School age children living in Australia (children of La Trobe students)
It is compulsory for your school-age children to attend school if they are accompanying you to Australia for more than 3 months as a dependent on your student visa.
In the state of Victoria, children are considered ‘school-age’ if they are between the ages of 6 and 17 years old. You should organise enrolment for your school-age children before you arrive in Australia.
There are different types of schools in Victoria. Generally, primary school students are aged between 5 (Prep) to 11 years old (Year 6). They will then move to secondary school (Years 10-12) from the age of 12 to approximately 18 years old.
When deciding to bring your children to Australia as your dependents, please consider your study requirements when organising the relevant childcare and school arrangements to ensure you remain compliant throughout your studies as a student visa holder.
School Fees
Most students enrol in government (also called public) schools. It’s important that you research the relevant school fees involved and plan ahead. In addition to school fees, there will be other expenses such as uniforms, textbooks and excursions.
For more information regarding the application process including potential fee exemptions, visit the Victorian Government’s International Student Program (Schools).
Please check Independent Schools Victoria if you wish to enrol your child in a non-government/independent school instead.