If you’re planning to bring young or school-aged children to Australia while studying at the University, this page provides a brief introduction to childcare and schooling options and some useful websites to visit.
A wide range of childcare services is available, from ongoing full-day care to occasional or emergency care. The Australian Government's StartingBlocks website provides a helpful guide explaining these different types. You can find information in the ‘Resources’ section of their website. Their website also includes a searchable list of providers.
Childcare centres and family daycare must be registered with the government and meet national quality standards.
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), an independent national agency, is responsible for ensuring that providers deliver high levels of care in accordance with the standards. Individual carers must also meet national standards and pass a police or criminal history check.
You can view the standards and whether each provider is meeting the standards on ACECQA's website.
There are three main types of schools operating in Australia:
The school levels are:
The NSW Department of Education website has detailed information about the public school system. Independent schools vary in the education services they provide, so you'll need to contact each school for more information.
The NSW school year usually begins late January each year and is broken up into four terms of approximately 10 weeks.
Each term is separated by holidays of around two weeks. The school year finishes in December (the exact date depends on the school and sector) and is followed by a break of five to six weeks before the next school year begins.
The school terms for public schools are published on the Department of Education's website. Private schools often have different dates, so you’ll need to check with the school.
It’s a good idea to start organising childcare and schooling for your family as soon as you decide to study at the University.
Waiting lists for childcare in Sydney can be very long, especially for children under two years old. Depending on your circumstances, you may be on the waiting list for up to two years.
It's a good idea to start submitting applications before leaving your home country. Submit as many applications as you can to different childcare centres around the area you're planning to live and/or nearby campus. Submitting a waiting list application is usually free of charge.
Before you can enrol your child at a public school in Australia, you’ll need register with DE International, a part of the NSW Department of Education. This can take some time, so you should start the process as soon as you have all the required information.
If you would like to enrol your child at a private school, you should contact the school directly to ask about their timeframes, as this may take from one to three years.
Once you've found a suitable childcare provider, enquire directly with the provider about vacancies and how to enrol.
The first step to enrolling at a public school is to apply to DE International, which is a part of the NSW Department of Education. They manage international programs for all overseas students and temporary residents enrolling in a NSW government school.
The DE International website has information about the enrolment requirements your child will need to meet, study visas, and how to enrol.
For independent schools, contact the school directly about enrolment.
The Care for kids website has a cost calculator and articles about the different costs associated with childcare.
The DE International website lists costs of registering with them, and ongoing tuition fees for public schools. Private school fees vary so you'll need to check with the school.
With child care and school fees likely to be a large expense, consider developing a budget to help you manage your money. There's a range of websites offering advice and calculators:
DE International provides support to help school students improve their English skills. You can find information on their website under the Temporary Residents Program.
