jjgibbs Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Fionia you realize that PR and citizenship are completely separate right. I'm just finding it hard to understand your original post. You also mention everyone pays the same no matter what visa they are on this is incorrect wether the state your in requires you too pay or not as even the voluntary fees are between x and x. Maybe I'm tired and it might make more sence in the morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiooooona Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hi, yes I do understand, in my post I mean that getting permanent residency is an important decisions to make if you have the opportunity- it makes things like university fees easier as you can apply for HEX- personally- when I was first told about PR I didn't want it but that now, a few years later I can see the good it is and that you can still keep your UK citizenship, or go the full hog and become a proper Aussie. In my post I also thought I included that I'm in Vic, where you don't pay fees unless you're in private education and as the OP didn't mention what state they were going to, I thought I was adding the proper opinion, however I seem to have just confused some people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hi, yes I do understand, in my post I mean that getting permanent residency is an important decisions to make if you have the opportunity- it makes things like university fees easier as you can apply for HEX- personally- when I was first told about PR I didn't want it but that now, a few years later I can see the good it is and that you can still keep your UK citizenship, or go the full hog and become a proper Aussie. In my post I also thought I included that I'm in Vic, where you don't pay fees unless you're in private education and as the OP didn't mention what state they were going to, I thought I was adding the proper opinion, however I seem to have just confused some people. Actually, you cannot apply for HECS with PR, you HAVE to be a citizen.. However, PR means domestic fees rather than international, so it is very useful to get. The OP asked if fees were applicable in different states- which a number of us answered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiooooona Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Actually, you cannot apply for HECS with PR, you HAVE to be a citizen.. However, PR means domestic fees rather than international, so it is very useful to get. The OP asked if fees were applicable in different states- which a number of us answered. Can you stop your constant attack of everything I post? I'm sure the OP would like their thread to get back on track and for us to stop this constant bickering, and you're clogging up my emails. You keep coming back the fact that I didn't mention that I was in Vic, which was a mistake I realised as soon as I posted it, however I didn't think I'd get this much hassle over it- and which I have explained to you many times that was accidental and you have constantly brought it back up in spiteful ways. Goodbye, and again, good luck to the OP with Australia, I hope you've got the answers you were looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I really don't want this reply to sound rude because I don't mean it to- but I live in Victoria and my post is actually so very accurate for my situation. We're on a 457 visa and we go to state schools. We don't have to pay any school fees other than voluntary fees which we do and the costs of school classes and uniforms/ excursions ect. I thought I included my state in my original post which would therefore implying I'm just offering information about Victorian school. And again- I really don't want to appear rude or insulting- but I said exactly 8 words about this topic and then gave much more information and advice on other information about Australian school culture in general. Hi Fiooooona, may I ask how much your voluntary contributions are, please? I've budgeted $900 per year for voluntary contributions and stationery orders / books for 3 children... does this sound about right? Cheers, I-F :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABL275 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) Sorry, I think the posts above may have confused you. Wrussell was quoting fees from a private school. There are currently no additional fees for non-residents in Queensland. But you should factor the possibility in as the economy is slowing and it is an easy way to raise some cash. No school is entirely free in Australia. The post above that says they paid $1000 in total in fees for 3 children plus $700 for books in a reasonable guide for "free" state school education in Australia depending on the school and how old your children are - obviously secondary school students have more books than primary school children. On top of that there are uniforms which tend to be a mix of cheap chain store items and items that really need to be bought through the school because of logos. Having recently been been through this with my daughter and walked a friend through it, these ARE NOT PRIVATE SCHOOL FEES. The figures quoted by Wrussel are the costs of sending children through the PUBLIC school system. However, it's the extent to which these costs are met by the state or individuals that is the question. For Australian citizens, permanent residents and certain visa holders almost all these costs are met by the state (there are residual voluntary contributions and other contributions that may be charged as noted by rosiew). Non-resident foreigners are generally required to meet a portion of these costs and that portion varies by state; for most states/territories the contribution level is indeed 0% but in NSW (which has high numbers of foreign visitors) you have to pay 30% of the total costs stated by Wrussell; in the ACT which has very large numbers of foreign diplomats, lobbyists etc, the contribution level is set at 100% (figures correct at 2012-13 and may have changed slightly but the concept hasn't changed significantly). Furthermore, in the ACT at least, you had to pay the whole annual amount (plus an 'administration fee' of $400 per child) up front before the child could apply to a school and there was no refund if your circumstances changed during the year. As we live in the ACT, we decided it was actually cheaper to send our daughter to a very good private school than to a public school which just shows, as in the UK, how state-provided education is far more expensive than private education! Hope this helps to clarify things, Edited March 8, 2014 by ABL275 Spelling errors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABL275 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) I really don't want this reply to sound rude because I don't mean it to- but I live in Victoria and my post is actually so very accurate for my situation. We're on a 457 visa and we go to state schools. We don't have to pay any school fees other than voluntary fees which we do and the costs of school classes and uniforms/ excursions ect. I thought I included my state in my original post which would therefore implying I'm just offering information about Victorian school. And again- I really don't want to appear rude or insulting- but I said exactly 8 words about this topic and then gave much more information and advice on other information about Australian school culture in general. ....but your original post starts "Everyone...." Maybe be it should have started "For people in my state, on my visa, in my situation....."? Edited March 8, 2014 by ABL275 Clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiooooona Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 ....but your original post starts "Everyone...." Maybe be it should have started "For people in my state, on my visa, in my situation....."? As I have now said many times, I meant to mention my state in the original post- it should have read "Everyone in Victoria pays the same..." Again, I don't want to sound rude or insulting but I made a small mistake and have been hammered with posts about it already. I understand that people are only trying to help the OP out but so was I, I was giving my view on Victorian schools, as the thread didn't mention which state they were going to when I commented- yes- if I had included my state it would have made things easier, but can we move on from it and try to encourage positive answers rather than penalising me for only trying to help- something I've been addressing since this first came up last night? I'm sure you all have better things to do with your time than nit pick comments made only in good will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiooooona Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Hi Fiooooona, may I ask how much your voluntary contributions are, please? I've budgeted $900 per year for voluntary contributions and stationery orders / books for 3 children... does this sound about right? Cheers, I-F :-) Hi, for our school the voluntary fees are usually between $100-200 per student per year but I've never seen them above $180 or so. They are voluntary but it is with these funds that the school is able to provide your child with a better education, and it is expected that if you can afford it, you should pay, however no one will question if you can really can't. The voluntary fees are generated each year with the idea that 85% of families will pay, so the more that don't pay the higher the fees will be for the ones who do. Check with your chosen school what the fees roughly are, and they'll be able to give you a more valid answer. You do however have to pay for classes- at my school usually between $10-15 for 'standard' classes (maths/english/IT/sport/history) but can range to $50 for classes that run solely on these costs (cooking to buy the food/tech to buy the materials) and some classes like Outdoor education can cost in the $100's due to the amount of activities and camps they will go on. Uniform and school books can all be bought second hand and I would encourage you to use sites like ebay and gumtree to buy/sell books- and stationery can be bought anywhere for a few dollars. I would say that $300 for each children is a good place to start for a budget, but be aware that you may find hidden costs in excursions or you may have to replace a missing textbook half way through the year. For their first year in Australia I would also say the costs will be higher as you will need to buy a full set of uniform but these will last them a few years and they pay for themselves as they last long. For my school summer dresses are around the $60 mark, shirts $20-25, jackets $50 and jumpers $50. School shoes can also be very expensive, but they will last so are worth it. For these reasons I would say have a bit more money put aside for the beginning, but you can always buy second hand and also ask your school what their policy on uniform is as you may be able to buy some generic school coloured clothes cheaply in kmart or Target or they may allow them to wear runners (trainers) so I think it will depend on the age of your kids and what school they are going to. So I'd say $900 sound good, but perhaps have an extra hundred for emergencies. If you're still in the UK/don't have a permanent Aus address may I suggest looking at a few school in the areas you like just to get an idea of what to expect? Hope this helps and good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) Can you stop your constant attack of everything I post? I'm sure the OP would like their thread to get back on track and for us to stop this constant bickering, and you're clogging up my emails. You keep coming back the fact that I didn't mention that I was in Vic, which was a mistake I realised as soon as I posted it, however I didn't think I'd get this much hassle over it- and which I have explained to you many times that was accidental and you have constantly brought it back up in spiteful ways. Goodbye, and again, good luck to the OP with Australia, I hope you've got the answers you were looking for. It is not an attack at all. It is supplying the correct information to others that read these posts and who are unfortunately being misinformed by your posts. Informing people that they can get HECS with PR certainly needed to be corrected, or else they would be in for a shock when they could not access student loans, which of course they cannot until they are citizens. It's not personal. You are very young and your knowledge has proved somewhat limited, that's all. Edited March 9, 2014 by Sammy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItchyFeet76 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Thanks for that info, Fioooona, it's really helpful. My total school budget p.a. for all 3 kids (ages 5, 7 and 3.5 - so the latter won't start till Jan 2016) is $2'820, and that includes everything ($1200 uniforms, $900 vol contrib / stationery, $90 incursions / excursions, $150 shoes, $480 swimming lessons). Just need to sell the house and get that all-important job offer / 457 now! What line of work are you in, by the way? (you're on a 457, aren't you?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiooooona Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 It is not an attack at all. It is supplying the correct information to others that read these posts and who are unfortunately being misinformed by your posts. Informing people that they can get HECS with PR certainly needed to be corrected, or else they would be in for a shock when they could not access student loans, which of course they cannot until they are citizens. It's not personal. You are very young and your knowledge has proved somewhat limited, that's all. Honestly, last time I will respond- I promise. Seriously, I understand we're all trying to help and I haven't actually been very annoyed by any of your replies yet as I know we're all been in the same boat at some point or other. You don't know how old I am, nor do you know my background/reasons for being here/education- that's the thing that has genuinely insulted me. It doesn't matter if I'm 10 or 100, I was providing a comment, made in good will. That is just genuinely spiteful, and I don't value spitefulness highly in anyone. You don't know me and I don't know you, so can we leave it at that, please? And one more thing, wouldn't you double and triple check education entitlements before you moved? Noting on this website can be taken with 100% accuracy, it's all just opinions after all and people make mistakes. Everyone should take what ever is said here with a grain of salt, as I'm sure most do, you don't move to the other side of the world on one person's experience there that you read on a website. No one person here knows all there is needed to know about the Aus school system. Advice is what is needed when posting a thread, and advice is what I initially offered, however due to the fact that I forgot to put three little letters in my post (Vic) I am actually being accused of being A) young B)ill informed (I have spent years in the Aus school system) and C) just plain insulted for no good reason what so ever. Just let it go, I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) Honestly, last time I will respond- I promise. Seriously, I understand we're all trying to help and I haven't actually been very annoyed by any of your replies yet as I know we're all been in the same boat at some point or other.You don't know how old I am, nor do you know my background/reasons for being here/education- that's the thing that has genuinely insulted me. It doesn't matter if I'm 10 or 100, I was providing a comment, made in good will. That is just genuinely spiteful, and I don't value spitefulness highly in anyone. You don't know me and I don't know you, so can we leave it at that, please? And one more thing, wouldn't you double and triple check education entitlements before you moved? Noting on this website can be taken with 100% accuracy, it's all just opinions after all and people make mistakes. Everyone should take what ever is said here with a grain of salt, as I'm sure most do, you don't move to the other side of the world on one person's experience there that you read on a website. No one person here knows all there is needed to know about the Aus school system. Advice is what is needed when posting a thread, and advice is what I initially offered, however due to the fact that I forgot to put three little letters in my post (Vic) I am actually being accused of being A) young B)ill informed (I have spent years in the Aus school system) and C) just plain insulted for no good reason what so ever. Just let it go, I have. Ok, I have not insulted you once. You have twice called me spiteful - stop and I would like a mod to remind you that personal attacks are not appropriate. This is a public forum and as such if you present the wrong information others will post to correct it. I am not spiteful and my posts never have been in the nearly two years I have been on this forum. It would be nice if a mod reminded Fiona of the rules. I have been in Australia 14 years and have a vast professional, as well as working, knowledge of the education system here. Edited March 9, 2014 by Sammy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Can you stop your constant attack of everything I post? I'm sure the OP would like their thread to get back on track and for us to stop this constant bickering, and you're clogging up my emails. You keep coming back the fact that I didn't mention that I was in Vic, which was a mistake I realised as soon as I posted it, however I didn't think I'd get this much hassle over it- and which I have explained to you many times that was accidental and you have constantly brought it back up in spiteful ways. Goodbye, and again, good luck to the OP with Australia, I hope you've got the answers you were looking for. Fiona, I don't think anyone was being spiteful to you. My daughter is at Uni and you can only get a student loan if you are a citizen. PR holders pay what are called domestic fees. Not all visa types pay the same.! On forums, it is some times easy to misinterpret the tone of a post, I don't believe anyone intended for you to feel slighted, we do try to encourage our members to be respectful to each other Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) I will leave this thread. Edited March 9, 2014 by ali Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Differences of opinion should either be respected or conducted off the forum if it's going to get personal. Back to the OP please - Education and fees I believe was the topic of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Hi there We are in Queensland on a 457 so I can confirm that there is nothing "extra" to pay. Our school doesn't have a voluntary contribution either. We have a booklist - I think I spent $120 last year plus uniforms and the odd trip and special event. Probably around $200-$250 altogether. It is worth pointing out that on a 457, we haven't been entitled to the School Kids Bonus (or whatever it is called which was a few hundred per child unless you were a higher earner). I did hear that that was going to be scrapped but not sure what is happening. Also no rebate for any before or after school care if you are planning on using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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