Kindergarten has been FREE since 2023.
The Best Start, Best Life reform will help all Victorian children dream even bigger through increased access to quality early childhood education and care. A critical part of the reform is Free Kinder, which will support access to two years of high-quality kindergarten programs for all Victorian children by making this free.
Free Kinder will be available for both 3 and 4-year-old kindergarten programs.
Child Eligibility:
All children enrolled in a funded kindergarten program at a participating service are eligible for Free Kinder from 2023.
In line with existing policies for per capita funding, children must only receive Free Kinder funding at one service. If a child attends more than one service that offers a funded kindergarten program (e.g. a sessional service for some days and a long day care service on other days), the family must nominate which service they will receive their funded kindergarten program and therefore their Free Kinder funding.