Worried about school fees for your child on a temporary visa in Australia? Don’t stress! Even temporary residents can access affordable education.

In Australia, public school fees for children of temporary visa holders are set by each state/territory’s education department. Unless exempt, most pay "international student" rates. Let’s compare the fee benefits across states!

 

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1. Nationwide Fee-Free Visas

✅ Spouse Visas (309/820): 100% tuition waiver at all public schools nationwide.
✅ Skilled Regional Visa (491): Free in all states except Tasmania (27% discount applies in TAS).

 

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2. State-Specific Fee Waivers

⚠️ Important: If parents hold a Bridging Visa, fee eligibility follows their previous visa status.

�� NSW: Ph.D. students (Subclass 500) get free tuition only if enrolled at a NSW-based main campus—otherwise, 45% fee applies.
�� QLD: Research master’s students (Subclass 500) qualify for free tuition in regional areas or with government scholarships.
�� ACT: Children of 407/482 visa holders in MLTSSL/ROL occupations may get conditional waivers.

 

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3. High-Fee Visa Alerts

�� Tourist Visa (600):
• Child studying on this visa → 100% international fees.
• Child accompanying parents → Follows parents’ previous visa rules (if none, full fees apply).

�� Bridging Visa:
• If the previous visa had no fee benefits (e.g., Subclass 500 coursework master’s), full fees apply.

 

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4. Quick Q&A

Q: What’s covered in the fee waiver?
A: Base tuition from Kindergarten to Year 12! Excludes uniforms, textbooks, camps, etc.

Q: My child turns 6 in September—can they start Year 1?
A: Cut-off dates vary by state (e.g., NSW: July 31 of that year).

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