Australia’s education system is considered one of the best in the world and provides high standards, highly qualified teaching staff, and a comprehensive curriculum.
It provides an outstanding education for both domestic and international students. Being the third-largest education provider for international students, you will have a greater selection of quality institutions if you relocate to Australia with your children.
All children between the ages of 6-16 (years one to nine or ten) must participate in full-time education, whether attending a school or homeschooling.
School is similar across Australia, with only minor differences between states. The Australian education system is divided into four stages: early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, and tertiary education.
Primary school runs for seven to eight years, starting at kindergarten/preschool up until year six of seven. Secondary school runs for three or four years, from years seven to ten or years eight to ten. Senior secondary school runs for two years, years 11 and 12.
Public Schools
Most children attend public (State) schools, which the Australian Government funds. Enrolling your children within the area you are accommodated in is exceptionally common, as it guarantees you an automatic spot. Parents/caregivers should consider the choice of accommodation carefully since it is compulsory to provide evidence of where they live and the status of their children’s visas.
The process for enrolling your children varies from state to state. However, you will need to provide certain documents for them to enrol in a school. This includes proof of address, visa information, passport, birth certificate, current level of education, and immunisation and medical records. Keep in mind that an interview may be required after the documentation process.
Remember that religious education is not part of the public school curriculum. Private schools will be a better option if you want your children to attend a religious school.
Click on the link below to find the nearest public school.
Find your nearest public school
School fees for children of visa holders
If you plan to bring school-aged children (ages 5-18) to Australia on a 482 visa, you must arrange for them to attend school. Every State/Territory has different regulations, so it is important to give consideration when planning which State/Territory to reside in.
In some locations, 482 visa holders must pay a school fee to send their children to a public education institution. Keep in mind that school fees charged by certain states can be significant if you are a 482 visa holder. Also, many States/Territories have different public tuition policies for children accompanying parents on a 457 visa.
Below is an overview of the school fees by each Australian State/Territory.
New South Wales (NSW)
Most temporary resident students pay temporary resident administration and education fees to enrol in a public education institution.
The fee is determined by the visa subclass held by the student. It can be paid annually (40 school weeks) or every six months (20 school weeks). Each eligible student has a non-refundable $285 admission fee, and all fees must be paid in advance.
The NSW Government charges fee charges for dependents of 482 visa holders. The charges for primary school students (Up to Year 6) are AUD $5600 per year, junior high students (year 7 to year 10) are AUD $5600 per year, and senior high students (year 11 to year 12) are AUD $6400.
If you wish to apply for an exemption due to the school fee levy, it must be assessed by the New South Wales Department of Education.
Click here to see the complete list.
Victoria (VIC)
Temporary visa holders in Victoria can enrol their children as local students (Australian citizens or permanent residents). Discounts will apply if you have a partner studying at a Victorian education institution.
Migrants on a 482 visa residing in Victoria are generally exempt from paying school fees or are eligible for subsidised education when enrolling in a public school.
Click here for more details.
Queensland (QLD)
Most school-age children holding temporary resident visas must pay fees to attend a public school in Queensland.
Student fees for students holding temporary resident visas in Queensland
| Fee Type | Year Level | 2024 school fee | 2025 school fee |
| Application fee | All year levels | AUD $295 (incl. GST) | AUD $305 (incl. GST) |
| School tuition fee | State kindergarten | AUD $153/week | AUD $158/week |
| School tuition fee | Prep to year 6 | AUD $304/week | AUD $314/week |
| School tuition fee | Years 7 to 9 | AUD $311/week | AUD $322/week |
| School tuition fee | Year 10 | AUD $329/week | AUD $340/week |
| School tuition fee | Year 11 | AUD $372/week | AUD $385/week |
| School tuition fee | Year 12 | AUD $383/week | AUD $396/week |
Keep in mind fees are subject to change as they are reviewed every year to align with the Government Indexation Rate. If your children hold New Zealand citizenship, they will be eligible to enrol the same way as Australian citizens and permanent residents. All tuition fees must be paid in Australian dollars and are calculated based on the weeks of the enrolment. Fees are paid whether the student attends school during the enrolment period.
Click here for a full list of the Temporary Residents’ Admission fees. Click here to read the fee exemption policy for temporary visa holders.
Click here to view the international Queensland fees for other visa holders.
South Australia (SA)
A student fee will be applied if you are on a 457 or 482 working visa if your children attend state schools in the greater Adelaide region, or if your combined family income is over AUD $66,000 per year before tax.
The maximum fee each student will in 2023 is AUD $5900 for primary school (up to year 6) and AUD $7000 for high school (years 7 to 12). There is a 10% discount if you enrol more than one child in a government school. Student fees for the youngest three children are paid if you enrol more than four children.
However, if you or your children are on a temporary work visa apart from 457 and 482, you will not need school tuition fees. Certain schools in country areas within South Australia will not have to pay a student fee. Click here to see the school exemption list.
Click here to see the requirements if you or your children are on a student or tourist visa. If you are not on either, click here to search for your visa.
Click here to calculate whether you qualify for a reduced student fee.
Tasmania (TAS)
Most students are required to pay school fees to attend a State school in Tasmania. It costs AUD $7,600 per year for students in prep to year 12. Keep in mind that a non-refundable application fee of AUD $150 per student will be required when applying.
You only need to pay 50% of the tuition fees if you are a 491 or 494 visa holder.
Click here for more details regarding the enrolment of international students in Tasmanian state schools.
Tasmanian Government | Temporary Resident Program
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Fee exemptions only apply to school-age children of temporary residents with certain visa classifications. This includes employment-related visas based on the Medium/Long-term Strategic skills list, Regional Occupation List, and partner, carer or adoption visas.
However, school tuition fees apply for school-age dependents of 482 visa holders on a cost-recovery basis. Fees are the highest across all States, with a fee of $4200 for preschool students, $11,100 for up to year 6, AUD $14,500 for years 7 to 10, and AUD $16,200 for years 11 to 12.
There is a non-refundable $265 admission fee for each eligible student, and all fees must be paid in advance. Getting fees waived in some instances of financial hardship or unexpected circumstances is possible by emailing [email protected]. Keep in mind that you will need to provide evidence to outline the issues and concerns.
Australian Capital Territory Government | Tuition fees for students
Western Australia (WA)
School tuition fees are applied for Temporary Skill Shortage (subclass 482) holders and Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457) holders with dependent children enrolled in Western Australia public education facilities. A yearly fee of AUD $4000 is charged, regardless of how many children a family have enrolled.
Full payment must be received before the end of the school calendar year. If instalments are made, final instalments must be completed by the end of the last week of a school year.
However, you can apply for a fee waiver if the combined family income is AUD $75,000 annually. Remember that all applications must be done annually, and evidence must be provided to support the forum.
If you are on the 500, 570, 572 or 573 Visa, your children need to be enrolled as full fee-paying overseas students for the duration of your visa.
Click here for more information if your child is on a student visa.
Click here for more information if your child are dependents of a visa holder.
Northern Territory (NT)
The Northern Territory Government provides public schooling for all temporary 482 visa holders the same way as Australian citizens and permanent resident (PR) holders.
However, other temporary visa holders are still liable to pay these fees.
Click here to find out whether you need to pay educational fees for your children.
What is and isn’t included in the 482 school fees cover
School fees include most tuition costs and access to student support services. It also involves access to the Australian State/Territory education curriculum, textbook hire, counselling services, and intensive English as an Additional Language support for eligible visa holders.
The school fees payable by 482 visa holders do not cover school excursion costs, student medical expenses, school uniforms, extra curriculum activities, textbook purchases, and subsidised travel under the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS).
Best public schools
Hornsby North Public School is set on spacious grounds in Hornsby, NSW and provides enrichment opportunities for all levels. With approximately 900 students, the school is known for its extended opportunities for environmental education. Brighton Secondary College is a coeducational college with over 1200 students from grades seven to twelve in Brighton East, Melbourne. The school has outstanding facilities, including a hockey/tennis field, a sports stadium, a drama centre, a media centre, a performing arts centre, and many more. North Sydney Boys High School is in the Lower North Shore of Sydney in Crows Nest. They are a single-sex school with approximately 920 students from grades seven to twelve. Known for their diverse curriculum and cocurricular program, they are responsible for producing one of the best public figures in academia, science, sport, business, and public service areas.
Private Schools (Independent Schools)
Private Schools are privately owned and operated, costing more than AUD $10,000 per year. They generally have a lower student-teacher ratio and provide better quality facilities than public schools, including libraries, sporting and gym facilities, laboratory classrooms, classroom quality, art rooms and music. Public schools cannot turn away students, whereas private schools have the right to be more selective. Hence, admission requirements are generally more rigorous and demanding than public schools. The same enrolment documents are required for private schools, except your children must undertake an interview, complete an admission exam and submit test results.
Click on the link below to find your children’s most suitable private school.
Find your nearest private school
Best Private Schools
Mentone Grammar School is located on Venice Street in Mentone, Melbourne. This school is the gold standard for bayside Melbourne’s exceptional coeducation from their early learning centre to grade twelve. Meridan School is an Anglican single-sex early learning, primary and secondary school for girls in Strathfield, NSW. They are an outstanding independent school that is one of the few schools that rank among the top ‘Higher School Certificate (HSC)’. Sydney Grammar School is located within the suburbs of Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives in New South Wales. They are a private, non-denominational day school for boys and have excellent academic performances, co-curricular life, and facilities.
Homeschooling
Homeschooling indicates that your children learn from home and within the community rather than in school or an outside organisation. Homeschooling is legal in all Australian states and territories. With a number of 20,000 homeschooled students across Australia, every state will have a homeschool registration authority to help homeschooled children register, choose their course of work, and monitor their academic work. However, it is a legal requirement for parents to register their child for homeschooling and seek help from a registration authority. Every state will have different requirements before granting homeschooling registration.
Though homeschooling offers different ways of learning, they are different to the traditional school curriculum. The parent and child are responsible for deciding what their education will involve. They can choose their content and style by either building their curriculum from scratch, using a guided curriculum that has already been developed, or using in-person or online classes and tutoring.
Click on the link below to find out more about home education in Australia.
Home education | Queensland Government
Early Learning Services
Though early childhood education is not compulsory, it helps children develop their interests, communication, creativity, and physical and problem-solving abilities before they start primary school. As childcare is in high demand, it is essential to research early to enrol your children as soon as possible. Remember that you must be in Australia to be on a childcare facility’s waiting list.
There are four standard options for early learning services in Australia: family daycare, in-home care, centre-based care and outside-school-hours care.
Family Day Care
Family Daycare is an education provided by an approved and qualified teaching staff operated in their own home. Educators will work with parents to match their child’s care needs with the best care environment. They will consider aspects such as language, culture, and ability to ensure the most suitable fit between parents, children, and educators. Family daycare educators work with small groups of no more than four children per session. Hence, they can focus on an individual’s child development while providing quality learning experiences in the educator’s accommodation.
Click on the link below to find a family day care closest to where you are accommodated.
Find your nearest family day care centre
In-home care
In-Home Care (IHC) is a form of early childhood education in a child’s accommodation. They are generally for families who have no access to other approved care due to variable working hours, geographic isolation, or challenging needs. To have in-home care for your child, your family must meet the eligibility criteria. You must be eligible for a childcare subsidy, meaning that you already receive help from the Australian Government to help pay childcare fees. Also, prove that there are no other suitable childcare education options. Keep in mind that there are only 3200 occupancies for IHC within Australia, where a single place can only be allocated 35 hours of subsidised care per week per child.
Click here for a detailed guide about In-Home Care for your children.
Click here to find out whether your children are eligible for In-Home care.
Centre based childcare
Centre-based childcare is centres approved by regulators to provide early childhood education. They use a variety of strategies to extend children’s thinking and play for better learning experiences. Generally, they are for children under five and open early morning until early evening from Monday to Friday between 7 am to 6 pm. These childcare facilities can either be attached to a school, near a school, shopping centres or within the surrounding suburbs.
Remember that childcare facilities follow regular school and public school holidays, so plan or organise alternative childcare when the time comes.
If you decide to enrol your children to centre-based childcare, you must provide their birth certificate, passport, address proof, and immunisation history document.
Click on the links below to find the closest kindergarten/preschool centre.
Centre based care
Kindergarten/preschool is when a child takes a consistent program the year before starting grade one in primary school. They will be able to develop social skills, new routines, and independence and support the transition to primary school. Generally, they are between three and five and run between regular hours from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. However, each state has various times, so ensure you understand how preschools/kindergartens work in your accommodated state.
Before and after-school care
In Australia, before and after-school cares allows parents and caregivers to drop off their child before school hours and pick them up after school hours. It will also provide primary-aged children the chance to play in a supervised environment before, after, or during school holidays. With trained and qualified educators, they offer several activities to your children, such as group games, outdoor play, arts, and crafts, reading, and more.
They can be provided by community childcare next to a primary school or private providers. This is offered from 7 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 6 pm during school days and for 10-12 hours a day during school holidays. Most before and after-school care facilities have limited availability, so it is important to enrol them early to get a spot.
Use this link here to find the closest outside school hours care (Please remember to tick the outside school hours care box before searching).
Costs of early childcare services
There are costs to early childhood education so always check with the service provider about the enrolment terms and price. On average, childcare costs about AUD $70 – AUD $188 per day, depending on the hours of operation and care. Preschool costs around AUD $45 – AUD $80 per day, whereas a family day care costs only AUD $7.50 – AUD $16.50 per day, depending on the geographic location and the services they provide. For outside-of-school-hours care, a morning session costs approximately AUD $15 – AUD $30 per session, while an afternoon session costs roughly AUD $25 – AUD $45.
Role of Parents
It is vital to keep updated with your children’s education. This means keeping up with school updates through newsletters, making appointments anytime with teachers to talk to them, and going through the website occasionally for additional information. If your children cannot attend school, you must always ensure that the school is notified as it is mandatory to participate in and for safety reasons. It is essential to attend regular parent-teacher interviews to discuss the progress of your children. Remember that all schools have different homework policies, so ensure you know what policies are in place to help them at home.
Selecting a school
Enrolling your children at a school within the catchment area in Australia is common. Parents and caregivers can apply for schools in different areas, but first preference is always given to those living within that catchment area. Keep in mind that private schools are allowed to be more selective if you apply, so a rejection letter may be potential.
Click on the link below to find a school within your catchment area.
Australia Private Schools Directory
School records
Australians tend to check school reviews on ‘My School’ to obtain data, including attendance records, how well children perform with examinations, enrolment numbers, and funding before enrolling their children at a school. The website provides a page for every school with nationally consistent school-level data to help parents make informed decisions.
If you have a specific school in mind for your children and want to know how well it has been performing, click on the link below (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2022).
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
School visits
Before enrolling your children, you should visit the school to see the facilities. Parents/caregivers can accomplish this by contacting staff directly to make an appointment or attending the school open day, where anyone can visit and look around the school.
School Curriculum
The Australian curriculum guides schools, teachers, parents, and students with a clear understanding of the educational content. This applies no matter where a student is accommodated or what type of school system they are in. Taught in English, Australia uses this guide to formulate subjects to meet the interests of parents and children. There are seven general capabilities: literacy, numeracy, critical and creative thinking, information and communication technology, intercultural and ethical understanding, and personal and social capability.
Primary schools specifically focus on developing essential numeracy, literacy, social skills and providing knowledge to the environment surrounding them. Subjects in secondary school become more specific and include English, language, geography, science, maths, civics, humanities, business, technology, and arts.
Parents or caregivers will also receive report cards twice a year to understand how well they are doing in school.
Support for school students
There are many support staff for school students who are new to Australia or require general guidance. International student coordinators, school counsellors, career advisors, year advisors, and a student welfare team is present in every school. They also provide excellent support and programs for students who speak English as a second language.
