Schooling
If you would like to bring your children to Australia with you, you must be aware of the following schooling issues.
- It is an immigration policy that school-age dependants of international students undertake formal schooling while they are in Australia.
- Children who have their fifth birthday before 1st April of that calendar year are eligible to start school in Victoria.
- You will need to provisionally enrol your child in a school before you leave your home country and you will normally have to pay the school fees one semester in advance. The school will issue an electronic Confirmation of Enrolment Form stating the program and its duration, so that you can obtain the appropriate visa for your child.
- The Diplomatic Mission in your country can tell you which Victorian
schools are registered to take international students. Fees are payable
by international students at all Victorian schools unless you:
- Are in receipt of sponsorship or scholarships from the Australian Government (e.g. the Australian Development Scholarship, IPRS);
- Hold a higher institution or approved non-government scholarship. These scholarships must be approved by the Victorian government for the dependants to be exempt from school fees.
- You will be responsible for school fees and other costs including school uniforms, books, excursions and stationery.
- When choosing the most appropriate school for your child, it is best to ask questions about the school's curriculum, size, extra curricular activities and the size of individual classes.
- You should also take into consideration the distance from the school to the University, the suburb in which you intend to live and the method of transport you plan to use.
For further information, please contact ISS or contact the State of Victoria, Department of Education & Training.
top of pageUseful Links & Contacts
State of Victoria, Department of Education & Training International DivisionLevel 6, 35 Spring Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000
T: +61 3 9651 3700
F: +61 3 9651 3980
E: international@edumail.vic.gov.au
W: www.education.vic.gov.au
W: www.study.vic.gov.au