If you've just arrived in Australia with school-age children — or are planning to move — understanding how the education system works is one of the first things to do. Unlike most South American countries, school here has its own structure, with different names depending on the state, a national curriculum, and three types of school with very different costs.
The system at a glance
Schooling in Australia lasts 13 years, from Foundation Year (equivalent to Pre-K/Kindergarten) to Year 12 (equivalent to the final year of high school). Education is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories, but there is a national curriculum — the Australian Curriculum — that defines what children should learn across the country.
"The Australian Curriculum provides schools, teachers, parents and students a clear understanding of what students should learn. This curriculum applies no matter where a student lives or what school system they're in." — education.gov.au/australian-curriculum
In 2025, there were 4,160,918 students enrolled in 9,673 schools across Australia — 62.8% in government (public) schools, 20.0% in Catholic schools, and 17.2% in independent (private) schools, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
School stages
Early Childhood / Preschool (under 5)
Before formal school, children can attend early childhood education programmes — childcare centres, preschools and learning centres. This stage is optional, but participation is high: more than 90% of Australian children go through some form of early childhood education before starting school.
This stage is guided by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which values play-based learning and the development of communication, curiosity and wellbeing.
There is a federal programme that funds 15 hours a week of preschool for children in the year before school. But eligibility depends on your visa type and the state where you live. We cover everything in detail in the "15 funded preschool hours" section below.
Primary School
Primary School starts with Foundation Year and goes through to Year 6. Children are between 5 and 12 years old at this stage.
Foundation Year is called something different in each state:
| State/Territory | Name of first school year |
|---|---|
| NSW and ACT | Kindergarten (Kindy) |
| Victoria and Tasmania | Prep (Preparatory) |
| Queensland | Prep |
| South Australia | Reception |
| Western Australia | Pre-Primary |
| Northern Territory | Transition |
At this stage, the initial focus is on literacy and numeracy (reading, writing and maths). As the years progress, children are introduced to all eight learning areas of the national curriculum.
Secondary School
High School runs from Year 7 to Year 12, covering ages of approximately 12 to 18:
- Junior Secondary (Years 7–10): subjects deepen and become more specialised.
- Senior Secondary (Years 11–12): focus on preparation for higher education. Each state has its own certificate:
- NSW → HSC (Higher School Certificate)
- Victoria → VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education)
- Queensland → QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education)
Upon completing Year 12, students receive the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education and a score called the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank), used for university admission.
Is school attendance compulsory?
Yes. Schooling is compulsory up to at least Year 10, and the states require young people to remain in some form of education or training until the age of 17. Most children start school between the ages of 4 and 5.
Age cut-off dates by state
Each state has a different cut-off date to determine which school year a child belongs to:
| State | Name of Year 1 | Cut-off date | Starting 2026 if born by... |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Kindergarten | 31 July | 31/07/2021 |
| Victoria | Prep | 30 April | 30/04/2021 |
| Queensland | Prep | 30 June | 30/06/2021 |
| South Australia | Reception | Semester-based (flexible) | Varies |
| Western Australia | Pre-Primary | 30 June | 30/06/2021 |
| Tasmania | Prep | 1 January | 01/01/2021 |
| ACT | Kindergarten | 30 April | 30/04/2021 |
| Northern Territory | Transition | 30 June | 30/06/2021 |
The child must turn 5 on or before the state's cut-off date to start school at the beginning of that school year.
Children born between May and July are in a 'grey zone' — they may be ready for school in some states but not others. A child born in June 2021 starts in 2026 in NSW, but not until 2027 in Victoria. It's worth taking this into account when choosing which city to live in.
The National Curriculum (Australian Curriculum)
Since 2022, version 9.0 of the Australian Curriculum has been progressively rolled out across the country. It covers Foundation Year to Year 10 and organises learning into eight key areas:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Health and Physical Education (HPE)
- Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)
- The Arts
- Technologies
- Languages
In addition, the curriculum includes seven general capabilities: literacy, numeracy, digital literacy, critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, intercultural understanding and ethical understanding.
The Australian school year
The school year starts in late January / early February and ends in mid-December — the opposite of most South American countries' calendars. The year is divided into 4 terms of approximately 10 weeks each:
| Term | Approximate period | Following break |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Late January to late March/early April | ~2 weeks (Easter break) |
| Term 2 | Early April to late June | ~2 weeks |
| Term 3 | Mid-July to late September | ~2 weeks |
| Term 4 | Early October to mid-December | ~6 weeks (Australian summer) |
Most schools run from 9am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday. Children generally bring their own snacks and lunch from home — school canteens (tuck shops) exist in many schools, but are not standard.
What if you arrived mid-year?
If you arrived between March and November, your child can and should be enrolled mid-year — schools deal with this constantly, especially in cities with high immigrant numbers like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Waiting lists also exist for public schools and preschools. A common mistake among those arriving mid-year is assuming you can simply show up at the catchment zone school and enrol on the spot. Popular schools in high-demand neighbourhoods operate with Enrolment Management Plans when nearing capacity. For preschool and kindy, the waiting list can be 6 months to over a year. Get on the list as soon as possible — ideally before you even arrive in the country.
The 15 funded preschool hours — who is eligible?
This is one of the most confusing questions for immigrant families, especially those on a temporary visa. The short answer: the benefit exists, but eligibility depends on your visa and the state where you live.
The federal and state governments maintain an agreement called the Preschool Reform Agreement that funds preschool for children in the year before formal school.
"The Australian Government provides a per-child contribution to states and territories, supporting the delivery of 15 hours a week (600 hours a year) for children in the year before full-time school." — education.gov.au/early-childhood/about/preschool
How it works by state
| State | Programme name | Eligible age | Free access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Free Kinder | 3 and 4 years | Up to 15h/week (expanding to 30h) |
| Queensland | Free Kindy | 4 years | 15h/week free |
| NSW | Start Strong / Preschool Fee Relief | 4–5 years | Subsidised (free access expanding from 2026) |
| SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT | State-specific programmes | Varies | Partially subsidised |
Victoria — Free Kinder
The Victorian government is the most accessible for immigrant families. According to the official website vic.gov.au/free-kinder:
"Families do not need a Health Care Card, Pension Card, Australian citizenship, or proof of address to access funded kindergarten in Victoria."
In Victoria, Australian citizenship or permanent residency is not required to access Free Kinder. In practice, families on a temporary visa — including student visa dependants — may be eligible, provided the centre participates in the programme.
Queensland — Free Kindy
In Queensland, there is an important warning for temporary visa holders. According to the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Essentials document:
"If the substantive visa is not exempt from state school fees, the child will not be eligible for Free Kindy."
Those on a student visa (subclass 500) generally do not qualify for Free Kindy in Queensland. Work visa dependants (such as 482) may have a different situation — check with Queensland's Department of Education.
NSW — Start Strong / Preschool Fee Relief
NSW has a progressive subsidy called Start Strong. From 2026, the NSW government is expanding free access to preschool for 4-year-olds in community preschools.
Summary by visa type
| Situation | Free preschool | CCS (childcare) | Free public school |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian citizen / Permanent Resident (PR) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Visa 482 — temporary work | Depends on state | ❌ Generally no | Varies: VIC exempt; NSW regional exempt since 2025; QLD charges |
| Visa 500 — student (dependant) | Victoria: ✅ possible; QLD/NSW: ❌ | ❌ No (unless receiving Australian government scholarship) | Fees apply — amount varies by state |
| Humanitarian / temporary protection visa | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Partner visa (provisional) | Depends on subclass | Possible — check with Centrelink | Depends |
This table is a general guide. Rules change and vary by state. Always confirm your situation with your state's Department of Education and with Centrelink before making decisions.
Good news for NSW (regional 482 visa — since 2025)
In 2025, the NSW government announced the waiver of school fees for children of workers in rural and regional areas on a 482 visa:
"Tuition fees for public schools, previously costing some visa holders up to $7400 a year, will be waived for parents in regional areas holding a Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), taking effect from day one Term 1 2025." — education.nsw.gov.au
This does not cover student visas or those living in Sydney or other major NSW cities.
The three types of school in Australia
Government School (Public School)
Free for Australian citizens and permanent residents. For temporary residents, a tuition fee may apply:
| State | Student visa (500) | Work visa (482/491/494) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | ~AUD $7,400–$8,000/year | Exempt in regional areas since 2025 |
| Victoria | Fees apply | Exempt since 2024 |
| Queensland | ~AUD $4,000/year | Exempt since 2024 |
| Western Australia | ~AUD $4,000/year | Exempt |
| South Australia | ~AUD $5,600–$6,400/year | Varies |
Catholic School
Government-subsidised private schools with more affordable fees than independent schools. Open to families of any religion.
Estimated cost 2026
- Primary (Catholic systemic, NSW): around AUD $2,800/year
- Secondary (Catholic systemic, NSW): around AUD $7,500/year
Independent / Private School
Full autonomy to set fees, educational philosophy and student selection. These include secular, religious, Montessori, Steiner/Waldorf and selective schools.
Average costs by state in 2026
| State | Primary (average) | Secondary (average) |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | AUD $18,500/year | AUD $32,000/year |
| Victoria | AUD $17,000/year | AUD $30,000/year |
| Queensland | AUD $14,000/year | AUD $25,000/year |
Comparison of the three types
| Government School | Catholic School | Independent School | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (citizens/PR) | Free | AUD $2k–25k/year | AUD $8k–50k+/year |
| Religion in curriculum | No | Yes (Catholic values) | Depends on school |
| Must live in the area? | Yes (catchment zone) | Generally no | No |
| Waiting list | Possible in oversubscribed schools | Sometimes | Almost always |
| Uniform | Compulsory in most | Yes | Yes |
Waiting lists — what nobody tells you
| Type of school | Is there a waiting list? | When to join |
|---|---|---|
| Government (catchment) | Rarely, but possible in oversubscribed schools | As soon as your address is confirmed |
| Government (outside catchment) | Frequently | As soon as possible |
| Preschool / Kindy | Very common — 6 to 12+ months | Before arriving in Australia, if possible |
| Catholic | Sometimes | 1–2 years in advance |
| Independent private | Almost always | At birth or as early as possible |
To find out exactly how the enrolment process, deadlines and documents work, see the complete school enrolment guide.
School year equivalence: South America vs. Australia
| Australia | Age range | Approximate equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation / Prep / Kindy | 4–6 years | Early Childhood Education (Pre-K / Kindergarten) |
| Year 1–6 | 6–12 years | Years 1–6 of primary school |
| Year 7–9 | 12–15 years | Years 7–9 of middle school |
| Year 10 | 15–16 years | Year 1 of high school |
| Year 11–12 | 16–18 years | Years 2–3 of high school |
What to know first — practical summary
- The Australian system has 13 years of formal education (Foundation to Year 12)
- The name of the first year varies by state: Kindy (NSW), Prep (VIC, QLD), Reception (SA), etc.
- School is compulsory from age 6; most children start between 4 and 5
- There are three types of school: government (free for citizens and PRs), Catholic (mid-range fees) and independent/private (high fees)
- Government schools require you to live in the catchment zone corresponding to your home address
- Funded preschool (15h/week) exists, but eligibility depends on visa type and state — families on a student visa should check before assuming it's free
- If you arrived mid-year, enrol anyway — schools are used to it
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