Perth is a great place for families with plenty of family-friendly activities, venues and facilities. Read about what you need to consider if you are thinking about moving to Australia as a family.
Enjoy a great family lifestyle
Perth is known as a very family-friendly city. With beaches, parks, playgrounds, Perth Zoo, world-class aquarium AQWA, nature reserves, play centres and more, there’s always plenty to do.
Sending your children to school
You can enrol your school-aged children in public or private schools, provided the school has the capacity to accept them. Placements for Murdoch University students are done in partnership with TAFE International.
Please note that Kindergarten is not compulsory in Western Australia, and therefore these placements are extremely limited.
If you are enrolled in a Masters or PhD course
If you are studying a Masters degree or PhD, and you are on a 500, 573 or 574 subclass visa, you may be eligible to enrol your children into a public primary or secondary school at the same fees as local students.
To apply for a placement for your child you must complete the School Placement of Dependent request form and provide the following documents:
- Current visa grant notification for you and each child
- Copy of each child's current passport
- Academic transcript for each child
Electronically completed forms and supporting documentation should then be submitted by email to sch.for.dependants@murdoch.edu.au.
Please note that we cannot accept handwritten forms, and placement forms should never be sent directly to schools.
If your application is successful, your children will be placed in a school with spare capacity. This may not be your choice of local school, as it must be approved by the Department of Education to enrol overseas students and run an appropriate education program.
If you are enrolled in an undergraduate course
If you are studying an undergraduate course, honours or a graduate certificate or diploma and have school-aged children, you’ll need a Confirmation of Placement from TAFE International to secure your child’s dependent visa before you arrive. Please note that the Confirmation of Placement does not guarantee the enrolment of your children in a WA school.
Once you arrive in Western Australia, you can apply for a placement for your child in a primary or secondary school by completing the Overseas Fee Paying application form and providing the following documents:
- Completed Confirmation of Placement Request
- Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) letter for you as the primary visa holder
- Copy of your passport details page
- Copy of each child’s passport details page
Once you have completed all of the required documents, please email your application to admissions.tiwa@dtwd.wa.gov.au.
If you are studying at one of our pathway institutions
If you are studying at one of our pathway institutions, email international.admissions@murdoch.edu.au to discuss your options.
