In this guide
The Australian school market in 2026
Australia differs from the typical international school market because English is the language of instruction throughout and the public system is genuinely strong. Relocating families therefore choose less between English and local language schooling and more between the well resourced independent sector, the dedicated international schools, and the free or low cost public catchment schools. The independent sector is among the oldest and most prestigious in the world, and many of its schools now offer the IB Diploma alongside the state certificate, which is what brings them onto the radar of globally mobile parents. The deepest provision sits in three cities, and our city guides for Sydney international schools, Melbourne international schools and Perth international schools carry the school by school detail.
The practical implication for an arriving family is that the shortlist usually mixes school types. A child can sit in a free public school in a strong catchment, a heritage independent school running the HSC or VCE, or a school offering the IB Diploma for a portable qualification. The decision rests on the length of the posting, the next likely destination and the family budget far more than on language, which removes the single biggest variable that dominates school choice in most other countries.
Curricula and qualifications offered
Schooling in Australia runs on the national Australian Curriculum from Foundation to Year 10, after which each state administers its own senior secondary certificate. New South Wales runs the Higher School Certificate, Victoria the Victorian Certificate of Education, and Western Australia the Western Australian Certificate of Education, with QCE, SACE and others in the remaining states. All convert to the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the ATAR, used for university entry, and the state systems are broadly comparable in difficulty. Australian qualifications are widely transferable and accepted by universities abroad where the subject mix is suitably academic.
Alongside the state certificates, a substantial number of independent schools offer the IB Diploma at sixth form, often as a parallel pathway to the VCE or HSC. The IB is the qualification most globally mobile families prefer because it carries stronger recognition for non Australian universities and slots cleanly into the next posting. For the structural comparison between the two routes, our curriculum comparisons set out how the IB Diploma and the state certificates differ on workload, breadth and university recognition. A handful of schools also run national curricula for their communities, including German and Japanese schools in the larger cities.
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Our school finder returns a ranked shortlist of independent and international schools matched to your child's year group, state, curriculum preference and budget across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Fees overview
Australian independent school fees are high by regional standards but below the top tier of the global international market. The bands below cover senior day tuition at the established independent schools; boarding, where offered, adds substantially. International students enrolling as overseas students pay a CRICOS registered rate that typically sits above the domestic fee. Junior and primary tuition runs well below the senior figures. Use the fees database for the school level detail and the cost calculator for the multi year all in projection including housing and living costs.
| Tier | Example schools | 2026 senior tuition (AUD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium independent, day | Sydney Grammar, Melbourne Grammar, Scotch College, Cranbrook | 32,000 to 40,000 | Many offer IB DP alongside HSC or VCE |
| Established independent, day | Wesley College, Caulfield Grammar, Christ Church Grammar, Hale School | 24,000 to 36,000 | State certificate, IB at some |
| Senior boarding | Geelong Grammar and other boarding schools | 60,000 to 75,000 | All in boarding plus tuition |
| Public catchment schools | State schools in strong catchments | 0 to overseas contribution | Fee depends on parents' visa |
Top cities
Sydney has the largest market, combining a strong free public system with prestigious independents such as Cranbrook, Sydney Grammar and Kambala, the German International School Sydney, the Sydney Japanese International School and the IB focused International Grammar School. The NSW Higher School Certificate is the default route, with the IB Diploma preferred by globally mobile families. Our Sydney international schools guide sets out the eastern suburbs, north shore and inner west clusters.
Melbourne holds Australia's most prestigious independent school sector, with Melbourne Grammar, Wesley College, Caulfield Grammar, Methodist Ladies' College and Scotch College among the heritage names, many running the IB Diploma alongside the VCE. The German School Melbourne and a strong international cluster round out the market. Our Melbourne international schools guide covers the choice in full. Perth, on the west coast, has a smaller but high quality independent sector, including Christ Church Grammar, Scotch College, Hale School and the Ladies' Colleges, with the IB Diploma offered at Christ Church and a small number of others alongside the WACE. The Perth international schools guide covers the western suburbs catchments and fee levels.
Admissions calendar and visas
The Australian school year runs from late January or early February to early or mid December, divided into four terms, which is the inverse of the northern hemisphere calendar. Families relocating from the northern hemisphere therefore arrive mid Australian year, and most schools accommodate mid year entry where places exist. The popular independent schools maintain long waitlists, particularly at the kindergarten and Year 7 entry points, and registering early is essential at the most sought after names.
On visas, children of parents on most temporary or skilled work visas can usually attend school as dependants, with public school fee arrangements that vary by state and visa subclass. Children enrolling in their own right as overseas students require a Student visa, subclass 500, and must attend a school holding a CRICOS registration, the national register that permits enrolment of international students. State policies on public school fees for temporary residents differ, so confirm your specific position with the school and an immigration adviser before committing. Our relocation hub covers the wider move, and the cost calculator helps budget the all in figure.
Choosing a school
Decide first whether you want a portable qualification. If the next posting is uncertain or likely to be outside Australia, an IB Diploma school keeps the child on an internationally recognised route, which is the single strongest argument for the independent sector over the state schools. If the family is settling in Australia, the state certificate is well recognised at home and abroad, and a strong public catchment school can deliver an excellent outcome at no tuition cost.
Then weigh fees against the alternative. The premium independents are expensive, and the gap between them and a strong public school in the right catchment is large. Many established expat families place younger children in public schools and reserve the independent fees for the senior years, when the IB or the state certificate matters most. Check the school's recent IB and ATAR results across several cohorts rather than a single strong year, confirm the overseas student fee rate if it applies to your visa, and read parent experiences in our reviews archive before you shortlist. The state systems are close enough in standard that the city and the school culture, not the certificate, should drive the final choice.
FAQ
How much do international schools cost in Australia? Senior day tuition at the established independents in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth broadly runs from AUD 24,000 to AUD 40,000 per year, with premium schools clustered between AUD 32,000 and AUD 40,000. Boarding reaches AUD 60,000 to AUD 75,000 all in. International students pay a CRICOS registered overseas student rate above the domestic fee.
What qualifications do Australian schools offer? Each state runs its own senior certificate, the HSC in New South Wales, the VCE in Victoria and the WACE in Western Australia, all converting to an ATAR. Many independent schools also offer the IB Diploma, preferred by globally mobile families. The Australian Curriculum runs nationally from Foundation to Year 10.
Do expat children need a visa to attend school in Australia? Children of parents on most work visas can usually attend as dependants, with fee arrangements that vary by state and visa type. Children enrolling as overseas students in their own right need a Student visa, subclass 500, at a CRICOS registered school.
Are state schools an option for expat families? Yes. Australian public schools are strong and teach in English, and many expat families use them, sometimes paying an overseas student contribution depending on the parents' visa.