The Australian Embassy or consulate in your country is responsible for granting visa approval for your dependants. The spouse and dependant children under 18 years of age of an international student may be granted a Dependant Student Visa. This visa enables the immediate family members to remain in Australia for the duration of the student's length of study. In addition you may need to have your child/children placed in a school before a visa will be granted.

It is an immigration policy that school-age dependants of international students undertake formal schooling while they are in Australia. Children who have their fifth birthday before 1st April of that calendar year are eligible to start school in Victoria.
You will need to provisionally enrol your child in a school before you leave your home country and you will normally have to pay the school fees one semester in advance. The school will send you a Confirmation of Enrolment Form stating the program and its duration so that you can obtain the appropriate visa for your child. The Diplomatic Mission in your country can tell you which Victorian schools are registered to take international students.

In Victoria, there are three types of education systems: state, private and catholic. Fees are charged by schools in all three systems. The State education system is funded by the state government

Primary:

Secondary:

Senior secondary:

$3,500* per year

$4,500 * per year

$5,500* per year

Fees charged by schools in the private system vary considerably. However, it is advisable to consider a minimum of $6,000 per year for fees at the primary level and $10,000 for the secondary level. Apart from schools fees, there are other costs for school uniforms, excursions, books and stationery.

DIMA requires dependent children between the ages of five and 18 to attend school full-time as a condition of the dependant visa.
The process of enrolling children in schools is different in each state in Australia.

Students who have received a scholarship from their home government may be exempt from paying school tuition fees for their children. Please contact the International Admissions Section to enquire about whether your scholarship entitles you to an exemption from school tuition fees, before applying for a dependant visa.

If you have school-aged children (primary or secondary school age) it is a visa requirement that you enrol them in school.

A list of schools which admit international students is available from the IPO, or consult the Victorian Department of Education website.

You must lodge an application and pay the corresponding fees before a confirmation of the child's enrolment is issued, which you include with your Student Dependent Nomination form.

Your dependent family members are eligible to apply for a Student Dependent visa at your nearest Australian High Commission or Embassy. They will require supporting documents such as marriage and birth certificates and passports. Proof of sufficient income for living purposes and proof that adequate arrangements have been made for the education of any school-age dependents will also be required.

In most instances it is best for you to settle into life and study in Australia prior to making arrangements for your family to join you.

In most cases, international students will be required to pay tuition fees for your dependent school aged children's education. It is recommended that you confirm prices at each individual school.

To be exempt from the payment of tuition fees for their independent school-age children, international students must fall into one of the following categories:

1. Australian Government Scholarship Holder
   

2. University Scholarship Holders where the scholarship is a full scholarship for the length of the student's study program and this is specified in the scholarship terms.
   

3. Holders of full scholarships from an overseas government where the scholarship is offered by that nation's government directly (but not including quasi-government or independent agencies which determine their own budgetary priorities) and international aid agencies where the scholarships are offered by bona-fide aid agencies compatible with the stated goals of AusAID. In the case of (1) & (2) the exemption is restricted to those students whole sole means of support is the scholarship funding. The scholarship funding must cover academic tuition fees AND living expenses.