Australian Schools for Migrant Families: 2026 Guide

Australia has three school sectors, and understanding them is the first step for any migrant family.

• Government (public) schools: Run by each state or territory education department. Free for Australian citizens and permanent residents (you'll still pay for uniforms, books, excursions and a 'voluntary contribution'). These are the default for most families and teach the same national curriculum.

• Catholic schools: A large 'systemic' network open to all faiths. They charge fees, but they are far lower than independent schools, often a few thousand dollars a year.

• Independent (private) schools: Range from modest faith-based schools to high-fee institutions. These charge full tuition to everyone, citizen or migrant alike.

Schooling is compulsory from around age 6 to 16-17. Most children do 13 years: a foundation/prep/kindergarten year, then Year 1 to Year 12. Note the terminology differs by state (the first year is called 'Kindergarten' in NSW but 'Prep' in Victoria and Queensland), so confirm the year level with the school.

Whether your child attends a public school for free depends on your visa, not your nationality.

• Australian citizens and permanent residents: Free public schooling, nationwide. If your permanent visa (for example a skilled 189/190 or a finalised partner 801/100) is granted, your children attend government schools tuition-free.

• Temporary visa holders: Usually pay tuition to attend a public school, charged as 'temporary resident' or international-student fees. This catches families on temporary skilled, graduate, bridging and visitor visas. Student visa (subclass 500) dependants are also generally fee-liable.

Fees and exemptions are set by each state, so the figure changes depending on where you live. As a 2026 guide, NSW charges around $5,600 a year for a primary student and $6,400 for a high school student, plus a $150 non-refundable application fee. Western Australia and Queensland set their own (generally lower) rates. Victoria charges by category and semester. These figures are reviewed annually and rise most years, so confirm the current amount with your state's program before you budget.

Important exemptions exist. NSW exempts some dependants of subclass 482 (Skills in Demand) holders living and working in eligible regional areas, and runs a low-income exemption panel. Queensland offers fee waivers for dependants of temporary visa holders in genuine financial hardship. Always ask the state program directly, because the difference between paying and not paying can be thousands of dollars per child.

Australian public schools are allocated by where you live, not by application merit. This surprises many migrants used to choosing any school.

Every government school has a designated catchment (called a 'local intake zone' or 'local enrolment area'). Your local school is the one whose zone covers your home address, and it must offer your child a place if you live in-zone.

To prove you live in-zone, you'll provide evidence such as a residential tenancy (lease) agreement plus a utility bill or similar. Schools are strict about this because zones are sought-after.

You can apply to a school outside your zone ('out-of-area'), but a place is only offered if there is spare capacity, and there's no guarantee. Popular schools are often full of in-zone students.

Practical tip: in a competitive city, your rental choice effectively chooses your child's school. Use your state's official school-finder (for example the NSW School Finder or WA Schools Online) to check the catchment for an address before you sign a lease. Catholic and independent schools are not zoned, you apply directly and may face waitlists.

The enrolment process is similar across states. For a government school you generally apply directly to your local (in-zone) school.

Documents you'll typically need:

• Your child's passport and visa (or evidence of a visa application)

• Birth certificate

• Proof of your residential address (lease plus a utility bill)

• An immunisation history statement (in WA, an Australian Immunisation Register statement dated within the last 2 months)

• Any court orders or parenting plans that affect care arrangements

Timing: Schools accept new-arrival enrolments year-round, so you do not have to wait for the start of the school year. For the first year of school (Kindergarten/Prep), states run a main application window the year before, for example WA's Kindergarten applications close the first Friday of Term 3 the prior year. Apply as early as you can once you have an address.

The Australian school year runs from late January/early February to December, split into four terms. If you arrive mid-year, your child slots into the current year level.

If your child is new to Australia and speaks English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D), they are entitled to free, targeted English support. This is one of the most reassuring things to know as a migrant parent.

In NSW the New Arrivals Program (NAP) provides on-arrival intensive English tuition. To be eligible a student must speak a language other than English at home, be at the Beginning or Emerging phase of English, enrol within 6 months of arrival (18 months for kindergarten), and be a citizen returning after 2+ years overseas or a permanent/approved temporary resident.

For older newcomers, NSW refers eligible Year 6 and high school students in the Sydney metro, Wollongong and Armidale areas to an Intensive English Centre (IEC) or Intensive English High School (IEHS), where they build English before transitioning into a mainstream school. Younger and regional students get extra EAL/D teaching staff funded directly to their local school.

Every state runs an equivalent EAL/D or intensive English new-arrivals program. Visitor-visa holders and children already educated in English are generally not eligible. Ask the school or your state education department what is available in your area.

Your visa drives everything else, including school fees and Medicare. The common family pathways are:

• Skilled visas: Skilled Independent (subclass 189), Skilled Nominated (190) and Skilled Work Regional Provisional (491). These are points-tested. You need at least 65 points to be invited, must be under 45, and need at least Competent English. State/territory nomination (190) and regional nomination or family sponsorship (491) add points.

• Employer-sponsored visas: Skills in Demand (subclass 482), Employer Nomination Scheme (186) and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (494). A 482 is temporary, so your children may face school fees unless a regional exemption applies.

• Partner visas: onshore 820/801 and offshore 309/100, for partners of citizens, permanent residents or eligible NZ citizens.

On English: 'Competent English' means roughly IELTS 6.0 in each of the four bands (or an accepted equivalent). For points, 'Proficient' (around IELTS 7) earns 10 points and 'Superior' (around IELTS 8) earns 20 points. These thresholds and point values change with policy, so confirm the current points table on homeaffairs.gov.au before relying on any figure. Visa application charges, occupation lists and invitation cut-offs also move frequently.

Settling a family involves more than school. Two essentials:

• Medicare: Once your permanent visa is granted you can enrol in Medicare and get a green card. Some people who have applied for permanent residence, or hold certain temporary visas, get a blue card. Visitors from one of the 11 Reciprocal Health Care Agreement countries (such as the UK and Ireland, though cover differs) may access limited Medicare. Student-visa families generally must hold Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) instead.

• Tax File Number (TFN): Applying for a TFN through the ATO is always free. If a website charges you a fee to 'get a TFN', it's a scam, do it yourself at ato.gov.au.

Scam warnings every migrant should heed:

• For a fee, only an OMARA-registered migration agent (verify the MARN on the public register) or an Australian immigration lawyer can legally give you visa advice. Anyone calling themselves a 'skilled migration service provider' or 'government registered' agent without a MARN is a red flag, walk away.

• Beware fake job offers used to extract money or documents, and never pay for a TFN.

• A complex case (refusals, health/character issues, business or partner evidence) is genuinely worth paying a registered professional to handle. This guide is general information, not personal migration advice, always confirm your situation on the official government sites.