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Families on 457 and 482 visas may need to pay a ‘student contribution fee' for their children to attend government schools. Find out if you need to pay and how to calculate the cost.
To find out about fees at a non-government (private) school, contact the school directly.
Visit school enrolments for families on 457 and 482 visas to find out how to register, enrol and pay the student fee.
Families on other visa types
If you or your children are on a:
- student visa or a tourist visa, visit the international student program website
- different visa, look up your visa.
Work out if the student fee applies to you
You’ll need to pay the student fee if:
- you are on a 457 or 482 visa
- your child or children attend government schools in the greater Adelaide region
- your family’s total income is over $71,000 per year (before tax).
You don’t have to pay the student fee for your children if they attend:
- a preschool (also sometimes called kindergarten)
- certain schools in country areas of South Australia – see the country schools exemption list (PDF 186 KB) to find out if this applies to you
- or if your family’s total income is $71,000 or less per year (before tax) – you'll still need to complete your registration, see enrol your child at a school.
Cost of the student fee
The maximum fee you’ll pay for each student in 2024 is:
- $6300 for primary school
- $7500 for high school.
You may be eligible to pay a reduced fee, depending on the following:
Number of children you’re enrolling
You get a discount if enrolling more than 1 child in government schools.
The full student fee is charged for your eldest child. You then get a 10% discount for each additional child.
If you’re enrolling 4 or more children, you only need to pay student fees for the youngest 3 children. The full fee will be charged for the eldest of these 3 children. You’ll get 10% discount for the other 2 children.
When they’ll start at the school
If your children will be starting school part-way through the year, you’ll only pay for the school weeks left in that year. This is referred to as pro-rata.
Your family income
You won’t need to pay a fee if you and your partner’s combined income is $71,000 or less (before tax) per year.
This income includes salary sacrifice amounts and overtime payments.
Your fee will be reduced if your combined income (before tax) per year is less than:
- $96,000 if enrolling 1 child
- $114,000 if enrolling 2 children
- $132,000 if enrolling 3 or more children.
How we calculate reduced fees
To work out your reduced fee, we multiply a percentage for each $1000 you earn over $71,000. These percentages are:
- enrolling 1 child – 4%
- enrolling 2 children – 2.326%
- enrolling 3 or more children – 1.64%.
View example calculations of student fees (on this page).
Calculate your student fee
The registration form will calculate the student fee automatically.
You can also check the amount beforehand by using the 2024 student fee calculator.
Manually calculate your student fee
Step 1: work out your family income
Work out what you think your combined family income (before tax) will be over the next 12 months. Include salary sacrifice and overtime payments.
Round the amount down to the nearest whole $1000.
Step 2: determine if you qualify for a reduced student fee
If the combined pre-tax income of you and your partner is $71,000 or less per year, you don't need to pay a student fee.
If you earn more than $71,000, refer to the family income section on this page to see if you qualify for a reduced student fee
In both cases, you must send us proof of your and your partner’s income.
Step 3: calculate the total of your student fees
You’ll only pay for a maximum of 3 children from the same family that attend a government school. If you have more, do the calculation for the youngest 3 of those children.
Take the maximum fee payable for the eldest child. For 2024, this will be:
- $7500 for a high school student
- $6300 for a primary school student.
For a second and third child from the same family, take 10% off their fee.
Add up the fees. The result is the total you need to pay.
If you qualified for a reduced rate in step 2, calculate this in step 4.
Step 4: calculate your reduced rate
Calculate the difference between your family income and $71,000. Round the difference down to the nearest whole $1000 and divide by 1000.
Multiply this number by the percentage that applies to the number of children you’re enrolling – refer to how we calculate reduced rates (on this page).
Multiply this percentage by the total of full student fees calculated in step 3. This is the reduced student fee you need to pay.
Example calculations of student fees
Enrolling 1 child, family income $76,000
Tomas is on a 482 visa and will be paid a gross (before tax) income of $76,000 per year. His wife isn't working. Their daughter is enrolled at the local government primary school. His fee is calculated as:
Step 1: Gross family income is $76,000.
Step 2: Relevant family income threshold at which full fees are payable is $96,000, which is higher than the family income. This means Tomas qualifies for a reduced rate.
Step 3: Primary school rate of $6300 is the full fee rate.
Step 4: Gross family income is $5,000 above the $71,000 limit, so the fee payable is 5 x 4% x $6300 = $1260.
Enrolling 2 children in different schools, family income $94,700
Aisha is on a 482 visa and will be paid a gross (before tax) income of $71,200 per year. Her husband is working part-time earning $23,500 per year and their 2 children attend government schools, one in secondary school, the other in primary school. Their fee is calculated as:
Step 1: Gross family income (rounded down to the nearest whole $1000) is $94,000.
Step 2: Relevant family income threshold at which full fee is payable is $114,000, which is higher than the family income. Aisha qualifies for a reduced fee.
Step 3: The full fee rate is $7500 + ($6300 x 90%) = $13,170.
Step 4: Gross family income is $23,000 above the $71,000 limit. The fee payable is 23 x 2.326% x $13,170 = $7045.
Enrolling 3 children in different schools, family income $200,000
Lucinda is a sole parent on a 482 visa and will be paid a gross (before tax) income of $200,000. Her 3 children will attend government schools, 1 in secondary school and 2 in primary school. Their fee is calculated as:
Step 1: Gross family income is $200,000.
Step 2: Relevant family income threshold at which full fees are payable is $132,000, which is lower than the family income. Lucinda pays the full fee.
Step 3: The full fee is $7500 + (($6300+ $6300) x 90%) = $18,840.
How to pay your student fee
Follow the steps to enrol your child at a school – we'll send you an invoice with details on how to make payment.
Tell us if your circumstances change
Use the change of details form to let us know if your details or income have changed. You can also use this form to request a review of your fee.
You could be eligible for a fee reduction or may no longer need to pay the student fee.
Once you submit the form, we’ll calculate your new student fee. We’ll also let you know if you’re eligible for a refund for payments already made.
Examples of changes of circumstances are:
You no longer need to pay the student fee
You don’t need to student pay the fee anymore if:
- your children leave the government school system
- your visa status changes
- your gross family income falls below the minimum threshold of $71,000.
You only need to pay for the school weeks that your children attend a government school while you are on 457 or 482 visa. We’ll let you know if you’re eligible for a refund of payments you've made.
You're earning less money
If your family income decreases you can request a review of your fee.
You must provide:
- your and your partner's 3 most recent pay slips
- income reported on your and your partner’s PAYG payment summaries from all employment in the last 12 months
- your 457 or 482 visa grant notice.
You’re unable to pay the fee because of financial hardship
You can request a review of your fee if there are unplanned changes to your financial situation that could impact on your ability to pay the fee.
These changes could include:
- serious illness
- unemployment
- change of employment conditions
- family breakdown
- death.
We consider these requests on a case-by-case basis. You’ll need to give evidence to support your request.
