Enrolling your child in a public school: enrolment, catchments and fees for temporary visa holders

Public (government) schools are run by each state, and the first year has different names: Kindergarten in NSW, Prep in VIC and QLD. Each home address has a designated local school (a catchment or zone), and if you live in the catchment the school must take your child. To enrol you need a birth certificate or passport, proof of address and immunisation records. The school year starts in late January and has 4 terms. Children of citizens and permanent residents pay no tuition fees. Children of temporary visa holders usually pay fees in NSW and VIC, while QLD charges mainly dependants of student visa holders and visitor visa holders; check your state's website. This page covers NSW, VIC and QLD.

Key facts

NSW: age for Kindergarten

A child who turns 5 on or before 31 July that year can start Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year. Every child must be in compulsory schooling before their 6th birthday.¹

NSW: catchment (local enrolment area)

Every child is entitled to a place at the designated public school for their home address. Use School Finder to find your local school.¹

NSW: enrolling outside your catchment (non-local)

The designated local school is not always the closest one. A school can accept out-of-area students when it has spare places; when local demand exceeds the places available, it does not take out-of-area applications. Each school sets its own non-local enrolment criteria, so ask the school directly.²

NSW: enrolment documents

Birth certificate or identity document; proof of address (such as a council rates notice, lease or electricity bill; schools close to their enrolment cap use the department's 100-point address check); an immunisation history statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR); if applicable, court orders and medical or disability support plans. Temporary residents also need their passport, current and previous visas, and the Authority to Enrol.¹

NSW: how to apply

Through the department's online enrolment system or the paper Application to enrol form. The application must be completed in English; translated versions are available to read alongside it. A new K–12 enrolment procedure applies from Term 1, 2026.²

NSW: who must go through the Temporary Residents Program

Temporary visa holders accompanying a parent, bridging visa holders, dependants of international students, and visitor visa holders accompanying a parent or immediate family member must all apply online through DE International's Temporary Residents Program and receive an Authority to Enrol before they can start school. Children under 18 must live with a parent.³

NSW: fees for general temporary residents (2026 / 2027 school years)

Application fee A$150 (non-refundable). Annual tuition (based on 40 teaching weeks): primary K–6 A$6,400 (A$6,600 in 2027); junior secondary Years 7–10 A$6,400 (A$6,700 in 2027); senior secondary Years 11–12 A$7,600 (A$7,800 in 2027). Fees are invoiced each term and are not charged for school holidays. Children of 482 visa holders who live with the sponsoring parent in a designated regional area and attend a designated regional public school are exempt from tuition. Low-income families can apply in writing to the Exemption Review Panel for a tuition exemption.⁴

NSW: fees for dependants of student visa holders and for visitor visas (2026)

If the parent holds a subclass 500 student visa and studies ELICOS, VET or a non-award course: primary A$11,200, junior secondary A$12,600, senior secondary A$14,200. If the parent studies at TAFE NSW or in higher education, a master's degree or a PhD (standard rate): primary A$7,800, junior secondary A$7,800, senior secondary A$9,000. If the parent is doing a PhD at a NSW university's main campus without a scholarship that covers tuition, only the application fee is payable and tuition is waived. Visitor visas 600 / 601 / 651 are charged weekly: primary A$425.00, junior secondary A$450.00, senior secondary A$512.50 per week, for a maximum of 13 weeks.⁴

NSW: which visas pay fees

According to the official visa table (version dated 10 September 2026): temporary work visas such as 400, 407, 408, 457, 476, 482 and 485 need an Authority to Enrol and pay the application fee and tuition (at the general temporary resident rate); 491, 494, 445 and 403 need an Authority to Enrol and pay the application fee but no tuition; 461, 785 and 790 need an Authority to Enrol but pay neither the application fee nor tuition; bridging visas are charged at the rate of the previous substantive visa; permanent residents need no Authority to Enrol and pay nothing.⁵

NSW: 2027 term dates

Term 1: students start on 3 February 2027 (eastern division) or 10 February (western division), ending 9 April; Term 2: 29 April–2 July; Term 3: 20 July–24 September; Term 4: 11 October–17 December.⁶

VIC: age for Prep (Foundation)

Children starting in 2027 must turn 5 by 30 April 2027. Schooling is compulsory from age 6.⁸

VIC: compulsory school age

Children aged 6 to 17 must attend school or be registered for home schooling.⁷

VIC: school zones and your local school

Every local school has a school zone. Your child's permanent home address determines the designated neighbourhood school, and if you live in the zone and apply, the school must offer a place (a right under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006). Find my School is the only official source for zones; what a real estate agent says does not count. You can apply to schools outside your zone: they take you if they have space, and when places are tight they rank applications under the department's Placement Policy. School zone enquiries 1800 896 950.⁹

VIC: enrolment documents

Proof of the child's name and date of birth (birth certificate or passport); an Immunisation History Statement; if applicable, medical plans, court orders and custody arrangements. The school may ask for proof of your permanent address, which must match the parent's name and address on the application form. Copies or electronic versions are fine; originals are not required.⁷

VIC: statewide Prep enrolment timeline for 2027

Applications open on 20 April 2026 (the start of Term 2); the deadline is 31 July 2026; schools notify outcomes between 3 and 14 August 2026; accept your offer by 28 August 2026. Late applications are processed in the order received.⁸

VIC: which temporary visa holders pay fees

Whether you must pay through the department's International Student Program (ISP) depends on your visa subclass (see the official Visa Fee Table). If the parent holds a subclass 500 student visa and studies higher education, VET, ELICOS or a non-award course, the child applies and pays as a Dependant. If the parent is doing a postgraduate research degree, or holds an AusAID or defence-related visa, the child is exempt from tuition and enrols directly with the school. A Dependant child must also turn 5 by 30 April of the year they start Prep.¹²

VIC: 2026 fees

Dependant (dependant of a student visa holder): primary Prep–6 A$13,600 a year, Years 7–10 A$16,660, Years 11–12 A$18,700. Temporary (visas other than the 500, and bridging visas while waiting for a new visa decision): primary A$16,000, Years 7–10 A$19,600, Years 11–12 A$22,000. Visitor visas are charged weekly with a minimum of 4 weeks (primary A$1,640 for 4 weeks, secondary A$2,160 for 4 weeks). Application fee A$300. The website's guide to other costs: school uniform A$600 to A$1,200 (every 1–2 years).¹¹

VIC: ISP enquiries

International Education Division, phone 03 7022 1000, email international@education.vic.gov.au. The school can only let your child start once the department confirms the child is registered in the ISP and the fees are paid.¹³

VIC: term dates

2026: Term 1 27 January–2 April (students start 28 January), Term 2 20 April–26 June, Term 3 13 July–18 September, Term 4 5 October–18 December. 2027: Term 1 27 January–25 March (students start 28 January), Term 2 12 April–25 June, Term 3 12 July–17 September, Term 4 4 October–17 December.¹⁰

QLD: age for Prep

Children must turn 5 by 30 June of the year they start. Prep is a compulsory year before Year 1. Compulsory schooling runs from age 6 years 6 months until the child turns 16 or completes Year 10, whichever comes first.¹⁴

QLD: catchment

Your local state school is the closest one by the shortest road route from your home; check by address with EdMap. When a school is close to capacity it adopts a School Enrolment Management Plan (EMP), which restricts out-of-catchment enrolments. Out-of-catchment applications are not guaranteed a place and are queued in the order received.¹⁵

QLD: enrolment documents and process

Enrol about a year in advance. First check whether the school has an EMP, then complete the enrolment application form on the school's website and attend an enrolment interview. Documents: birth certificate or passport; proof of address for schools with an EMP (lease, council rates notice, utility bills); medical information; court orders if any; previous education and child care records.¹⁶

QLD: who must apply through DEi and who pays

According to the official visa table: dependants of parents on a subclass 500 student visa need an Authority to Enrol and pay the application fee and tuition; visitor visas 600 / 601 / 651 pay; bridging visa holders pay if their previous substantive visa did; holders of temporary visas such as the 482, 485, 408, 462, 491, 494, 407, 403, 400 and 820 need no Authority to Enrol, pay no tuition and enrol directly with their local state school. Permanent residents cannot be charged tuition.¹⁷

QLD: temporary resident fees (2026)

Application fee A$305 (including GST). Tuition is charged weekly: Prep–Year 6 A$314, Years 7–9 A$322, Year 10 A$340, Year 11 A$385, Year 12 A$396 per week. You pay one term (about 10 weeks) in advance, and the Authority to Enrol is issued once payment is received. Visitor visa rates are higher (Prep–Year 6 A$379 per week). Enquiries 1800 943 122.¹⁸

QLD: fee waivers

Temporary visa holders in significant financial hardship can apply for a waiver of their child's tuition fees, usually for up to one school year at a time. Contact the Department of Education International by email at FeeWaivers@qed.qld.gov.au or by phone on +61 7 3513 5718.²⁰

QLD: term dates

2026: Term 1 27 January–2 April, Term 2 20 April–26 June, Term 3 13 July–18 September, Term 4 6 October–11 December.¹⁹

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

• Children of citizens and permanent residents: enrol at your local public school based on your address, with no tuition fees.
• Children of temporary visa holders: in NSW most must first get an Authority to Enrol through the Temporary Residents Program and pay tuition; in VIC it depends on the visa subclass, and dependants of student visa holders and most other temporary visa holders pay through the ISP; in QLD mainly dependants of student visa holders, visitor visa holders and some bridging visa holders apply through DEi for an Authority to Enrol and pay, while work visas such as the 482 do not.
• The starting age depends on the state: the child must turn 5 by 31 July in NSW, 30 April in VIC and 30 June in QLD.
• If you live in a school's catchment or zone, the school must take your child; outside the catchment it depends on available places.

How do I do it? Steps and process

1. Work out which year your child starts and what the first year is called

   The first year is Kindergarten in NSW (turning 5 by 31 July), Prep or Foundation in VIC (turning 5 by 30 April) and Prep in QLD (turning 5 by 30 June). If your child's birthday is near the cut-off, you can choose to start a year later, but schooling is compulsory before age 6 in NSW and from 6 years 6 months in QLD.

2. Find your local school

   Use School Finder in NSW, Find my School in VIC and EdMap in QLD: enter your address to see your designated local school. If you want a school outside your catchment, ask that school directly whether it has places and what its criteria are.

3. Temporary visa holders: get the Authority to Enrol first

   NSW: apply for the Temporary Residents Program through DE International's Online Application Portal and pay the A$150 application fee plus tuition. VIC: apply to the department's International Student Program according to your visa type (Dependant or Temporary); the application fee is A$300. QLD: if your visa requires it, apply to the Department of Education International (EQI), paying the A$305 application fee and one term's tuition.

4. Get your documents ready

   Birth certificate or passport, proof of address, an immunisation history statement (required in NSW and VIC), your visa and the Authority to Enrol (temporary visas), and any court orders or medical plans. VIC accepts copies; QLD checks originals at the enrolment interview.

5. Contact the school and apply

   NSW: use the online enrolment system or the paper Application to enrol form, completed in English. VIC: Prep follows a statewide timeline (for 2027 entry, apply by 31 July 2026); for other year levels contact the school directly, and the school will tell you whether to use a paper form or the VicStudents online system. QLD: complete the form on the school's website and attend the enrolment interview.

6. Wait for the offer and get ready for the first day

   In VIC, Prep outcomes are notified between 3 and 14 August 2026 and you must respond by 28 August. Before school starts, organise uniforms and stationery. The school year starts in late January; each state's term dates are in the facts.

What documents do I need?

• The child's birth certificate or passport (proof of name and date of birth)
• Proof of address: lease, council rates notice, utility bills (popular NSW schools use the 100-point address check; QLD schools with an EMP always check)
• Immunisation History Statement (required in NSW and VIC)
• Temporary visa holders: passport, current and previous visas, the Authority to Enrol (NSW, QLD) or the ISP enrolment confirmation (VIC)
• If applicable: court orders, custody arrangements, medical, allergy or disability support plans
• QLD: details of previous schools and child care

What should I watch out for?

• Do not enrol with a false or temporary address: NSW schools near their enrolment cap run a 100-point address check, QLD schools with an EMP require proof of address, and VIC requires the parent's name on the proof of address to match the application form.
• The same 482 visa costs very different amounts in the three states: in NSW you pay the general temporary resident fee (primary A$6,400 a year), in VIC the Temporary rate (primary A$16,000 a year), and in QLD there is no tuition and you enrol directly. Do the sums before moving states.
• Fees for dependants of student visa holders depend on what the parent studies: NSW and VIC both waive tuition for dependants of PhD (research) students, and in NSW the rate for dependants of TAFE and university students is lower than for ELICOS and VET.
• If you cannot afford the fees, ask about a waiver: NSW has a low-income exemption (Exemption Review Panel) and QLD a financial hardship waiver (usually up to one school year at a time); for VIC, ask the International Education Division.
• No tuition does not mean no cost: public schools in every state may charge for uniforms, excursions and voluntary contributions. The VIC website's guide for uniforms is A$600 to A$1,200.
• If your child's English is limited: NSW has EAL/D support and Intensive English Centres; in VIC, intensive English classes at public schools cost Dependant students no extra tuition.
• Term dates differ by state, and in NSW the eastern and western divisions start on different days; schools near a state border may follow the neighbouring state, so check the school's website.
• This page covers only NSW, VIC and QLD; for WA, SA, the ACT, TAS and NT check their own websites. Your visa's own schooling conditions (such as condition 8517) are set by the Department of Home Affairs. This is a plain-English summary of public information; rules differ by state, so follow your state's website and the school. It is not legal or immigration advice.

Common questions

Where can I check the official information?

1. Primary school enrolmentNSW Department of Education · education.nsw.gov.au
2. EnrolmentNSW Department of Education · education.nsw.gov.au
3. Temporary Residents ProgramDE International (NSW Department of Education) · deinternational.nsw.edu.au
4. Tuition fee structure (Temporary Residents Program fact sheet)DE International (NSW Department of Education) · deinternational.nsw.edu.au
5. Visa subclasses and enrolment conditionsDE International (NSW Department of Education) · deinternational.nsw.edu.au
6. 2027 term datesNSW Department of Education · education.nsw.gov.au
7. How to choose a school and enrolDepartment of Education (Victoria) · vic.gov.au
8. Enrolling in Foundation (Prep)Department of Education (Victoria) · vic.gov.au
9. School zonesDepartment of Education (Victoria) · vic.gov.au
10. School term dates and holidays in VictoriaDepartment of Education (Victoria) · vic.gov.au
11. School Fees 2026 (International Student Program)Department of Education (Victoria) · study.vic.gov.au
12. Dependant Student (International Student Program)Department of Education (Victoria) · study.vic.gov.au
13. International Student Program policyDepartment of Education (Victoria) · www2.education.vic.gov.au
14. Enrolment age requirementsQueensland Government (Department of Education) · qld.gov.au
15. School catchment areasQueensland Government (Department of Education) · qld.gov.au
16. How to enrol in a state schoolQueensland Government (Department of Education) · qld.gov.au
17. Schedule of visa subclasses and enrolment conditionsDepartment of Education International (Queensland) · ppr.qed.qld.gov.au
18. Temporary Residents Admissions feesEducation Queensland International (Department of Education) · eqi.com.au
19. Term datesDepartment of Education (Queensland) · education.qld.gov.au
20. Fee waivers for dependant students of temporary visa holdersQueensland Government (Department of Education) · qld.gov.au

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