Are you bringing your partner or children with you as you make your move to Western Australia?
We've provided you a summary of what your partner and/or children are entitled to when residing in WA on your visa conditions. For further questions, please feel free to call the TAFE International Western Australia helpline: 08 9218 2100
In Western Australia, children of international higher degree students are able to access subsidised schooling in government schools.
Depending on the type of visa you have when entering Western Australia, your dependent children may be eligible for a waiver of school fees. Eligible children can access government schooling at the same fee levels applied to local students.
See which conditions apply to your visa below.
Masters or Doctoral degree students holding a 500, 573 and 574 visa get free tuition at WA Government schools for their children/dependants during their postgraduate study period at any of WA's five major universities.
These fees will be either paid by scholarship or the government. You must pay other contributions and charges that apply to all WA Government schools.
If you hold a 457 or 482 Visa, your children are entitled to the same public education opportunities as local Western Australian children. You can enrol your child at your local public school.
A yearly tuition fee of AUD$4,000 applies, regardless of the number of children a family has enrolled in the family (from Pre-primary to Year 12).
Are you on a 500, 570, 572 or 573 visa instead?
Children of all other international students on these visa types need to be enrolled as full-fee-paying overseas students for the duration of your visa.
If you have a dependent spouse on your student visa, they are entitled to work full-time hours in Australia.
Once the visa grant is issued, all the conditions pertaining to the visa will be clearly stated in the visa grant letter. You can access and review these conditions online using the link below.
Alternatively, you can also use VEVO (the Commonwealth's Visa Entitlement Verification Online System) to check and verify their visa conditions.
This content was last updated in July 2023 and developed in collaboration with TAFE International Western Australia.
