Fees

Fees & Charges

Independent Schools
Primary Schools

Secondary Schools
Colleges & Universities

Page has been link checked and updated where necessary

Independent Schools

All independent schools, systemic or otherwise, have some level of fees - whatever they are called.

These may include direct tuition fees, boarding fees [where applicable] or a combination of both.

Systemic schools belonging to the major religious groups or to groups with specific beliefs [e.g. Christian Community] tend to have significantly lesser fees than do preparatory schools which have linkages to secondary schools, or to those secondary schools belonging to organisations such as the Greater Public Schools [GPS].

However, there is no set structure of fees which applies across the spectrum of independent schools and even schools within the same systemic group can have significantly varying fee structures.

The only absolute way to ascertain what the exact fee structure is, irrespective of the level your child will be attending [early childhood/Infants, Primary, Junior Secondary or Senior Secondary], is to make contact with the specific school and gain exact details.

To check if the school has a web site, see School Web Sites. Follow the Non-Government links for the state/territory concerned, then the school group and finally the specific school listing. You can also contact the school in person, by post or by telephone.
Depending on the time of the year you may need to re-check, as a range of school fees, particularly those for boarding schools, change from year to year.
You should also be aware that most independent schools have strong uniform codes and at the secondary level in particular, this can provide a quite expensive addendum to the overall fee structure. Some schools have several styles of uniform, all of which are compulsory. You should also check these details when checking the overall fee structure.

Primary Schools

All Primary schools have some form of fee structure whatever this may be called. It may be called :

fees ;
annual school charge ;
a levy, or
voluntary contributions.

In some states it is a compulsory part of the educational system, in others, while it is encouraged, it is still voluntary.

Details of which states/territories have voluntary and which have compulsory fees [and in one case exactly what these are for] can be found on the Enrolments page.
However, this does not indicate the exact amount of fees established at each school. Within each state/territory system there can be diversity among the level of fees.
For example, in NSW there is an upper limit and a limited range of movement in the fee level from year to year. Fees are also affected by the school’s surrounding population and its capacity and willingness to contribute.
While in a number of states/territories fees or ‘contributions’ are voluntary, all parents are encouraged to contribute. Most schools will provide an indication of where these funds will be used to enhance the education of your children. In many cases, they assist in providing not only some of the essential learning items but also many of the ‘extra’ learning resources which enhance the learning process.
In virtually every instance, there is provision for people who are finding difficulty in contributing to discuss the matter privately with the school principal and come to some suitable arrangement.
As well, most parent organisations support a reasonable level of contribution on the part of parents, with many having a significant input into the level of the contribution being requested.
The only absolute way to ascertain what the exact fee structure is, irrespective of the level your child will be attending [early childhood/Infants or Primary], is to make contact with the specific school and gain exact details.
To check if the school has a web site, see School Web Sites. Follow the Government links for the state/territory concerned, then the school group and finally the specific school listing. You can also contact the school in person, by post or by telephone.

Secondary Schools

Every secondary school has fees.

There are generally two major types of fees.

These are a general [service] fee and specific subject fees where these apply [e.g. practical subjects such as Design & Technology, Textiles & Design, Agriculture, Visual Arts].
In addition there are a small number of schools where boarding facilities are provided and boarding fees will apply to these, though these fees are generally lower than in independent schools.

Fees will generally vary between Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary years, with the fees increasing as students enter the senior levels of secondary education. This is understandable given the increased, as well as more expensive, range of resources which are required at this level.

There is no set secondary general or subject fee which applies across the whole of Australia. In a number of instances, they do not even apply across any single state/territory system.
Some systems have set fees dependant on the level of secondary schooling [e.g. Western Australia], in others there is a range to be worked within and limits on variation from year to year [e.g. New South Wales]. Check the Secondary Education page for initial details.
The only absolute way to ascertain what the exact fee structure is irrespective of the level your child will be attending [Junior or Senior Secondary] and the subjects they are taking, is to make contact with the specific school and gain exact details.
To check if the school has a web site, see School Web Sites. Follow the Government links for the state/territory concerned, then the school group and finally the specific school listing. You can also contact the school in person, by post or by telephone.
There are also fees for International Students who are studying at this level in Australia. An ‘indicative’ level of fees for International Students can be found at either of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training and Northern Territory web sites.

Colleges & Universities

Every university and college has fees.

In universities, these will include :

Tuition Fees for every subject being taken;

General Service Fee, All students must pay this unless they show proof of having paid it at a home university. A lesser fee may apply if you are studying externally as some charges are not included.

Residential Fees, where accommodation is available. This may not be directly done through the university itself, depending on the residential structure, e.g. residency in a private college.

There is also fee variation between students who enter university through the Australian system of going from secondary school to university via the normal placement process and those who enter university as full fee paying students [often from overseas].

There is the opportunity to offset fees until you enter the workforce and reach a specified level of income. Details of this can be found at FEE-HELP [which has replaced HECS] and also at Higher Education Contribution Scheme [HECS] information for Taxpayers.
While not exactly classified as a fee, there will be compulsory [as well as recommended] texts and on occasions, practical work [such as field studies], residential courses for external students and general resources. These can constitute a significant, compulsory outlay.

You should contact the university you are planning to attend to ensure an exact knowledge of what fees are involved; what level these are; to gain an idea of what additional requirements, of a financial nature, there will be for the particular subjects you are planning on taking; the closing date[s] for payment of these. This can be done in one of the following ways :

by visiting their web site as listed on the Colleges or Universities pages and finding the relevant sections as listed on their site;
by visiting the college or university concerned and discussing this with them at an open day or by appointment;
by gaining a copy of the Handbook which will usually provide some details;
a combination of the above.

Do not leave it until Orientation unless you want a severe shock.
If attending a college, then the only advice is to contact the college direct or via their web site, some of which are listed on the Colleges and Universities pages. TAFE sites are listed through the State Departments of Education page, being listed under each state/territory heading.
Each course will have a specific fee. In private colleges this may include the cost of resources including texts, compulsory components, software, etc.. There is no one method that this group has chosen, nor is there one scale of fees.
In this instance, you will need to take into account :

the reputation of the college,
whether it is a formally recognised provider,
the specifics of the course it is offering,
any additional costs that will be incurred, and
any other relevant factors,

You should be making this decision, so that any fees being paid will provide you with value.