Moving to Australia from New Zealand?
Get all information you need to make a successful and stress-free move across the ditch.
I found it quite hard to find information on Australian schools online, and it wasn’t until I had kids that I figured out how it all worked. The information below will definitely help you find a good school for your child to move to in Australia.
Below, you will find Australian school term dates, which vary from state to state, where to find schools in the area you’re moving to, top-ranked schools and what paperwork you need to get from your child’s current school to give to their new school in Australia.
If your child is four or under, read my Australia Pre-schools and Kindergartens post. Whether they are called pre-schools, kindergartens, child care or early learning centres, this post is about your options for learning/childcare before school.
On this page, you will find the helpful information below:
Australian schools are organized similarly to NZ. There are free government schools with a residential catchment area and private/Catholic/independent schools, which have a cost. Government schools are free for New Zealanders moving on an SCV and for most visa holders. There could still be voluntary contributions like in NZ and costs for uniforms and stationery.
Each Australian State and Territory oversees its own education system, and there are slight variations between them. To view the individual educational systems for each state of Australia, please visit the Australian Schools Directory website.
There are two main education sectors within each State – Government schools and Non-Government schools. Non-government schools are classified as either Catholic schools or Independent schools. Most Independent schools have a religious affiliation, but some are non-denominational. All Government schools are non-denominational.
I get asked a lot about the year a New Zealand student would go into the Australian School System. Below is a table that shows the school year equivalent in Australia (years):
Here is what you need to know when changing your child from a New Zealand school to an Australian school.
Firstly, contact your child’s current school and notify them that your child is leaving. They will have had many children changing schools and moving to another country and will give you everything you need.
Contact your child’s New School and let them know you want to enrol your child. Do this as soon as possible, as some schools have wait lists. Have the following information available:
Possible additional info:
Check with your child’s future school for any further requirements:
Additional points to remember:
The Aussie Educator website has great information regarding changing schools in Australia, and this page outlines helpful information for each state, as they all have different rules and requirements.
One of the trickiest things about starting school in Australia is that every state seems to do it differently! Instead of all children starting school when they are of a similar age, each state has its own set of rules about the age at which children can start school. And to make starting school cut-off ages even more challenging to navigate:
Unlike in NZ, where kids start on or close to their birthday, kids start school at the start of the year, depending on when their birthday falls. For example, in NSW, kids are allowed to start school on the first day of the first term as long as they turn five by July 31 that year.
In all Australian states, however, children must be enrolled in school in the year they turn 6. Confused? Yeah, so was I!
Visit KidsFirst to read a summary of the cut-off dates for children starting school in the state you are moving to. At the end of this summary, you’ll also find information about other schooling options for Australian children.
Unlike New Zealand schools, which all have mostly the same school holidays, Australian school holidays vary depending on the school and state. So the Australian school year differs depending on the state you live in.
The Holidays with Kids website lists all term dates for all Australian states, so you can find out the current year and next year’s term dates.
For Independent or Catholic schools, please check with individual schools. Their term dates can vary slightly from those of Government schools and from one another.
You can find a list of Australian schools by state or territory on the following Wikipedia page lists of schools in Australia, or on the Australian Schools Directory website.
Australian schools are world-renowned. Below, you can find the top-ranked Australian schools state by state so you can make sure you are choosing the best school for your child/children:
You can also compare schools on The Good Schools Guide website, which has an amazing search function that lets parents compare every school in Australia, leading to informed decisions about their child’s educational experience.
The above site has information about each school, including location and travel times, NAPLAN results, key facts, uniforms, the number of students, and the curriculum.
Most Australian schools use modern education methods within a traditional educational framework. Children wear a school uniform that is individual to their school. A few schools follow a particular educational philosophy, such as Steiner or Montessori.
There are Special Needs schools and special education programs within mainstream schools for disabled children or children with other specific needs.
Schools often use remedial and extension classes or other approaches to meet the needs of students with differing ability levels. Some schools offer specialised programs in areas such as sports, the arts, or academia for gifted or talented children.
There is a range of Boarding schools in Australia at the Primary and Secondary levels in the Private school sector. There are a few secondary boarding schools or accommodations in the government sector in some states, mainly for students from remote rural areas. International students can study in schools in Australia.
You can search the Australian Schools Directory for a comprehensive list of Australian schools, including Religious schools (Anglican schools, Uniting Church schools, Jewish schools, Christian schools, etc.), Special Needs schools, Alternative schools (such as Montessori or Steiner schools), and Boarding schools.
Most Australian schools are co-educational – for boys and girls. Some Catholic and Independent schools are single-gender, mainly at the Secondary level but sometimes in the Primary years as well. Some Independent single-gender schools offer co-educational classes in the early years.
Nearly all Government schools are co-educational, and there are a few single-gender Government Secondary schools in some States in Australia.
Australian children usually attend a Preparatory year of school (often called Prep or Kindergarten), followed by Primary school and then Secondary school (often called High School). Including the Pre-School year, most students are at school for 13 years.
Students usually start in Preparatory school around the age of four or five and must start school by the age of six. Entry age requirements can vary by more than six months between schools and States. Read my post-Australia Pre-schools and Kindergartens for more information on pre-schools and kindergartens in Australia.
Primary and Secondary schools are mostly in separate locations, but some Catholic schools and many Independent schools have Primary and Secondary schools on the same campus.
At the Primary school level, there is an emphasis on English reading and writing, mathematics, and the Study of Society and the Environment (SOSE). Students usually also have music, sports, drama, computer studies, science, art, and learn a language (LOTE). Often, there are many extracurricular activities offered outside of class time, such as choir, orchestra, chess, or sports.
Students continue studying English, Mathematics, and other core subjects in the early secondary years. As they progress through their Secondary years, students must study English but can start to select which other subjects they study, and they begin to specialise in certain areas of learning. Again, there are many extracurricular activities on offer, such as debating, school musicals or sports competitions.
New Zealand has a formal agreement to mutually recognise University Entrance awards or requirements with Australia.
NCEA is accepted by the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admission Centres (ACTAC), which ensures that all states/territories in Australia use a common approach for tertiary entrance ranking.
This means that New Zealand students can apply directly to Australian tertiary admission centres or providers.
What do you need to know if you’re applying to study in Australia using your NCEA results?
You should contact the Australian university or education provider you wish to attend as early as possible to ensure that your Year 13 course will meet all the entry requirements.
The ATAR (previously known as the Interstate Transfer Index – ITI) compares and ranks Australian Year 12 students educated in different states by ranking them in their year group cohort.
NZQA calculates ATAR scores for every eligible student in January each year on behalf of Australian tertiary admission centres. We use the methodology agreed upon by the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admission Centres (ACTAC).
To get your ATAR score, email NZQA with your full name, NSN, date of birth and the last school you attended here.
Read more about how ATAR is calculated, how to apply to an Australian university, what you need to do, and what the NZQA needs to do for you and state contacts for more information on applying on the NZQA website.
Read my post about pre-schools and kindergartens in Australia and find out about your options for childcare before school, along with learning the difference between pre-schools, kindergartens, child care centres or early learning centres.
The below posts might interest you:
If you’ve read the above content and the answer to your question isn’t there, please write a comment below, and I’ll research the answer for you.
If you need advice on moving to Australia from New Zealand, I’ve created a helpful little questionnaire to point you in the right direction. It takes less than 30 seconds, so give it a go!
Hi… I’m JJ Smith.
I’m the creator and editor of Moving to Australia and have been for 15 years! I know everything there is to know about New Zealanders moving their families and life to Australia. Either from first hand experiences and research or through the questions from visitors to this website… and I’m here to help!
I love helping people via Moving to Australia.
Providing the answers to questions we all ask when deciding whether to make the move from New Zealand to Australia. Even giving individual specific advice where needed.
I have learned a lot over the last 15 years from personal experience and through interacting with visitors. This is my job, making sure the information here is comprehensive and up to date.
If you would like to help me, you can use one of my referral partners.
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Poonam Deo
June 2, 2021 at 3:09 amHi there,
We are looking at moving to Brisbane next year and had 2 questions:
1. Do schools there have a decile system like NZ
2. How would i know which school are we in Zone for ?
Thank you so much for your time and assistance.
JJ Smith
June 21, 2021 at 10:18 pmHi Poonam,
Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying.
Australia doesn’t appear to have a decile system like NZ. Here are three articles from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment that relate to how schools are funded in Australia:
– https://www.dese.gov.au/quality-schools-package/fact-sheets/how-much-australian-government-funding-provided-schools-each-state-and-territory
– https://www.dese.gov.au/quality-schools-package/fact-sheets/how-are-schools-funded-australia
– https://www.dese.gov.au/quality-schools-package/fact-sheets/what-schooling-resource-standard-and-how-does-it-work
Here is the link to the Queensland school catchment maps EdMap, where you can search for schools you are in zone for (QLD): https://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/maps/edmap/.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Jen
March 13, 2021 at 2:50 amHi we are planning on moving to Brisbane next year. We have an 11 year old with autism who goes to a special school in NZ. She is able enough to go to a satellite class within a mainstream school here. We are NZ citizens. Will she be eligible for publicly funded special schooling in Australia?
JJ Smith
March 22, 2021 at 1:11 amHi Jen,
Thank you for your comment.
Unfortunately I have not been able to find anything positive online about support for special needs children living in Australia on an SCV.
This below sites might be helpful:
– https://raisingchildren.net.au/grown-ups/services-support/services-families/disability-services-family
– https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/
Sorry I wasn’t able to be of more help.
Srikar Bandreddi
March 26, 2022 at 11:28 amHi Jen,
Did you guys manage to move to Brisbane? My brother is planning to move to Brisbane later this year and he has a 8 year old with Autism. My nephew goes to a normal school however gets help from ORS funding i.e. we get special aid teacher to look after him during breaks etc. Do you know if NDIS is funded for NZ citizens in Australia?
As per the link below, you have to have hold a ‘protected SCV visa’.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/ndis/ndis-access-unsuccessful-requests/ndis-access-requests-when-your-childs-request-is-unsuccessful
Check this link as well:
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/new-zealand-citizens/entitlements#content-index-2
Would be good to know your experience.
Thanks heaps in advance.
JJ Smith
March 29, 2022 at 12:53 amJen did get back to me with the below info:
It’s true, it’s not so easy getting information online when you’ve got a Special needs child.
We did not end up going to Australia due to my daughter’s behavior. It just got worse and stressful that the thought of moving just didn’t sound good anymore.
However, we did get a bit of information regarding schooling and healthcare.
They can still go to school under the public system (in a special needs class in a mainstream school) and will be eligible to enroll in Medicare as a NZ citizen.
However, kiwis do NOT qualify for NDIS funding. NDIS funding is similar to what DSL or EGL can provide here in NZ. We’ve confirmed this several times over the phone with them as my daughter needs EGL funding so it was very important for us. That was also a major factor why we didn’t move.
Kiwis moving to Australia at this time are no longer placed on “protected ” SCV as we don’t qualify after the law change.
I hope that was helpful.
Anne
December 9, 2019 at 7:42 amHi There,
Your website is great! very very helpful!
I know that there has been changes in Australia regarding this, and I have searched for the answer but it seems to be a little state by state.
My son is visually impaired. We are kiwis, well husband is french and we are in Paris at the moment, and I was wondering will Thibault qualify for assistance in oz? I believe I read that at this stage the answer was no.
Also, is it difficult to get into good private schools? i have heard there are wait lists etc.
Thank you so much
Anne
JJ Smith
December 9, 2019 at 7:45 amHi Anne,
Thanks for your message.
Unfortunately this is the first time I have been asked this, so have no previous knowledge. There are also a lot of variables that I can’t calculate because of you’re daughters individual circumstances. However, different states normally do have different rules.
I have managed to find some resources that will hopefully be able to answers your questions. Obviously it would be beneficial to have a confirmed state and approximate time frame when contacting the below:
VI Family Network – https://vifamilynetwork.org.au/
The VI Family Network provides links to Australian low vision resources, newsletters from partner organisations and events that families might like to find out about. The VI Family Network is also home to the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register.
You should contact them as they will be able to point you in the right direction a lot easier than I can. Here is their contact info – https://vifamilynetwork.org.au/contact-us/.
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children – https://www.ridbc.org.au/
They support Australians who have hearing or vision impairment, and the people who support them. They have a school section – https://www.ridbc.org.au/schools and here is their contact info – https://www.ridbc.org.au/contact.
Regarding private schooling, there are often wait lists, so it’s best to contact schools in the area you are considering moving to in Australia asap. I know of families who got one child in when they first moved and they had to wait for spaces to come available for their other two children, but they are all in now. And some that haven’t had a problem. Depends on the state and city. Here is my post on Australia schooling: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/schools-in-australia/.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sharada
December 5, 2019 at 9:41 pmHi JJ Smith,
We planning to move to Brisbane by January 2022. My older daughter will be completing her year 6, last year of primary here in Auckland, New Zealand and younger will be turning 5, ready to go primary.
Can you please let me know which school year will they be starting in January 2022? Any other related information will be helpful too.
And thanks so much for putting together this wonderful website.
JJ Smith
December 16, 2019 at 8:51 pmHi Sharada,
Thanks for your comment.
Your older daughter will go into Australia year 6 (NZ year 7) and the younger will go to kindy (NZ’s year 1).
I recommend checking out the below site to compare schools in the are you are planning on moving to: https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools.
If you were planning on going private or religious schools in Australia, I recommend you start contacting schools asap, as there are often wait lists.
It advisable to get together all the paperwork your going to need before you leave and do that for everything! Schools, rentals, Medicare and TFN.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sharda
December 16, 2019 at 8:52 pmThank you so much for your reply.
So does that mean my older daughter will have to do one year of primary extra, resulting in a total of 14 years of education?
Also, what sort of fees are charged for independent schools?
I will definitely keep in mind about the referral fee when we actually make a move and set up bank accounts etc.
Thanks a lot for this amazing website and all the help there!
JJ Smith
December 16, 2019 at 8:57 pmNo… here is the link to the above table that shows the school year equivalent in Australia (years): https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/schools-in-australia/#Australiaschoolyearequivalents.
As you can see NZ finishes with year 13, Australia year 12.
The compare website I sent through has fees listed for schools where the information is available: https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thanks
Sharda
December 16, 2019 at 9:00 pmI appreciate your quick response.
And it’s good to know that she won’t be wasting a year.
I am following goodschools.com.au all this while and am particularly looking at Indooroopilly school, as it offers IB curriculum later on.
Though because it’s still 2 years away, I am not sure how things will fall in place in terms of jobs etc.
But would like to know how much in advance do I need to get in touch with schools for enrollment. I think they follow the catchment area just as school zones in New Zealand.
So if we reside in the catchment area, is the admission automatically granted?
At what point do I need to start contacting the schools if I am aiming for Jan/Feb 2022 admissions?
Just to confirms al state/government schools offer free education for NZ citizens right?
Thanks a lot once again
JJ Smith
December 16, 2019 at 9:03 pmI highly recommend you call or email Indooroopilly State School (https://indooroopillyss.eq.edu.au/Ourschool/Contactus/Pages/Contactus.aspx), only they can answer the questions you have. All schools have their own wait lists and fees. Contact them sooner rather than later, as some schools do have over two year wait lists.
We are considered Australian permanent residents when it comes to schooling.
Thanks
Sarah
December 3, 2019 at 10:57 pmHi, we are looking to move to Brisbane hopefully by the end of next year. By this time my son would have completed year 12 in NZ. Instead of completing year 12 in Brisbane (would be year 13 here) do you know if there would be any courses he could do to get the year 12 needed to then go onto university.
thank you ,
JJ Smith
December 6, 2019 at 12:08 amHi Sarah,
Thank you for your comment.
Yes there will be courses he could do instead of completing year 13 in Australia. However, there is no one answer, as it depends on what he wants to study at university and the requirements for that course.
Here is a good place to start: https://future-students.uq.edu.au/how-satisfy-prerequisites.
Once you have decided on a course, you can then find the bridging courses for him to complete and I would contact the university he wants to attend to make sure you get that right.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sharan
November 30, 2019 at 9:11 pmHi,
I am planning to move to Melbourne at end of 2022. My son will finish year 12. We are NZ citizens. Can he get enrolled in university.
JJ Smith
December 2, 2019 at 10:22 pmHi Sharan,
Thank you for your comment.
Your son is able to enroll in an Australian University and will get charged resident fees, not international. However, he will not be eligible to get a student loan.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Hong
November 2, 2019 at 3:30 amHi, JJ:
Thank you for this really helpul webside!
I am a New Zealander and will move to Brisbane soon.I have a 11 years old son who is not a New Zealander but he is holding Australia 461 visa. I want to enroll him to one of the public primary school in Brisbane. Will he be considered locals or international students please? Many thanks!!
JJ Smith
November 4, 2019 at 10:30 pmHi Hong,
Thank you for your comment and compliment.
Here is a good document for you: http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au/pif/policies/Documents/Fee%20exemptions/Fee-exemptions.pdf and here is the Visa subclasses identified as fee exempt http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au/pif/policies/Documents/Fee%20exemptions/schedule.pdf.
It states that on a 461 NZ Family Relationship Visa your son will be fee exempt and is eligible to apply to enrol at any Queensland state school.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Nadine
September 25, 2019 at 6:12 pmHi. How much are the government school fees?
JJ Smith
September 25, 2019 at 11:31 pmHi Nadine,
Thanks for your comment.
To find out school fees you will need to search the The Good School website, search schools in the city you plan on moving to and compare schools in the area you are planning on moving to. You will then see the fees if the school has data: https://www.goodschools.com.au/.
Please note, NZ citizens are considered locals not international students.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Ali
September 15, 2019 at 11:40 pmHello
We are currently looking at moving from NZ to Victoria. I have two sons aged 7 and 10. They currently attend an innovative learning environment/open plan learning run school. Its an amazing school and I am a bit nervous as to how they will adjust to a standard school so wondering if there are any open plan learning schools in Victoria? I have done some research online, but havent been able to find anything… be grateful for any information.
Thanks
JJ Smith
September 19, 2019 at 11:34 pmHi Ali,
Thank you for your comment.
Firstly, I want to let you know that kids adjust to the move a lot easier than we do. So try not to worry too much. I have been told this many times.
I recommend you become a member of The Good Schools Guide and ask them: https://www.goodschools.com.au/login. They will be able to help you find the best school for your kids.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Saranjeet
August 21, 2019 at 12:10 pmHi There,
We are planning to move to gold coast by end of 2022. My son is in year 10 this year and will finish high school in 2022. We are NZ citizen. I just wanted to know if he will be able to get enrolled in AUS University? Or If we move earlier, will be be in the same year or move a year behind as he is born in December 2004.
JJ Smith
August 21, 2019 at 11:27 pmHi Saranjeet,
Thank you for your comment.
Your son is able to study in Australia universities. However, he probably won’t be able to get a study loan.
If you move earlier, he will go into the corresponding year in Australia. I don’t believe age comes into it at his age.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Sarah
August 21, 2019 at 1:58 amHi,
I am moving back to Australia (I’m an Aussie) with my partner and 4 step children who are Kiwi.
What information do i need to collect to enroll them in an Aussie school?
Thank you
JJ Smith
August 21, 2019 at 11:11 pmHi Sarah,
Thank you for your comment.
When changing schools you need to contact your child’s current School and notify them your child is leaving. They will have had many children changing school and moving to another country and will give you everything you need.
Contact your child’s New School and let them know you want to enroll your child. Do this as soon as possible, as some schools have wait lists. Have the following information available:
– Proof of age, e.g. Birth Certificate or Passport.
– A written Immunisation Statement is required.
– Appropriate VISA if applicable if applicable.
– Sibling information if applicable.
– Relevant medical information.
– The year/class they have been in and the state/territory/country they are coming from.
– Any special programs they have been in and indicate you wish to discuss these when you visit the school for your child’s enrollment. This includes things such as acceleration as well as programs like Reading Recovery, English as a Second Language, etc.
Possible additional info:
– Copies of documentation if legal circumstances apply e.g. custody.
– Documentation relating to mental/physical conditions which may affect learning and/or require special assistance.
Check with your child’s future school for any further requirements:
– Collect Samples of Work – either a Portfolio or a range of work samples in different subject areas.
– Talk to the class teacher[s] and see if they can give you any additional Information.
– Make or obtain notes on any Special Programs in which your child is involved and that need to be continued. Some detail of where they are at in a program would be valuable.
Additional points to remember:
– Make sure you Return Equipment which belongs to the school, e.g. library books, readers, etc.
– If you have Uniforms no longer of use to you, consider donating them to the Clothing Pool, to another family or check if they will be usable at their new school.
– Thank the school for what it has done. It is surprising how often people who are happy with their child’s school never do this.
This site has great information regarding changing schools in Australia and this page outlines helpful information for each state, as they all have different rules and requirements: https://www.aussieeducator.org.au/education/enrolments=2.html.
Can you please let me know if there is anything I haven’t covered after you have gone through the process? I am surprised I haven’t been asked this before and I didn’t have any kids when I moved.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Joey
August 12, 2019 at 2:46 amHi,
Thank you, your website has been really helpful.
My family are planning of moving to Brisbane to live and work in 2 years. I have a 3yr, 11yr, 12yr, 17yr old. I was advised that children had to study for so many years in Australia/n school before they would be eligible to study at an Australian University? Hence why her older children have had to return for tertiary study in NZ?
Can you please clarify this for me please please?
Thanks
Joey
JJ Smith
August 20, 2019 at 1:13 amHi Joey,
Thanks for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying.
New Zealand citizens are entitled to study at Australian tertiary institutions without requiring a student visa. New Zealand citizens will be charged domestic student fees rather than international student fees, however they are not usually eligible for Australian student loans (https://newzealand.embassy.gov.au/wltn/study.html).
So don’t let that advise put you off. It is wrong.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Jeanene
June 27, 2019 at 11:42 pmHi there,
We are going to be moving from NZ to Gold Coast. I’m just wondering how we can enrol the kids at a school when we haven’t moved yet therefore don’t have an Australian address? If we move within a catchment area are we automatically accepted even if it is a month before school starts? Any advice would be wonderful thank you.
Regards Jeanene
JJ Smith
June 27, 2019 at 11:44 pmHi Jeanene,
Thank you for your comment.
You are able to enroll the kids from NZ, but every school is different.
I recommend you research schools in the area you are planning on moving to, make a short list and get in contact with them regarding their enrollment. You can research and compare schools here: https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools.
I believe your local state school will accept you within a month, but I cannot find any info regarding this on the internet. I have reached out to Good Schools and let you know once I hear back from them.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Shennelle
June 25, 2019 at 2:25 amHi, I’m a New Zealand permanent resident and I want to know if I am eligible to pay domestic fees at universities in Australia
JJ Smith
June 25, 2019 at 2:26 amHi Shennelle,
Thank you for your comment.
NZ permanent residents are not entitled to the Special Category Visa. You’ll need to apply for a visa to be able to live and work in Australia.
New Zealand citizens pay the same fees as Australian’s.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move.
Michelle Middleton
June 10, 2019 at 9:44 amMy daughter is aged 13 and a Year 8 student in New Zealand. We are thinking of moving to the Gold Coast in 2020 but I wanted to check what year group she would be as she is born in mid April. This will likely determine whether we go as we don’t want her accelerated a year. Can she still slot into year 9 on the Gold Coast?
Thanks