WA ends school fee waiver for some international students’ children

By Jiali Hong- “Student journalists at the University of Melbourne”

Dependent children of international students studying a Master by Coursework in Western Australia are set to lose access to a school tuition fee waiver under changes to the state’s enrolment arrangements.

From 30 November 2026, children of Master by Coursework students will no longer qualify for the international tuition fee waiver when enrolling in Western Australian government schools. They will instead be required to enrol as full fee-paying overseas students.

TAFE International Western Australia, which manages the placement of international students in WA Government schools, is responsible for administering school placements.

The change does not apply to dependants of students undertaking a Master by Research or PhD, who will continue to be eligible for the tuition fee waiver.

Transitional arrangements have been announced for families already covered by the waiver. Children who are already enrolled in a WA Government school under a fee-waiver arrangement will retain the waiver for the duration of the parent’s Master by Coursework studies, including any approved extensions.

The waiver will also continue to apply to siblings who enrol at a later date where an existing Master by Coursework fee-waiver entitlement applies.

The University of Western Australia says eligibility is determined by the date the Department of Education issues a Confirmation of Placement (CoP) for the child. Families whose children receive a fee-waiver CoP before 30 November 2026 will retain the entitlement, even if the child starts school after that date.

The cut-off does not affect dependants of students who hold an AusAID scholarship, a full Commonwealth scholarship or a full University of Western Australia scholarship.

Master by Coursework students who have not yet applied for their child’s Confirmation of Placement are advised to submit their application as soon as possible if they want to retain eligibility for the fee waiver. UWA says students in this position should apply before the 30 November 2026 cut-off.

Source: Government of WA.