Good to know
Good to Know
- Sydney's international-curriculum options are mostly delivered inside mainstream elite private schools (via the IB Diploma) rather than through a dedicated stand-alone international school sector — so 'international school' here usually means an Australian independent school with an IB track, not a purpose-built expat campus.
- On top of headline tuition, Sydney independent schools typically add building/capital levies, technology fees, and excursion/camp charges that can meaningfully increase the total annual cost — always ask for the full fee schedule, not just the tuition figure.
- Premier Sydney day schools (IB entry especially) often have long waiting lists; relocating families are commonly advised to apply well over a year ahead of the desired start date.
- Foreign students on a Student Visa (subclass 500) can only enrol in schools holding a CRICOS registration — confirm this with any school before applying.
- Temporary visa holders placed in NSW public (government) schools are charged tuition (unlike citizens/permanent residents, for whom it's free) — this can sometimes be a more affordable option than the private sector for families on shorter assignments.
- For competitive Sydney independent/bilingual day schools, treat 'apply 2+ years ahead' as the realistic norm for Kindergarten, Year 5 and Year 7 entry — some of the most sought-after schools close waitlists even earlier.
- If relocating mid-school-year, don't assume the main Term 1 intake is your only option — several schools find it easier to place new students in Terms 2-4 than in the heavily oversubscribed January intake.
- Public (government) school is not automatically free for foreign families: children of temporary visa holders are charged an annual international tuition fee, so run the cost comparison against Catholic or independent schools before assuming public school is the cheapest route.
- If you're planning to homeschool in NSW, start the NESA/Department of Education registration process well before you plan to withdraw your child from school — processing has recently taken around 12 weeks by some reports, longer than the 1-3 month estimate quoted by older homeschool-support guides.
- NSW homeschooling registration is tied to a fixed NSW residential address and doesn't support extended travel away from that address, which is worth knowing if you're a highly mobile nomad family considering this route.
Schools
International Grammar School (IGS)
- Ages
- Preschool/Pre-K to Year 12
- Curriculum
- NSW Australian Curriculum with a strong bilingual/multilingual program; every primary student studies one of French, German, Italian, Japanese or Mandarin, continuing into secondary. Graduates receive the NSW HSC.
- Neighbourhood
- Ultimo (adjacent to central Sydney)
- Notes
- Sydney's most internationally-oriented mainstream day school; draws families from over 60 nationalities.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$22,000
- High
- A$34,000
International French School of Sydney (Lycée Condorcet)
- Ages
- Maternelle (preschool) to Terminale (Year 12 equivalent)
- Curriculum
- French National Education curriculum, bilingual French-English instruction, leading to the French Baccalauréat.
- Neighbourhood
- Maroubra
- Notes
- An annual capital contribution of roughly AUD 2,000 typically applies on top of tuition; subsidies are sometimes available for French nationals.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$10,000
- High
- A$20,000
German International School Sydney (GISS)
- Ages
- Early Childhood to Year 12
- Curriculum
- German state curriculum taught alongside Australian requirements; graduates can earn both the German Abitur and the NSW HSC. Also offers the IB Diploma.
- Neighbourhood
- Terrey Hills
- Notes
- German is not a prerequisite for enrolment at Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 7 or Year 11 entry points.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$19,000
- High
- A$32,000
Sydney Japanese International School (SJIS)
- Ages
- Kindergarten to Year 9 (junior high)
- Curriculum
- Two streams: a Japanese-division following the Japanese national curriculum, and an international division following the NSW curriculum with daily Japanese-language instruction; the international stream can lead toward the IB.
- Neighbourhood
- Terrey Hills
- Tuition Annual
- A$13,680
- Notes
- Figure is the most recently reported per-child annual tuition; some directories quote a wider AUD 14,000–25,000 range for the international stream specifically, so confirm current fees directly with the school.
Cranbrook School
- Ages
- 3 to 18 (day and boarding)
- Curriculum
- Anglican independent day and boarding school; NSW curriculum in Years 7–10 taught under the IB Middle Years Programme framework, with a choice of IB Diploma or NSW HSC in Years 11–12.
- Neighbourhood
- Bellevue Hill / Rose Bay
- Notes
- Fee range is a premium-tier estimate for IB-offering elite Sydney day/boarding schools; boarding adds significantly on top.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$32,000
- High
- A$48,000
Redlands (SCECGS Redlands)
- Ages
- Preschool to Year 12
- Curriculum
- Combines the Australian Curriculum with the IB Diploma Programme (offered continuously since 1988, the longest-running IB Diploma programme in NSW); also offers a Bilingual Diploma option and the NSW HSC.
- Neighbourhood
- Cremorne
- Notes
- Some older directory listings quote a lower AUD 18,000–26,740 range; treat published figures as estimates and confirm the current fee schedule with the school, as sources disagree noticeably.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$32,000
- High
- A$48,000
Kincoppal-Rose Bay
- Ages
- Early years to Year 12 (girls; co-ed in early years)
- Curriculum
- Independent Catholic girls' school offering the IB Diploma Programme in Years 11–12 alongside the NSW HSC.
- Neighbourhood
- Rose Bay
- Notes
- Has a significant proportion of international families and experience supporting mid-year transfers.
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$32,000
- High
- A$48,000
Queenwood School for Girls
- Ages
- Kindergarten to Year 12
- Curriculum
- NSW HSC and IB Diploma Programme, girls only, across four campuses.
- Neighbourhood
- Mosman
- Notes
- Treat the tuition estimate above as indicative only — contact the school directly for its current fee schedule.
Tuition Annual
- Note Only
- Queenwood does not publish a simple headline figure; fees are quoted on inquiry and sit in the premium band alongside comparable eastern-suburbs IB day schools (roughly AUD 35,000–48,000/year at senior levels based on comparable-school data).
MLC School
- Ages
- 4 to 18 (girls)
- Curriculum
- Australian Curriculum to Year 10, then a choice of IB Diploma Programme or NSW HSC in Years 11–12; non-selective.
- Neighbourhood
- Burwood
- Notes
- Runs a parallel IB/HSC pathway so families are not locked in early.
Tuition Annual
- Note Only
- No verified current fee schedule found; contact school directly.
Newington College
- Ages
- Early Learning to Year 12 (boys, day and boarding)
- Curriculum
- NSW HSC, IB Diploma Programme, and Vocational Education and Training (VET) pathways.
- Neighbourhood
- Multiple campuses (Stanmore is the main senior campus)
Tuition Annual
- Low
- A$24,390
- High
- A$42,201
Al Zahra College
- Ages
- 3 to 18
- Curriculum
- Full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, Diploma Programme) delivered within an Islamic educational framework.
- Neighbourhood
- Arncliffe
- Notes
- One of the few IB World Schools in Sydney combining the full IB continuum with a faith-based curriculum.
Tuition Annual
- Note Only
- No verified current fee schedule found; contact school directly.
Typical Fee Bands Context
- Note
- Bands are indicative market ranges compiled from multiple fee-comparison directories, not a single authoritative source; always request the school's current, official fee schedule.
Premium Band Per Year
- Low
- A$35,000
- High Plus
- A$48,000
Mid Range Band Per Year
- Low
- A$22,000
- High
- A$35,000
Affordable Band Per Year
- Low
- A$12,000
- High
- A$22,000
Homeschooling
- Legal Basis
- Home schooling is legal in New South Wales under the Education Act 1990, which is regulated by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA); as of May 2025 day-to-day administration of home schooling registration sits with the NSW Department of Education.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Residency Requirement
- Home schooling registration is only available for children residing in NSW, and the Act specifies education must occur primarily in the child's home as identified on the certificate of registration; the framework does not support extended travel away from that home address.
- Registration Requirement
- Every homeschooled child of compulsory school age must be registered. Compulsory schooling age runs from 6 years old until the completion of Year 10 or turning 17, whichever comes first. Registration is optional (but available) from the year a child could start Kindergarten (turning 5 by 31 July) and can continue up to age 18.
- Credentials Note
- Children registered for home schooling (rather than enrolled in a registered school) are not eligible for the school-based Record of School Achievement (RoSA) or Higher School Certificate (HSC); families wanting these credentials would need to combine registration with distance education or return to a registered school for senior years.
How To Register
- Process
- A parent or legal guardian applies to NESA/the Home Schooling Directorate with a written application and a proposed educational program (a teaching and learning plan based on NESA syllabuses for the relevant stage). An Authorised Person then contacts the family to arrange a home visit (or video call) to review the program before registration is approved.
- Typical Timeframe
- Estimates vary by source: some homeschool-support sites cite an Authorised Person typically making contact within roughly one to three weeks of application, with a full approval decision taking on the order of one to three months; other more recent sources report waiting times of around 12 weeks amid high application volumes. Build in a buffer and expect the process to take longer than a few weeks.
- Registration Validity
- Registration is granted for a set period up to a maximum of 2 years, after which parents must apply to renew.
- No Teaching Qualification Required
- Parents do not need formal teaching qualifications to register or homeschool in NSW.
Documents Needed
- Child's birth certificate or other identity document
- Two documents confirming the NSW residential address where home schooling will take place
- Relevant court orders or guardianship documents, where applicable
- A written educational program covering the mandatory key learning areas
Local Homeschool Community
- Exists
- Yes
Sydney Specific Groups
- Eastern Suburbs Sydney Homeschoolers — a Sydney-based group that meets weekly plus additional activities through the year, open to homeschooling families across Sydney, not just the eastern suburbs
- A homeschool/unschool social group centred on Sydney's Lower North Shore, with Friday meetups in St Ives
- A Blacktown-area homeschool/unschool meetup group
- A classical-education-focused homeschool co-op based in Richmond (outer Sydney)
- Facebook-based communities such as "Sydney Home Education" and "North Shore Homeschoolers" used for local coordination and peer advice
National And State Bodies
- Home Education Association (HEA) — national advocacy body with a dedicated NSW page and a directory of local NSW community groups
- Home Education NSW (HENSW) — NSW-specific advocacy body maintaining a group directory and events calendar
International Bilingual School Enrollment
- System Overview
- Sydney has no single dedicated "international school" sector like Singapore or Dubai. Expat families typically choose between fee-paying independent (private) schools, partly government-funded Catholic schools, or public (government) schools, with a growing number of independent schools offering bilingual streams (French, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian) and/or the IB Diploma alongside the NSW HSC.
- Waitlist Reality
- Several of Sydney's most sought-after eastern-suburbs independent day schools maintain waitlists running into years for Year 5 and Year 7 entry. Realistic advice for relocating families: contact admissions directly as soon as a move is confirmed, be flexible on start term/year group, and expect a case-by-case assessment for off-cycle (mid-year) entries rather than a guaranteed rolling admission.
Indicative Fees
One Off Enrolment Fee
- Low
- A$1,500
- High
- A$5,000
- Note
- Typical one-off, non-refundable enrolment fee charged by Sydney independent schools, separate from tuition.
Building Fund Capital Levy Per Year
- Low
- A$2,000
- High
- A$4,500
- Note
- Annual building fund / capital levy charged by most independent schools, on top of tuition.
Public School Annual Tuition For Temporary Visa Holders
- Low
- A$11,000
- High
- A$14,000
- Note
- Annual tuition fee charged to children of temporary visa holders attending a NSW government (public) school; citizens/permanent residents attend free.
Typical Timeline
- Offers Issued
- Offers are typically made between May and September depending on the school.
- Mid Year Entry
- Mid-year entry for Terms 2, 3 or 4 is possible and is often easier to secure on short notice than the main Term 1 intake.
- Deposit Deadline
- Acceptance and enrolment deposits are usually due within a few weeks of receiving an offer.
- Registration Opens
- For popular independent/bilingual schools, registration for main entry points (Kindergarten, Year 5, Year 7) typically opens 1-3 years before the intended start date.
- Recommended Lead Time
- Recommended to apply at least 2 years ahead of the intended entry year for Year 5, Year 7 and Year 11 at competitive schools; some of the most in-demand day schools close waitlists even earlier than that.
- Assessments Interviews
- Entrance assessments and interviews generally happen in the year before entry, often between March and August.
- Application Deadline For Main Intake
- For the main Term 1 (late January) intake, applications should generally be submitted by August-October of the previous year at popular independent schools.
Required Documents
- Completed application form (most schools now process this online)
- Copies of the student's passport and visa documentation
- Birth certificate (original often required at enrolment appointment)
- Immunisation records
- Previous school reports / transcripts
- Court custody papers, where applicable
- For NSW public (government) school international enrolment: a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) is issued by the school after an offer is accepted and fees paid, which is then used to apply for the student visa
Visa And Public School Notes
- Catchment Areas
- Local NSW public schools operate on catchment areas — families generally must live within a school's catchment to enrol there, unless enrolling via the fee-paying international student program or a homestay/carer arrangement.
- Student Visa Pathway
- Schools must hold a CRICOS code to enrol international students on a Student Visa (subclass 500). NSW government schools enrolling international students issue a CoE used for the visa application, overseen by the Department of Home Affairs' Genuine Student requirement.
- Year 11 Entry Restriction
- Senior high school (international student program) applicants for Year 11 must enrol in Term 1 or Term 2 only; enrolling in January is recommended to allow the most time to complete the Preliminary HSC curriculum.
- Selective Schools Exclusion
- International students on a Student Visa are not eligible to enrol in a NSW selective high school.
- Temporary Visa Holders In Public Schools
- Children of temporary visa holders (e.g. 457/482 work visas, partner visas) can enrol in NSW government (public) schools but are charged an annual tuition fee, whereas children of Australian citizens and permanent residents attend for free.
Sydney does not have a large, dedicated 'international school' sector in the way Singapore, Hong Kong or Dubai do. Most globally-mobile families instead enrol in Sydney's established independent (private) schools, many of which run the IB Diploma alongside the Australian NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC), plus a small cluster of dedicated foreign-national schools (French, German, Japanese) and a few bilingual-immersion day schools.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.