Australia - British Expat Forum

Please could someone help me with a question that is worrying me, when we arrive in Australia after migration ( some time down the very long line!) do we pay for state education for the children? It said somewhere that we do not get a social security number for the first 2 years, and so I thought we would have to pay for schooling, but we would not be able to afford to pay for the education. Please could you enlighten my ever worrying mind!!

We are putting together my husband's working statement for the TRA, and reference. He is a drainer and this ocupation is on the MODL.

Thank you in advance for anyone's help!!

P.s This site is very helpfull and I have been reading through all the posts for the last few evenings. Thank you.

P.P.s We have 2 children (3 1/2 and 2) and we hope to settle around Perth area. We are from Lincolnshire, and it was nice to read that there are some other yellow bellies out there in Oz, SSue!

Hi Kitty, and welcome to BE.

No, you don't pay for your childrens education in a state school. You will be asked to provide excercise books etc at the start of each new school year, but these can be bought very cheaply at any supermarket. School uniforms are quite expensive items, but most schools have clothing pools, where you can buy really good uniforms that have been outgrown, at a fraction of the price.

Here's a link for WA schools which you might find interesting. http://www.det.wa.edu.au/

Good luck with your visa application, hope it won't take too long.

SSue 8)

Dear Sue,

Thank you for your speedy reply, and advise. I am sure that I will have more questions during this process! I now know where to ask them thanks to this site!!

Regards

Katie and Jason