordance with their judgment on such matters unless instructed to the
contrary.

Method of solicitation and expenses
The cost of preparing, assembling and mailing this proxy statement and the
attached notice of annual meeting of shareholders and the accompanying proxy
card will be borne by the fund. In addition to soliciting proxies by mail,
Pioneer may, at the fund's expense, have one or more of the fund's officers,
representatives or compensated third-party agents, including Pioneer, PIMSS and
PFD, aid in the solicitation of proxies by personal interview or telephone and
telegraph and may request brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and
fiduciaries to forward proxy soliciting material to the beneficial owners of
the shares held of record by such persons.

The fund may also arrange to have votes recorded by telephone, the
internet or other electronic means. The voting procedures used in connection
with such voting methods are designed to authenticate shareholders' identities,
to allow shareholders to authorize the voting of their shares in accordance
with their instructions and to confirm that their instructions have been
properly recorded. If these procedures were subject to a successful legal
challenge, such votes would not be counted at the shareholder meeting. The fund
is unaware of any such challenge at this time. In the case of telephone voting,
shareholders would be called at the phone number the sub-transfer agent, Mellon
Investor Services LLC, has in its records for their accounts, and would be
asked for their Social Security number or other identifying information. The
shareholders would then be given an opportunity to authorize proxies to vote
their shares at the meeting in accordance with their instructions. In the case
of automated telephone and internet voting, shareholders would be required to
provide their Social Security number or other identifying information and would
receive a confirmation of their instructions.

Persons holding shares as nominees will be reimbursed by Pioneer, upon
request, for the reasonable expenses of mailing soliciting materials to the
principals of the accounts.

(September 15, 2003)

Appendix A--Audit Committee Charter (as of April 30, 2003)

Function. Oversight is the primary function of the Audit Committee,
comprised exclusively of independent Trustees of the Pioneer Funds (the
"Funds"). The management company is responsible for maintaining appropriate
systems for accounting and internal controls and the independent auditor is
responsible for planning and carrying out proper audits.

Purposes. The purposes of the Audit Committee are to:

1. act as a liaison between the Funds' independent auditors and the full
Board of Trustees of the Funds;

2. discuss with the Funds' independent auditors their judgments about the
quality of the Funds' accounting principles and underlying estimates as
applied in the Funds' financial reporting;

3. review and assess the renewal materials of all related party contracts
and agreements, including management advisory agreements, underwriting
contracts, administration agreements, distribution contracts, and
transfer agency contracts, among any other instruments and agreements
that may be appropriate from time to time;

4. review and assess from time to time, as it deems necessary and
appropriate:

(a) brokerage and soft dollar arrangements of the Funds,

(b) the utilization of the Funds' line of credit, and

5. review and approve insurance coverage and allocations of premiums
between the management and the Funds and among the Funds;

6. review and approve expenses under the Administration Agreements between
the management company and the Funds and allocations of such expenses
among the Funds; and

7. ensure that the independent auditors submit on a periodic basis to the
audit committee a formal written statement delineating all relationships
between the auditors and the company; to actively engage in a dialogue
with the independent auditors with respect to any disclosed
relationships or services that may impact the objectivity and
independence of the independent auditors; and to recommend that the
Board of Directors take appropriate action in response to the
independent auditors' report to satisfy itself of the independent
auditors' independence.

Activities. To carry out its function and its purposes, the Committee
shall, as appropriate and necessary:

(a) recommend the selection, retention or termination of auditors; and,
in connection therewith, to evaluate the independence of the
auditors, including whether the auditors provide any consulting
services to the

A-1

manager or to vendors to the Funds, whose systems are material to
the Funds' operations, regarding their systems and controls; and to
receive the auditors' specific representations as to their
independence;

(b) meet with the Funds' independent auditors, including private
meetings, as necessary to (i) review the arrangements for and scope
of the annual audit and any special audits; (ii) to discuss any
matters of concern relating to the Funds' financial statements,
including any adjustments to such statements recommended by the
auditors, or any other results of the audits; (iii) consider the
auditors' comments with respect to the Funds' financial policies,
procedures and internal accounting controls and management's
responses thereto; and (iv) review the form of opinion the auditors
propose to render to the Board and shareholders;

(c) consider the effect upon the Funds of any changes in accounting
principles or practices proposed by management or the auditors;

(d) review the fees charged by the auditors for audit and non-audit
services;

(e) investigate improprieties or suspected improprieties in fund
operations; and

(f) report its activities to the full Board on a regular basis and to
make such recommendations with respect to the above and other
matters as the Committee may deem necessary or appropriate.

Governance and Compensation. The Committee shall be comprised of three
independent Trustees of the Funds who shall be nominated and elected annually
by the Board of Trustees of the Funds. Members of the Committee shall elect
from among them a Chairperson, who shall preside over meetings of the
Committee. Replacements for vacancies, occurring from time to time, shall be
nominated and elected by the remaining Trustees of the Funds.

The Committee shall meet on a regular basis and is empowered to hold
special meetings, as circumstances require. The Committee shall meet regularly
with the Treasurer of the Funds. The Committee shall have the resources and
authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including the
authority to retain special counsel and other experts or consultants at the
expense of the appropriate Funds.

Compensation for the members of the Committee shall be determined by the
Board of Trustees. It is expected that the Chairperson will receive additional
compensation for her/his services as Chair.

Initial Approval and Annual Review of Charter. This Charter is subject to
approval of the Board of Trustees of the Funds. The Committee shall review this
Charter at least annually and recommend any changes to the Board for its
consideration.

A-2

PROXY

PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF
PIONEER HIGH INCOME TRUST
TO BE HELD OCTOBER 28, 2003

I (we), the undersigned holder(s) of common shares of beneficial interest,
having received notice of the meeting and management's proxy statement
therefor, and revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoint John F. Cogan, Jr.,
Dorothy E. Bourassa, Christopher J. Kelley and David C. Phelan and each of
them, my (our) attorneys (with full power of substitution in them and each of
them) for and in my (our) name(s) to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders
of my (our)fund to be held on October 28, 2003, at 2:00 p.m.(Boston time) at the
offices of Hale and Dorr LLP, counsel to the fund, 60 State Street, 26th Floor,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, and any adjourned session or sessions thereof, and
there to vote and act upon the following matters (as more fully described in the
accompanying proxy statement) in respect of all common shares of beneficial
interest of the fund which I (we) will be entitled to vote or act upon, with all
the powers I (we) would possess if personally present.

IN THEIR DISCRETION, THE PROXIES ARE AUTHORIZED TO VOTE UPON SUCH OTHER BUSINESS
AS MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING. THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY
WILL BE VOTED AS DIRECTED BY THE UNDERSIGNED.

CONTROL NUMBER: 999 9999
9999 999

NOTE: In signing, please write name(s)
exactly as appearing hereon. When
signing as attorney, executor,
administrator or other fiduciary,
please give your full title as such.
Joint owners should each sign personally.

_________________________________
Signature

_________________________________
Signature of joint owner, if any

_________________________________
Date

PLEASE RETURN YOUR SIGNED PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

THE COMMON SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE
VOTED AS DIRECTED BY THE UNDERSIGNED.

IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BD VOTED FOR THE PROPOSAL.

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF YOUR FUND AND SHOULD BE
RETURNED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT
YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE FOLLOWING:

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK. EXAMPLE: [box]

1. To elect one Class I trustee FOR WITHHOLD
of the fund, as named in the
attached proxy statement, to
serve on the Board of Trustees
until a successor has been duly [box] [box]
elected and qualified. The
nominee for trustee is:

01. M.K. Bush

PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD

PHI_13563

PROXY

PROXY FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS OF
PIONEER HIGH INCOME TRUST
TO BE HELD OCTOBER 28, 2003

I (we), the undersigned holder(s) of preferred shares of beneficial interest,
having received notice of the meeting and management's proxy statement
therefor, and revoking all prior proxies, hereby appoint John F. Cogan, Jr.,
Dorothy E. Bourassa, Christopher J. Kelley and David C. Phelan and each of
them, my (our) attorneys (with full power of substitution in them and each of
them) for and in my (our) name(s) to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders
of my (our)fund to be held on October 28, 2003, at 2:00 p.m.(Boston time) at the
offices of Hale and Dorr LLP, counsel to the fund, 60 State Street, 26th Floor,
Boston, Massachusetts 02109, and any adjourned session or sessions thereof, and
there to vote and act upon the following matters (as more fully described in the
accompanying proxy statement) in respect of all preferred shares of beneficial
interest of the fund which I (we) will be entitled to vote or act upon, with all
the powers I (we) would possess if personally present.

CONTROL NUMBER: 999 9999
9999 999

_________________________________
Signature

_________________________________
Signature of joint owner, if any

_________________________________
Date

PLEASE RETURN YOUR SIGNED PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE

THE PREFERRED SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE
VOTED AS DIRECTED BY THE UNDERSIGNED.

IF NO DIRECTION IS GIVEN, THIS PROXY WILL BD VOTED FOR THE PROPOSAL.

THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF YOUR FUND AND SHOULD BE
RETURNED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT
YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE FOLLOWING:

TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK. EXAMPLE: [box]

1. To elect the Class I trustees FOR WITHHOLD FOR ALL
of the fund, as named in the attached ALL ALL EXCEPT
proxy statement, to serve on the Board (as marked below)
of Trustees until their successors have
been duly elected and qualified. The [box] [box] [box]
nominees for trustees are:

01. M.K. Bush 02. M.A. Piret

To withhold authority to vote for one or
more of the nominees, write the name(s)
of the nominee(s) on the line below:

_______________________________________

PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD

PHI_13563