Early childhood
In Victoria, children aged three and four are eligible to access a free kindergarten program at participating services. Families do not need to have Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency to be eligible for Free Kinder. Families can enrol their children in kindergarten by contacting an early childhood education and care service or their local council. Further information is available in English and in Arabic.
CALD outreach workers address barriers to kindergarten access and participation for children and families from CALD backgrounds. They also support families transition to school, as well as ongoing engagement and participation in education. For a list of participating councils please visit Supporting CALD families to engage in kindergarten.
Early Start Kindergarten (ESK) gives three-year old children from a refugee or asylum seeker background 15 hours per week of free or low-cost kindergarten and provides them with priority of access to kindergarten.
Access to Early Learning (AEL) is a program which supports eligible 3-year-old children and families who experience multiple barriers to attending kindergarten, by assisting with enrolment and providing in-home learning advice.
Primary and secondary school
Primary and secondary-aged children who have arrived in Victoria on visitor visas can apply to access temporary education (up to 12 weeks of schooling). It is important to note that this education pathway attracts both tuition and non-tuition fees. The Department of Education is providing fee exemptions on a case-by-case basis for students arriving from Gaza, including those holding temporary visas.
Students on a visitor visa who have been granted extended stay beyond three (3) months, and have received a bridging visa, are permitted to attend school beyond 12 weeks (the maximum typically allowed under the visitor visa).
Vocational education
The Asylum Seeker Vocational Education and Training (ASVET) program provides eligible asylum seekers exemption from the citizenship and residency criteria typically required for Victorian Government subsidised Skills-First training. Under ASVET, individuals seeking asylum can enrol at technical and further education (TAFE) and courses provided through Learn Local providers.