How to enrol children into Australian high schools
Australia is the top 2 country for international students and Melbourne is considered one of Australia’s biggest student cities.
The Australian Government has a national curriculum that implements activities around literacy and numeracy, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), humanities and social sciences and arts and languages, making the country an attractive study destination.
What visa do international students need?
Children who aren’t Australian citizens can still enrol in a school in Australia. However, it’s worth noting that every student must provide evidence that they hold an eligible visa and fulfil the visa’s conditions.
Students on a 500 student visa can apply to study in schools from Year 1 to Year 12.
You must first receive and provide the school's offer letter to apply for a visa.
How to enrol an international student to an Australian school
Enrolment steps can differ between schools, so it's best to enquire the school(s) directly.
Here are some compulsory documents that you need to show them (and/or Australia's Department of Home Affairs, where relevant) before applying for a visa or enrolling your kids into the school:
- personal details
- emergency contact details
- a certified copy of their birth certificate or passport
- visa details and status of application (any subsequent changes will need to be informed to the school)
- accommodation and welfare documentation
- Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), if applicable
- immunisation history and health information
- genuine temporary entrant statement (declaring that your child is genuinely coming to Australia to study and not for any other reason and that they will not overstay their visa)
- character requirement (e.g. police background check)
- certified copies of their school reports
- evidence of their proficiency in English — meeting the minimum requirements set by the school (the most widely used being IELTS)
- proof of sufficient funds
- certified translations of all supporting documents that are not in English.
Note that these requirements vary between schools, and sometimes by state and territory.
If English is not your child’s first language, they can enrol into an intensive English language course in the school or outside.
Fees
School fees for international students vary based on the school and state. Depending on what state your child will be studying in, fees can range from $20,000–$40,000 per year in an Australian private school.
An elite private school in major cities such as Sydney and Melbourne can exceed $50,000 per year.
These do not include additional costs such as textbooks, uniforms and other school-related expenses.
The standard international student fee for Year 7–10 students enrolling in a Victorian government school, on the other hand, is $16,769 per year. This also excludes application fees, uniform fees and other non-tuition fees.
Private or catholic schools are generally more expensive than public schools. Parents who hold a permanent visa or similar are exempted from paying international school fees.
Useful links:
