Costs

Non-government schooling is a long financial commitment, often more than a decade. The tuition figure on a school's website is the number most families focus on, but the real cost includes levies, uniforms, devices, camps, co-curricular activities and transport, and it usually changes every year. There's also a contract, with terms on deposits, notice and fee changes that can matter a great deal if circumstances change. This section helps you see the full picture before you commit.

The guides in this section

• Understanding school fees: reading a fee schedule, levies, deposits, discounts, extras and fee increases.
• Budgeting for school: estimating the full cost, saving ahead, paying, and where to find help.
• Scholarships and bursaries: types, applications, conditions and what to check before accepting.
• Enrolment contracts and notice: deposits, notice periods, fees in lieu and unfair contract terms laws.

Why we don't publish fees

You won't find fee tables on this site. Fees differ widely between schools, between year levels and from year to year, and published figures date quickly. A wrong number is worse than none. Instead, we explain how to read each school's own current fee schedule and give you a cost planner to turn it into a multi-year total.

The full cost

When you compare schools, include:

• application fees and deposits;
• tuition for each year level;
• compulsory levies, such as building, technology or activity levies;
• uniforms, devices, books and stationery;
• camps, excursions and tours;
• co-curricular activities and lessons;
• transport and before and after school care;
• an assumed yearly increase.

Moneysmart's guidance on back-to-school costs highlights excursions, camps, sport and music as costs that add up, and recommends planning for them with a budget.

Why non-government schools charge fees

Non-government schools receive government funding, but the Department of Education reduces most schools' base funding according to their community's capacity to contribute, measured by parents' median income. Fees cover the gap and pay for each school's particular programs and facilities. Our guide to how school funding works explains the system.

Budget before you enrol

Work out whether you can afford the full cost for every year your child will attend, not just the first. Consider what happens if your income changes or more children start. Moneysmart's free budget planner can help. If the numbers only work in the best case, think carefully. Our guide to budgeting for school walks through the steps.

Look for fee assistance

Scholarships, usually for merit, and bursaries, usually for financial need, can make a school affordable. Read the conditions: what's covered, for how long, and what happens if conditions aren't met. Beyond the school, Moneysmart points to No Interest Loans of up to $2,000, the Saver Plus program that matches savings up to $500, and state government assistance.

Read the contract

Enrolment agreements are usually standard form consumer contracts. The ACCC explains that unfair terms in these contracts are prohibited and, since 9 November 2023, penalties can apply. In 2022, an ACT tribunal found one school's one-term notice clause void as unfair in the context of that contract, partly because the school could change fees without parents having a penalty-free exit. Read the terms on deposits, notice and fee changes before you pay anything. Our guide to enrolment contracts and notice explains what to look for.

If money gets tight

Contact the school early and confidentially. Many schools offer payment plans or hardship arrangements. Check your contract's notice terms before deciding to leave. The National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 offers free financial counselling.

A cost checklist

• Do I have the current fee schedule for every year level?
• Have I listed compulsory levies and estimated extras?
• Have I tested a yearly increase in the cost planner?
• Have I compared the total with my budget, including a worst case?
• Have I read the deposit, notice and fee change terms?
• Do I know what fee assistance is available and its conditions?

Common money mistakes

• Budgeting for year one only. Fees and extras usually rise as children move up.
• Forgetting siblings. Two or three children multiply every cost.
• Ignoring the notice period. Leaving without enough notice can cost a term's fees.
• Raiding savings or super. It may solve this year and create a bigger problem later.
• Waiting too long to ask for help. Schools can do more when you ask early.

Comparing two schools on cost

When comparing schools, enter each school's fee and your extras estimate in the cost planner using the same years and the same assumed rise. Compare the totals and the monthly cost. Then check whether either school offers scholarships, bursaries or sibling discounts that would change the picture.

Costs for families in regional areas

Families in regional and remote areas may face extra costs, such as boarding, travel and accommodation for school events. Check whether the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme, administered by Services Australia, or state assistance for isolated students applies to your family.

Where to go next

Our choosing section helps you compare schools and prepare for tours, and our enrolling section explains applications, waiting lists and school types.

About these guides

Private School News is independent. We don't publish fees, rank schools or accept payment from schools for editorial coverage. Our guides are general information, not financial or legal advice.