5 Ways to Save on Private School Fees

5 Ways to Save on Private School Fees

Feel like you’re endlessly forking out for school fees? Dreading the expensive school years ahead?

You are not alone!

We’ve put together our top 5 tips to help save on your fees:

1. Take advantage of upfront payments

As mothers always say an early bird gets the worm! Always check for discounts offered by schools for early payment. Sometimes these are hidden away in the fine print, but they can save you thousands – we’ve seen discounts as high as 7%!

2. Seek out sibling discounts

Siblings at the same school can be problematic, but they can also afford you discounts offered as soon as you have more than one child in school. Don’t forget that these can extend beyond one school many single sex schools have “partner schools” where sibling discounts also apply.

3. Consider a funding package

Providers like Edstart ease the pain of school fees by helping you spread out your costs. This can be a life-saver for those expensive years when multiple kids are overlapping at school. For example, you could pay for 6 years of high school over a 10 year period. Or just spread each year over a full 12 months!

It’s customized to suit you.

4. Remember building contributions are voluntary

Requests for building fund contributions can be as frequent as your kids’ school reports.

Despite often being included on every invoice, rest assured that these contributions are almost always voluntary. Schools rely heavily on these donations for capital works so always give where you can, but when cash is tight there is no obligation to donate.

5. Know what you can negotiate on

‘Is that the best you can do?’ Don’t be afraid to ask for a reduction in certain school charges. Families with multiple children at a school will be in the best position to negotiate. Two of the most commonly discounted charges from schools are:

Enrolment/entrance fees (can be $5,000+ per child non-refundable); and Boarding fees (discounts or bursaries on boarding are quite common).