Fee Help for Kinder in VIC

What is it?

The Victorian Government offers funding to provide families up to 15 hours of Free Kindergarten a week and is in addition to the Childcare Subsidy. The funding offsets the fees for three and four-year-old children that are part of the Centre’s long day care Kindergarten program.

Families will save up to $2,050 a year for eligible children aged three years old and above in eligible long day cares in 2024. This is in addition to the Child Care Subsidy.

Who can get it?

All children that are part of the Centre’s approved Kindergarten program are eligible for this subsidy. Only one service can receive the funding, so families must nominate the service they want to receive it.

Three-year-old children can receive between 5-15 hours of subsidised care. Most of our services offer a minimum of 7.5 hrs of three-year-old funded kinder program.

How does it work?

If eligible, the funding is allocated as a credit to reduce families out of pocket fees (after CCS has been applied).

The subsidy is a dollar amount and is applied across 46 weeks of the year. The subsidy will reduce your gap fee by:

• up to $45.00 each week for children who are enrolled in the 4 year old program.
• For children who are enrolled in the 3 year old program the subsidy is dependent on the kindergarten program hours

Families need to complete and sign a declaration form that confirms that our service is their funded Kindergarten program. This form is then submitted to the Department of Education on their behalf, which will allow us to receive the subsidy for their fees.

More information: Free Kinder