What to expect with school fees in 2023

With school fees expected to rise at record rates in 2023 with the current high inflation rate, we’ve answered some of the most-asked questions from families about what to expect and how parents can prepare for the upcoming year.

What is the expected increase in school fees in 2023?

Despite minimising fee increases over the past 2 years, we’re expecting the majority of schools will be increasing their fees between 4% to 10% due to inflation and higher costs. This is higher than the average 2-3% rises we’ve seen in previous years.

Why are school fees rising more than previous years?

Large school fee increases are due to rising inflation which has resulted in a rise in the operating costs for schools where they’re facing larger bills for energy, school equipment, wages, building and maintenance. To meet these financial demands, many schools have no choice but to pass these costs on to parents.

Why are some schools increasing their fees higher than others?

We’re expecting a wider range of fee increases in 2023, which is driven by a number of factors. Changes to how Government funding is calculated are affecting schools differently, with some schools seeing significant reductions to funding and are being left with little alternative but to top up that gap with additional parent contributions to ensure the school is in a stable position.

How does inflation and higher cost of living impact schools

High levels of inflation have a wide-ranging impact on a school’s operations and how they can continue to build and maintain important student facilities. This extends to an increase in staffing costs which account for 79% of expenses in schools according to the Somerset Education Financial Survey for Schools.

The majority of schools have told us that fee increases won’t fully cover the additional costs incurred by the school.

How can parents prepare for the increase in school fees?

Families should be aware of the upcoming fee increases, prepare early by making any necessary changes to family budgets, and make sure to have flexible payment options which allow them to align school fee payments with their budget.

Schools are also responding by providing more flexible payment options to their families, and we've seen an uplift in schools partnering with Edstart to offer this.

Should I speak to my school if I need assistance due to the higher fee increase?

Many schools can offer families fee assistance such as bursaries and discounts, or work with you on an arrangement for your school fees.

Latest school fee trend

We’re currently in the process of producing our annual Edstart School Fees Report which is designed to help families understand the trends in school fees.

The report is the largest analysis of school fees in Australia where we analysed trends from over 530 schools across the country last year, taking a closer look at the changing cost of both tuition and boarding fees.

Our 2023 report will be released in late-January, and you can see the results at edstart.com.au/report.

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