School age children living in Australia

Bringing school age children to Australia

It is compulsory for school age children to be attending schools in Australia. Children 5 years old or over, up until age of 17, are defined as school age children. If you have school age children on a dependent visa for more than 3 months, you must ensure that they are enrolled in school at all times. You should arrange for your school age children’s enrolment before bringing them into Australia.

School fees

Tuition fees are the same for all Victorian government schools. There are discounts for students who have a parent studying at a Victorian tertiary institute.

You should be responsible for your children’s school fees and other expenses such as text books, stationery, uniforms and excursions.

There may be exemption for your children’s school fees at a Victorian government school if are a HDR student, or on a fully funded scholarship provided by the Australian government. We recommend you check the Victorian Government Schools International Student Program to see if you qualify for exemption from school fees.

View the fees for Victorian government schools

If you want to enrol your children in a non-government school, you can visit Independent Schools Victoria for school listings.