All Australian schools, government and non-government, receive public money. How much, and from which government, depends on the sector and on the families a school serves. Knowing the model helps you understand what a school charges and why.
The Schooling Resource Standard
Government funding is built around the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS): an estimate of how much public funding a school needs to meet its students' needs. It has a base amount for each student, plus extra loadings for students with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, students with low English proficiency, and small or remote schools.
Government schools are funded mainly by their state or territory, with a smaller share from the Commonwealth. Under the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, which runs from 2025 to 2034, the Commonwealth has agreed to lift its share of government schools' SRS funding, with states lifting theirs, aiming for government schools to reach their full SRS by the end of the agreement. The exact path differs by state and territory.
Why non-government schools charge fees
Catholic and independent schools receive most of their public funding from the Commonwealth, with a smaller share from their state. The Commonwealth's base funding for each school is reduced according to its families' capacity to contribute, which is assessed using the incomes of the school's parents. So a school serving wealthier families receives less public money per student and relies more on fees.
Catholic systems usually pool their funding and set fees across many schools, which is one reason Catholic fees are often lower. Independent schools set their own fees, which vary widely. Our private school fees pages show published fees by area, with their sources.
Government schools: contributions and charges
Government schools do not charge fees to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Most schools ask for a voluntary contribution each year, which helps pay for extra resources. You can choose not to pay it. Schools also charge for optional extras such as excursions, camps, instrumental music and some subject materials. If cost is a worry, ask the school about help: every state has some form of assistance for families in hardship.
What a non-government school bill can include
School fees for education are generally GST-free, but some extras may not be. Ask each school for a full list of charges for the year your child would start, and how fees have risen in recent years.
- Application fee, paid when you join the waiting list, and usually not refundable
- Enrolment or acceptance fee, or a deposit, when you accept a place
- Annual school fees, often billed by term, with sibling discounts at many schools
- Levies, such as a building fund or technology levy
- Camps, excursions, uniforms, devices, books and co-curricular activities
- Boarding fees, where they apply
Ways to bring the cost down
- Ask about sibling discounts and discounts for paying a year in advance.
- Ask about scholarships (often academic, music or sport) and means-tested bursaries, and when to apply.
- Ask what payment plans the school offers, and what happens if your circumstances change.
- Compare the full cost over every year, not the first-year fee.
Common questions
- Do I have to pay the voluntary contribution at a government school?
- No. The contribution is voluntary, and your child's education and access to the curriculum do not depend on it. Schools can charge for optional extras such as camps and excursions, and many offer help for families who find those costs hard.
- Why are Catholic school fees usually lower than independent school fees?
- Most Catholic schools belong to a diocesan system that pools government funding and fees across many schools and sets fees centrally. Independent schools are each funded and run separately, and many offer extensive facilities and programs that their fees pay for.
- How is a non-government school's government funding worked out?
- It starts from the Schooling Resource Standard, a per-student amount with loadings for student need, and the Commonwealth then reduces the base amount according to the school community's capacity to contribute, assessed from parents' incomes. Schools with more advantaged families receive less per student.
- Is GST charged on school fees?
- School fees for education are generally GST-free. Some other charges, such as certain uniforms, excursions or extras, can include GST. The school's invoice should show which items include it.
Sources
We check guides against official sources. Rules can change, and some details vary by area, so check with the source before you act.
Last updated 1 November 2026.