The boarding school application process in Australia: step by step

Applying to a boarding school can feel opaque the first time. There is no national application portal and no single entrance exam; each school runs its own process, on its own timeline. The good news is that most processes follow a similar shape.

This guide walks through the usual steps from first enquiry to the first day, with extra notes for international families. Use it to plan your timeline and your questions — then confirm every date and requirement with each school’s admissions office, because they vary.

Step 1: Start early and build a shortlist

Many families begin researching boarding two or more years before the intended start, especially for popular entry years. Starting early gives you time to visit schools, involve your child and compare costs without pressure.

Build your shortlist by:

• travel: how your child will get to and from school across a term
• gender: girls’, boys’ or co-educational (see girls vs boys vs co-ed boarding)
• entry year: which years board and which take the largest intakes (see Year 7 vs Year 9 entry)
• boarding model: full, weekly or occasional (see weekly vs full boarding)
• programmes and pastoral care that matter for your child

Our step-by-step guide to choosing a boarding school and the full school list can help. The Australian Boarding Schools Association also lists member schools.

Step 2: Enquire and visit

Contact admissions to request a prospectus, the boarding handbook and the current fee schedule. Then visit if you can:

• attend an open day or book a private tour
• ask to see the boarding house, not just the classrooms
• if possible, visit on a weekend or stay for a meal in the house
• meet the head of boarding or head of house

Take a list of questions. Our guide to what to ask on a boarding house tour covers the essentials, and how to read a boarding handbook explains what to look for in the documents.

If you cannot travel, ask whether the school offers virtual tours or video calls with boarding staff.

Step 3: Register

Most schools ask families to submit an application for registration to place the child on the list for a particular entry year. Registration usually involves:

• an application form with family and student details
• copies of recent school reports
• a birth certificate or passport
• sometimes NAPLAN results or other assessment information
• a non-refundable application or registration fee at many independent schools

Registration does not guarantee a place. Ask how the school prioritises applications — for example, by date of registration, siblings, family connections, boarding need or interview.

Waitlists

Popular schools and entry years can have waitlists. Ask:

• How long is the waitlist for our entry year?
• Are boarding places allocated separately from day places?
• When will we know where we stand?
• Do you have more boarding places in other entry years?

Step 4: Interviews and assessments

Many schools invite applicants and parents to an interview, in person or online. It is usually a conversation about the child’s interests, schooling and readiness for boarding, rather than an exam. Help your child prepare by talking about what they enjoy and why they are interested in the school — but do not over-rehearse.

Some schools use their own entrance or placement tests; others rely on reports. Scholarship programmes often have separate testing. There is no single national boarding school test.

Disclose learning and health needs

Be open about any learning differences, health conditions or wellbeing needs. Schools need this information to tell you honestly whether they can support your child, and to plan that support in the boarding house. Hiding needs to secure a place rarely ends well for the child.

Step 5: Scholarships and financial assistance

If you are applying for a scholarship or bursary, check the timeline carefully — scholarship applications and tests are often due well before general offers. Ask:

• What scholarships are available for boarders, and what do they cover — tuition, boarding or both?
• Are there means-tested bursaries?
• Are there awards for rural, Indigenous or other specific groups of students?
• What are the conditions for keeping a scholarship?

Read boarding scholarships explained and, for rural and remote families, our guide to the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme.

Step 6: The offer

If your child is successful, the school will issue a letter of offer. Read it carefully:

• the entry year and boarding arrangement offered
• the deadline to accept
• any acceptance fee or deposit, and whether it is refundable
• the terms and conditions of enrolment, including notice periods for withdrawal
• the current fee schedule

If you are waiting on other schools, ask whether the deadline can be extended — but respect the school’s timeline. Before accepting, make sure you understand the financial commitment, including notice periods if circumstances change.

Step 7: Acceptance and enrolment

After you accept, the school will send enrolment documents. These commonly include:

• medical and consent forms
• boarding agreements and code of conduct
• uniform and equipment lists
• device and technology agreements
• travel and leave arrangements
• emergency contact and guardian details

Return forms promptly and keep copies.

Step 8: Orientation and starting

Schools often run orientation days, new boarder evenings or taster stays before the first term. Take every opportunity — they make the first day far easier. Our guides to preparing your child for boarding school and what to pack cover the months before term.

Extra steps for international students

Overseas students applying to Australian boarding schools usually follow the steps above plus several more:

1. Check CRICOS registration. The school must be registered on CRICOS to enrol overseas students on a student visa.
2. English language requirements. Schools may require evidence of English proficiency or an English language programme before or alongside entry.
3. Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE). After accepting an offer and paying any required deposit, the school issues a CoE, which is needed for the visa application.
4. Student visa. Students generally apply for a Student visa (subclass 500). Check current requirements with the Department of Home Affairs.
5. Welfare arrangements for under-18s. Students under 18 need approved accommodation and welfare arrangements. Boarding houses often provide these; homestay is a different arrangement.
6. Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). Generally required for the duration of the visa.

See our international students page and international boarding in Australia, as well as the government’s Study Australia site.

A typical timeline

Timelines vary widely. This is an illustration only:

Where to go next

• The parent guide to boarding school in Australia brings all our guides together.
• Browse your state hub — for example NSW, Victoria or Queensland.
• Read how boarding fees work before you accept an offer.

Every school’s process is different. Keep a simple spreadsheet of each school’s dates, documents and fees, and confirm everything with admissions in writing.