Families say they are struggling to pay school fees – why are so many still choosing private schools?
We know more students are going to private schools, even though fees can be steep and families might need outside help to afford them.
Families across Australia are grappling with the rising costs of sending their children to private schools, prompting them to tighten their household budgets and even cut back on essential expenses like medicine and groceries. The cost of K-12 private schooling averages around $8,973 annually per student, with an average total of over $100,000 for a full education. In 2024, the average tuition fee for a Year 12 student in independent schools was A$15,674 in New South Wales and $20,923 in Victoria.
Independent Schools Australia surveyed 1,508 parents, finding that 75% adjusted their household budget in the last year to keep their children in their chosen schools, while 28% reported cutting back on necessities to afford fees. One in five parents received financial support from relatives. Despite these challenges, the number of Australian students attending independent schools has increased from 13% in 2006 to 17% in 2025, while public school enrollment has dropped from 67% to 63%.
Research suggests that families are choosing private schools based on factors like infrastructure and extracurricular offerings that public schools may struggle to match, such as heating or cooling systems. A June Australia Institute study found that 38% of respondents would have enrolled their child in the public system if their local public school was better funded.
The broader issue lies in Australia's underfunded public schools, which often receive less government funding than non-government schools. This financial disparity contributes to "school segregation," leading to inequities in education quality and access.
One proposed solution is to tie private school fees to the amount of government funding a school receives. This would discourage high tuition fees and make independent education more accessible for struggling families. Countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Belgium have successfully implemented similar measures. However, the question remains: are high private school fees and full government funding support exacerbating the financial burden on parents?
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
