school fees

[wendy and neil]

Does anyone kow how much the school fees start from if you go over on a student visa?

I have been told so many different amounts that I dont know which is right!

I am talking about the kids school fees and not for the course for OH.

Thanks for any help

[Quoll]

Wendy it all depends on the state - ACT starts at $9.5K. I think Qld starts at $8K but you can usually dig around on the state's education websites and see what the current levels are.

Here is Queensland Program Fees
NSW Fees and Payment
Victoria Fees and Payment

[brownfamily]

Hi,

We are in Queensland on a student visa and the cost is exactly $8,000 per child per year.

Hope this helps.

Heather

[wendy and neil]

Hi Heather

Hope you dont mind me asking but what course are you doing and how are you getting on??

I have been told this morning by the education department western Australia that senior schools are $5800 per year and primary are $5000 per year but I dont know if this is true as when I look on the website that is for Visa 571 but I am on the understanding that a student visa is 572!!! Is this correct???

I am totally lost at the moment because I am being told different things all the time.

Thanks for your help

Wendy

[brownfamily]

Hi wendy,

Sorry I don't know the number of the student visa now, we came over nearly a year ago and OH is half way through his bricklaying course. OH had previous bricklaying experience so hasn't really found it too hard to get a job. As his wife I can only work 20 hours a week throughout the two years, where as OH can work 20 hours a week in term time and then in the holidays can work full time. On the bricklaying course they have just finished having three months off, so he has been able to work full time for that period.

Also with the school fees we paid for 6 months Oz School fees from England. Then in each January you are billed for the following year and are asked to pay that in full. So the school fees are paid a year in advance.

I can only speak for Queensland, but we are definately charged $8,000 per child per year and one of mine is at Primary and the second is at High School.

Hope this helps, but please feel free to PM me if you want more information.

Heather

PS. We are absolutely loving it over here and it is the best decision we have ever made. PR isn't guaranteed, but by christ we will give it a blooming good go!!

[nash2003]

Hie all members I have just joined in as a new member.We will be moving to the sunshine coast end of April on a student visa.Husband will be studying at Sunshine Coast University.We have a 4 year lod turning 5 in May and I found the Brown Family´email quite interesting. Reading the different views on the forum has made me feel a bit anxious about the move.

For a start I would be very much interested in knowing how we can get rental accomodation.We have been reading about Maroochydore and think its agreat place to settle.We however have heard that most landlords require a references.We dont know anyone can someone advise on how they managed to go round this issue.What should we do to get rental accomodation cause it will be expensive for us to stay in hotel accomodation for a long time.

The second issue is on part time work.How easy is it to get part time work in the Sunshine Coast.

A response from the Brown family would be most appreciated.

[Laura G]

Hi,

With regards to schooling in WA the figure of $5800.00 is correct this is only a starting figure and rises to $7,000.00 for children aged 16+ children who are dependants on there Mum or Dad's Visa receive a discounted education you do not have to pay international rates.
children who hold their own student visa (571) have to pay international rates.

With regards to accommodation on the Sunshine Coast, a relocation compnay called Seek & relocate who are on the Sunshine Coast can assist, the lady there is called Anne, they offer a personal service for a small fee.

Laura

[brownfamily]

Originally Posted by nash2003

Hie all members I have just joined in as a new member.We will be moving to the sunshine coast end of April on a student visa.Husband will be studying at Sunshine Coast University.We have a 4 year lod turning 5 in May and I found the Brown Family´email quite interesting. Reading the different views on the forum has made me feel a bit anxious about the move.

For a start I would be very much interested in knowing how we can get rental accomodation.We have been reading about Maroochydore and think its agreat place to settle.We however have heard that most landlords require a references.We dont know anyone can someone advise on how they managed to go round this issue.What should we do to get rental accomodation cause it will be expensive for us to stay in hotel accomodation for a long time.

The second issue is on part time work.How easy is it to get part time work in the Sunshine Coast.

A response from the Brown family would be most appreciated.

Hi there,

Sorry for not replying sooner, I try and get on as often as I can!!

All I can do is give you our experience with the rental market.....I think to be honest it depends on what area/school you want to live in or nearby as to how easy it is to find a rental. The rental market over here is moving very fast, and often there are several families going for the same house. but having said that we got hte first rental that we applied for! It helped to get really friendly with the rental agent, and instead of showing loads of families around they showed just us and an Oz couple. Funnily enough we got the rental over the oz couple! We used the following for our rental application:

1. Copy of credit reference agency checks from England
2. Copy of bank statements
3. Copy of mortgage statements from england showing that we paid our mortgage regularly in england.
4. Copy of our latest bills from England to show that we paid those on time

I am not sure if all those are needed, but it certainly helped us.

As for the part time work, it really depends on what it is you are looking for. I have managed to get a permanent job in a private school, which is exactly what I wanted. I would say that there is quite a lot of 'casual' work around, but again it does depend on what it is you are looking for.

I am not sure what it is that your OH is going to be studying at TAFE, but working 20 hours a week in that profession may take a little bit of time to get as you need an understanding employer that doesn't mind you being at TAFE a couple of days per week.

I think that the best thing to do would be to wait until you are over here and decide which area/school you are looking at and then take it from there. As believe me everywhere is gorgeous over here, but doesn't really look like it did on the internet! But then we had never been to Oz before we came!

As for feeling anxious, I know where you are coming from, but then you only get one life.....and its definately for living. We have no regrest at all and are loving every minute of it. We never thought for one minute that we would own our own house already and both be working. The kids just love it over here, its much more family orientated.

Anyway, enough of my waffle, I am off to bed :-)

I hope this helps, but please PM me if you want any further information.

Heather

[nash2003]

Thanks so much you have been a tonne of help really.God bless you.