How to enrol your child in an Australian public school, set out in this order: local school (catchment), out-of-area applications, starting age, required documents and compulsory schooling. Where the states differ, the differences are explained separately.
Australian public schools are run by state and territory governments, so application forms, deadlines and online systems differ from state to state. The broad framework is similar, though. Each address has an assigned local school; you apply to that school first, have the documents it asks for checked, and then confirm enrolment. There is also a pathway for out-of-area applications to other schools. From a certain age, compulsory schooling begins, and parents and guardians are responsible for enrolling their child in a school (or an approved alternative) and making sure they attend. This guide is based on the official guidance of state education departments.
This guide was compiled by checking the official guidance of the education departments of New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), Queensland (QLD), Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), and the Northern Territory (NT) government's guidance on enrolment and starting age. The range of items checked differs by state, so for anything not covered here, check with the relevant state education department. School fees and the Authority to Enrol for temporary visa families are covered in the ‘Visa school fees’ guide, and English support in the ‘Child English support’ guide. Private schools are not included because procedures differ from school to school.
Each state uses a different name for the catchment: NSW calls it a designated intake area, VIC a school zone, WA a local-intake area and the ACT a Priority Enrolment Area. Your address decides your local school, and families who live inside the catchment get priority. The wording differs: NSW speaks of a ‘right to enrol’, VIC of an ‘obligation to provide a place’ and the ACT of a ‘guaranteed place’, while WA sets the guaranteed group as citizens, Permanent Residency (PR) holders and designated temporary residents. These rights also apply only to students who meet the eligibility requirements for enrolment, such as age and visa, and a child on a temporary visa may first need an Authority to Enrol, depending on the visa.
All 8 states and territories describe a pathway for applying to a school outside your catchment. However, when places are available, the school assesses applications against its own criteria, and acceptance is not guaranteed. NSW gives priority to factors such as siblings already at the school and disability or medical reasons, VIC to siblings and the distance to the school, and QLD schools with an enrolment management plan keep a waiting list in order of application. A school that is full may not accept out-of-area applications, or may restrict them.
The school may ask for proof of address. According to SA, WA and QLD guidance, giving an address that is not true can lead to an offer being withdrawn or enrolment being cancelled, and according to WA's official guidance, so can failing to tell the school after you move. QLD guidance also says that a false statement about where you live can be an offence and may be reported to the police. Apply using the address where you actually live.
The cut-off date for turning 5 differs by state. In the year your child starts, they must turn 5 by 31 July in NSW, by 30 June for QLD Prep and WA Pre-primary, by 30 April in VIC and the ACT, and by 1 January in TAS, and in SA a child who turns 5 before 1 May can start in Term 1. In the NT, a child can attend a primary school Transition class at age 5 (not compulsory). QLD, TAS and the ACT also describe processes for early or delayed entry and for exemption.
The documents above are a list of what a school may ask for. Some states (VIC, NT and others) allow a child to enrol first even if some are missing, so tell the school your situation. In the ACT, however, you need proof of address to enrol, and if your temporary visa requires an Authority to Enrol, read the ‘Visa school fees’ guide first.
Where you go first depends on the situation you are in. Choose the pathway that applies to you and also check the guidance from the school or your state education department.
This is the most basic pathway. You submit an application to the school, and enrolment is confirmed after document checks and an interview. Students who live inside the catchment and meet the eligibility requirements for enrolment have priority, such as the right to enrol in NSW and the obligation to provide a place in VIC.
When places are available, the school assesses applications against its own criteria, and acceptance is not guaranteed. Many schools have a separate form and deadline, and if your application is unsuccessful, NSW, VIC, TAS and WA describe a review or appeal process, and some have time limits (WA 14 days after the principal's letter, TAS 28 days after the decision). For QLD schools with an enrolment management plan, the refusal becomes final if you do not respond within 7 school days of the preliminary notice of refusal, and after that the guidance points to the Department of Education's complaints process and the Queensland Ombudsman.
Tell your current school, then contact the new school to check the documents and whether an out-of-area application applies. NSW advises enrolling at only one school at a time. If you come from another state, your child's year level can differ because starting ages differ, so TAS says you can ask for the same year level as before.
The age at which compulsory schooling starts differs by state: age 6 in NSW, VIC, the ACT and SA, age 5 in TAS, and, in WA, from the year the child turns 5 years 6 months (Pre-primary). It can be met through a private school or approved homeschooling as well as a public school, and absences must be explained to the school.
These are the tight stretches of the timeline and the easily missed points, in order. Deadlines and procedures can change from year to year.
These misunderstandings often lead people to close off their options early or miss a deadline. Because the rules differ by state, they are even easier to mix up.
Enrolling in public primary schools in NSW: catchments, required documents and information for temporary residents (NSW Department of Education)
Public school enrolment policy in VIC: school zones, the placement policy and documents (Victorian Department of Education)
Applying to enrol in a public school in QLD: Prep age, documents and how to apply (Queensland Department of Education)
Step-by-step guide to enrolling in a public school in WA: Kindergarten, Pre-primary to Year 12 and requesting a review (Western Australian Department of Education)
Enrolling in a TAS public school: age, documents and who to contact about out-of-area applications (Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People)
First, find your local school from your home address and ask that school how to apply. The school will explain the application form (online or on paper, depending on the state) and the documents it asks for, and enrolment is confirmed after an interview. Systems and deadlines differ by state, so also check your state education department's guidance.
All 8 states and territories describe a pathway for applying to a school outside your catchment. When places are available, the school assesses applications against its own criteria, and acceptance is not guaranteed. The NSW online out-of-area application can be used only if your child lives in NSW and is an Australian or New Zealand citizen or holds Permanent Residency (PR), so if that does not apply to you, ask the school directly how to apply. SA advises that when you apply outside your catchment, you should also apply to your local school.
It depends on the state and the year level. In NSW, a child can enrol without a certificate even if the family chooses not to immunise (your child may be asked to stay away from school during an outbreak), and a medical exemption shows as ‘up to date’ on the AIR statement. The NT does not block entry to primary school because of immunisation. WA Kindergarten, on the other hand, requires documents such as an AIR statement no more than 2 months old (showing the child is fully immunised or on a catch-up schedule), or recognition as exempt, before a child can be enrolled. For details, check the guide on transferring immunisation records (AIR) and the school.
The cut-off date differs by state. In the year your child starts, they must turn 5 by 31 July in NSW, by 30 June for QLD Prep and WA Pre-primary, by 30 April in VIC and the ACT, and by 1 January for TAS Prep (school Kindergarten in TAS starts from age 4 and is not compulsory). In SA, a child who turns 5 before 1 May can start in Term 1, and a child who turns 5 between 1 May and 31 October can start in Term 3. In the NT, a child can attend a Transition class at age 5 (not compulsory). For early or delayed entry, ask the school.
Timelines differ by state and school, and applications often open in the year before your child starts. NSW generally takes applications from the second half of the previous year. WA closes applications for Kindergarten, and for Pre-primary to Year 12 where a place is not guaranteed, on the first Friday of Term 3. In VIC, the ACT and SA, timelines from around the middle of the previous year are published, and late applications are still accepted, but for a school outside your catchment your place in the order may slip back or admission may become harder. Check the timeline directly with the school.
Starting and finishing ages differ by state. In NSW, a child must start school by age 6 and, after finishing Year 10, must continue in school, training or work until age 17. In VIC it is ages 6 to 17. In the ACT it runs from age 6 until the child completes Year 12 or turns 17, whichever comes first. In the NT it starts from the year in which the child turns 6 by 30 June. In TAS it is ages 5 to 17, followed by education or training until the child completes Year 12, completes a Certificate III or turns 18, whichever comes first. Absences must be explained (in NSW, within 7 days of the first day of absence), and continuing absences can lead to formal attendance action.
The NSW application form must be completed in English, but translated instructions for filling it in and telephone interpreting (TIS 131 450) are available, and the NSW Department of Education says this interpreting is free. WA says an interpreter can be arranged if you tell the school or the regional education office that you need one, and SA says it will find an interpreter for the enrolment interview if needed. For English support after enrolment, see the ‘Child English support’ guide.
