The Victorian Government provides funding to support children to access a high quality kindergarten program in the two years before they start school. This helps to ensure all Victorian children get the best start in life.
The Victorian Government has made kindergarten programs free for three and four-year-old children – saving families up to $2,500 per year for their program. Free Kinder is a critical component of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life reform.
Funding for your child’s free kinder program is provided to our service directly from the Victorian Government, so you will not be required to make any fee payments for three and four-year-old kinder programs.
In line with the Victorian Government’s requirements for Free Kinder, your child can access a 15-hour kindergarten program (or shorter Three-Year-Old Kindergarten where less than 15 hours are offered) for free. The only fees that you may be asked to pay are for one-off excursions costs (e.g. transport and entry costs) for children not eligible for the Kindergarten Fee Subsidy (KFS). Eligibility categories for KFS can be found on the Victorian Government website.
Your child can only be funded for a kindergarten program place at one service at any one time and only for one year in a Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program and one year in a Four-Year-Old Kindergarten program (unless your child is assessed as being eligible for a second year of Four-Year-Old Kindergarten by your child’s kindergarten teacher).
If your child is enrolled to attend our Kindergarten program. We can only claim kindergarten funding including Free Kinder payments for your child if this is the only Victorian Government funded kindergarten program they are enrolled in.
The Department of Education (DET) also provides a Kindergarten Fee Subsidy for eligible children to attend kindergarten free of charge.
Your child is eligible for the kindergarten fee subsidy:
