Hi all,
come July i should be landing on the sunshine coast (Kawana Water area) on a student visa (at ripe age of 42!).With me i will have my wife Dawn and 4 children aged 10,12,14 and 16. We are a little confused on what we have to pay for schooling, when we pay it,do we have to pay all the expense up front? What i am really uncertain about is to send the children to a state school seems to cost $8- $10k per year each, but the private schools seem to charge half that,(pelican waters private school quote $4-$5k)?? Am i missing something, like do Australian children get subsidised at the private schools by the government??
Any help and tips on anything to do with schooling, including the cost factor would be hugely appreciated!!
Other than that,can't wait to get there,start a new lease of life at 42!!
Arrive with family,enthusiasm,hope,determination,£110k,pers onal belongings and the need to qualify as a commercial cook in 2 years (oh and a few nerves thrown in!).
Thanks for now
Chaz.

Know 4 families paying the $8000 approx to have them in a state school, suggested the same myself why not a cheaper option. Answer seems to be lack of places at the cheaper private schools, rule the catholic ones out, know church going catholics who cant get their kids a place in them.

Also be aware the private fees often have more attached than the basic fee, one of ours was in a private, advertised fee was 7600 at the time, then 800 for the uniform, 460 for the building levy, 100 enrollment fee, building fund 800 etc etc plus some extortinate prices for music etc like $35 for a half hour. Got out with our shirt$ still on and stuck him in a state school but only cause he won a coveted place in the brainiac programme.

State schools have extra fees too, rough estimate here, about $300 all up a year for state primary including books excursions swimming etc, state high, one all up fee of about $460 for books and subject fees.

Be wary on student visas that what you are training for there will be work at the end of it, seen so many churned out of hairdessing and bricklaying courses to end up with 2 days a week work or incredibly low pay, research well!!

I wasn't aware that anyone in Qld had to pay for state schools - is that because you're on a student visa? We have only had to pay for book packs (at the beginning of the year, around $60-100) and uniform, excursions etc.

My kids are now in private catholic schools (we are not catholic) at a total cost of around $3000 p.a each.

If you are on a student visa then you have to pay the going rate for international students at government schools - $8K - $10K ball park.

If you are on a student visa and want to go to an independent school then you pay whatever the school fees are PLUS whatever the federal govt gives them per student. So, if the fed govt subsidy is $5K per student and the fees are $3K then you will pay $8K. The poorer the school, the larger the govt subsidy (ie most of the systemic Catholic schools) and generally the lower the fees usually charged so it will all probably even out for the private schools but you will be charged at least as much as for the govt schools and probably a bit more.

I would think that you wont be seeing much change from $40,000 for fees for your 4 kids. Primary fees are lower than secondary fees I believe.