School
Contents
Children have to go to school in Australia when they are about five or six years old and must continue until they are 17 or 18, although this changes depending on where you live. School starts in January and finishes in December.
School education is mostly run by state or territories. There are schools run by government (public schools), and schools run by other organisations (private schools). Most children go to a public school in their area.
Public schools are generally free in Australia for citizens and permanent residents, including those who come to Australia on refugee or humanitarian visas. Children seeking asylum, or who have temporary protection visas, are considered international students, but in all states and territories these people do not need to pay fees to attend public schools.
You can learn more about these different policies in this report.
States of refuge (Liberty Victoria’s Rights Advocacy Project)
You can get more information here depending on where you live.
- New South Wales (NSW)
- Victoria
- Queensland
- South Australia (SA)
- Western Australia (WA)
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory (NT)
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
New South Wales (NSW)
General information about schools
This page explains what you need to know when your child transitions to preschool, primary school and high school.
This page provides information about going to public school, including how to enrol in school, find a school, and other key information such as when school starts.
This tool allows you to find your nearest public school.
This page covers how to enrol in NSW public preschools, primary schools and high schools, designated enrolment areas, forms, general enrolment information.
Help for refugee students
The New Arrivals Program (NAP) helps students who have newly arrived in Australia and who need to learn English in primary and high schools and Intensive English Centres (IECS).
Intensive English Centres (IECs) and the Intensive English High School (IEHS) help teach school students who have newly arrived English. They also help students settle into Australian society and get ready for learning in a public high school.
Victoria
General information about schools
This page includes questions to ask yourself, visit schools, when and how to enrol, moving from year 6 to 7.
This Victorian government website includes parenting information on school aged children, including enrolling and starting school.
This page lets you find your nearest school in Victoria.
Help for refugee students
The Victorian government has programs to support refugee students, including a Refugee Education Support Program and a program to teach English to students who have come to Australia.
This factsheet explains the program that helps families send their children to camps, excursions and other activities. It is also available in other languages.
This page provides information and services for families of children living with disability and additional needs.
This factsheet sets out the fees payable for overseas students in Victoria, and makes clear that students from refugee or asylum backgrounds do not have to pay fees.
Queensland
General information about schools
This page explains the schooling system in Queensland.
This page provides information about how to choose a school in Queensland.
This page provides information about how to enrol your child at school.
You can use this tool to find a school in Queensland.
Help for refugee students
The refugee program assists schools with refugee students, including those with complex learning, social and psychological needs.
This page sets out who doesn’t have to pay for public schools in Queensland, including refugees and people seeking asylum.
South Australia
General information about schools
This provides links including how to enrol, finding a school or preschool, and changing schools.
Help for refugee students
This page provides information about support for students of non-English speaking backgrounds and their families at schools and new arrivals centres in South Australia.
Western Australia
General information about schools
This page provides resources that explain public schooling in Western Australia.
This tool helps you find a public school in Western Australia.
Help for refugee students
The Department of Education provides a range of courses and programs, including Intensive English Centres, to help children learn English.
Tasmania
General information about schools
This page explain how to enrol in a school in Tasmania.
This fact sheet lists the most common visa codes and important information you need to know when enrolling a student on a Temporary Resident visa in a Tasmanian Government School.
Help for refugee students
This page explains how the Tasmanian Government supports children learning English as an additional language.
Northern Territory
General information about schools
This page explains how schools in the Northern Territory work.
This page provides information about schools in the Northern Territory, including term dates, getting to and from school, enrolment, curriculum, health and wellbeing.
This provides information about how to contact government and non-government schools and lets you compare schools.
This explains how to enrol your child at school and preschool, documents required, emergency contact details and mature age student criminal record checks.
Help for refugee students
This page makes clear that students from a refugee or asylum background do not have to pay fees for public schools in the Northern Territory.
This page provides information on the support for students with English as a second language, including intensive English units to help children learn English.
Australian Capital Territory
General information about schools
This provides information about public schools in the ACT.
This page provides information on how to enrol at a public school in the ACT.
Use the ACT Schools Map below to search by home address or by school name to confirm your local school.
Help for refugee students
This page provides information on support for students whose first language is a language or dialect other than English in the ACT.
This factsheet provides advice to parents whose first language is not English or is a dialect for ACT schools.
This page explains how refugees and people seekng asylum can enrol in school in the ACT.
