Understanding school fees

Ask a family what a non-government school costs and they'll usually quote the tuition figure. The real cost is almost always higher. Fee schedules include levies and charges, and on top of those come uniforms, devices, camps, excursions, music, sport and transport. Then fees tend to change from year to year. This guide explains the parts of a typical fee schedule, the costs that sit outside it and how to plan for the full journey from first enrolment to final year. We deliberately don't publish fee figures: they vary too widely and date too quickly. Always use the school's own current schedule.

The parts of a fee schedule

Fee schedules differ, but most include some combination of the following.

Application or registration fee

A fee to lodge an application or place your child on a waiting list. It's often non-refundable. Ask before you pay.

Enrolment deposit or bond

A payment to confirm a place once offered. Some schools refund it at the end of enrolment, some credit it against fees, and some keep it. The terms matter, so read them.

Tuition fees

The core charge for teaching, usually set by year level. Senior years commonly cost more than junior years. Tuition may be quoted per year, per term or per instalment.

Levies and charges

Many schools add compulsory or voluntary charges. Common examples include:

• capital or building levies towards facilities;
• technology levies for devices, software and networks;
• activity or co-curricular levies for sport, camps or programs;
• resource levies for books and materials.

Ask which are compulsory, which are voluntary and whether any are tax deductible donations to a school building fund. Building fund donations can be deductible in some circumstances; tuition fees generally aren't. Check with the ATO or a registered tax agent.

Discounts

Schools may offer discounts for siblings, for paying a full year in advance, or for families of staff or clergy. Check the conditions, such as deadlines and how discounts apply when siblings are at different year levels.

The costs outside the schedule

Moneysmart's guidance on back-to-school costs lists items like excursions, camps, sport and music as costs that add up across the year, and recommends budgeting for them. For a non-government school, consider:

• Uniforms: often a summer and winter uniform, sports uniform, blazer, hat and bag, sometimes only available from a school shop.
• Devices: a laptop or tablet to the school's specification, plus cases, insurance and replacements.
• Books and stationery: textbooks, digital licences and supplies.
• Camps and excursions: some included, some charged separately, and some international trips are optional extras.
• Co-curricular activities: instrumental lessons, instrument hire, representative sport, tours, coaching.
• Transport: school buses, public transport, or the cost of driving.
• Before and after school care for younger children.
• Formal events: formals, graduations and photographs.
• Tutoring and learning support if needed, which may or may not be included.

When you visit, ask the school what families typically spend on extras in each year, and which are compulsory.

Fee increases

Many schools review fees every year. Increases compound: a rise applied to a higher base each year adds up over a decade of schooling. When you compare schools, ask:

• how fees are set and who decides;
• how much notice is given of increases;
• whether the enrolment contract lets the school change fees during enrolment;
• whether there are any caps or commitments.

Our cost planner lets you test an assumed yearly rise. Try a few different rates to see how sensitive your budget is. It's not a forecast, just arithmetic on your own assumptions.

Why fees vary

Non-government schools receive government funding, but less per student than they would if they were government schools. The Department of Education explains that the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) estimates the total public funding a school needs. For most non-government schools, the base amount is reduced according to the capacity of the school community to contribute. That capacity is measured using parents' median income under the Direct Measure of Income, which has applied since 2022. Schools charge fees to cover the gap and to fund their particular programs and facilities. Our guide to how school funding works explains this in detail.

Fees also reflect each school's choices: class sizes, facilities, co-curricular programs, boarding, and how much it invests in buildings. A higher fee doesn't automatically mean better outcomes for your child.

Reading a school's finances

ACARA's My School shows each school's recurrent income by source, including government funding and fees, charges and parent contributions, and its capital expenditure. It can help you understand how much a school relies on parents and how much it spends on buildings. It's context, not your bill.

Paying fees

Schools often offer several payment options: annual, termly, monthly or fortnightly instalments, sometimes with a discount for paying upfront and sometimes with a fee for instalments. Ask about:

• due dates and what happens if a payment is late;
• any interest or administration charges;
• payment plans if your circumstances change;
• hardship support and how to ask for it confidentially.

Moneysmart suggests contacting the school early if you're having trouble paying, because many schools have payment plans or hardship arrangements.

Comparing the true cost

To compare schools fairly, work out the full cost for each over the years your child will attend:

1. Get each school's current fee schedule.
2. Add compulsory levies and your estimate of extras.
3. Apply a realistic assumed yearly rise.
4. Multiply across the years you expect to stay.
5. Compare with your household budget.

Our cost planner does steps 3 and 4 for you. Our guide to budgeting for school helps with step 5.

Questions to ask the business office

The business or finance office can answer questions that the enrolments team may not. Consider asking:

• What has the pattern of fee increases been in recent years, and how are increases decided?
• Which levies are compulsory, and which are voluntary?
• What do families typically spend on extras in each year level?
• How do sibling discounts work when children are at different stages?
• What payment options are available, and are there fees for instalments?
• What hardship support is available, and how confidential is it?

Ask for important answers in writing, and keep a copy of the fee schedule and policies in force when you enrol.

Fees for international students

International students on student visas usually pay different fees from domestic students, and schools may have separate application processes and conditions. If this applies to your family, ask the school for its international student fee schedule and terms.

Keeping fee records

Keep each year's fee schedule, statements and receipts. They help you track increases, check charges and answer questions if there's ever a dispute about what was owed or paid.

Key points

• The tuition fee is only part of the cost; levies and extras add significantly.
• Read the fee schedule closely: application fees, deposits, levies and discounts all have conditions.
• Fees are often reviewed annually and increases compound over the years.
• Fees reflect reduced government funding for non-government schools and each school's own choices.
• Compare schools on the full multi-year cost, using each school's current schedule.