Canterbury College（坎特伯雷中学）Australia Study Guide: Programs, Entry Requirements, Costs and Student Life

This guide gathers the key facts international families need before applying to Canterbury College (坎特伯雷中学), a private Anglican coeducational school in Logan, Queensland, roughly halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. It has taught from Early Learning through to Year 12 since 1987 and is registered on CRICOS under provider number 01609C. Everything below comes from the school’s official website and its 2026 international student documents, accessed on 5 August 2026; figures are reviewed annually and the website version is the authority.

Programs at Canterbury College

Canterbury College offers three CRICOS-registered courses for international students. Primary Education covers Prep to Year 6 under Primary School Studies, a seven-year program with course code 086185G. Junior Secondary covers Years 7 to 10 under Junior Secondary Studies, a four-year program with code 086186G. Senior Secondary covers Years 11 and 12 under the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education, a two-year program with code 023343J.

The three courses line up as one continuous path, so a student who starts in Prep can stay at Canterbury College through to the end of Year 12 without changing schools. From Year 10 onwards, students hold a learning account with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and a Learning Unique Identifier (LUI), which matters for the certification of senior studies. Students whose English is not yet strong enough for mainstream classes may be asked to complete an ELICOS course first, either the Primary School Preparation or the High School Preparation program, before joining their year level.

Entry Requirements for International Students

Canterbury College asks international applicants for a passport copy, academic results from the previous two years with evidence of English ability, and an interview, which is held in person where possible and online via Skype, Microsoft Teams or Zoom for students overseas. Academic transcripts must be translated into English, and public examination certificates need certified translations where applicable. Students already enrolled at an Australian school must supply a Release Letter.

The school assesses each application on five criteria: whether a place exists at the requested year level, the student’s behaviour, attendance and commitment, age, English proficiency, and satisfactory completion of the prior year level. English requirements are set by year level in the school’s March 2026 handbook: Year 7 needs IELTS 4 (TOEFL 31, school Band 4), Year 8 IELTS 4 (TOEFL 31, Band 4+), Year 9 IELTS 4.5 (TOEFL 32, Band 5-), Year 10 IELTS 5 (TOEFL 35, Band 5+), Year 11 IELTS 5.5 (TOEFL 46, Band 6) and Year 12 IELTS 6 (TOEFL 60, Band 6+). For Prep to Year 3 and Years 4 to 6, no fixed scores are published; the school negotiates these individually.

The Application Process Step by Step

Canterbury College describes enrolment as a ten-step process: submit the documentation, attend the interview, receive the school’s decision, accept the offer, sign the written agreement and pay fees, receive the Confirmation of Enrolment and, where homestay applies, the Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW), apply for a subclass 500 student visa, notify the school once the visa is granted, prepare for arrival, and complete orientation. Applications are processed on their merits and there is no published closing date, so the practical timeline is driven by the target term.

Visa processing through the Department of Home Affairs can take up to three months during peak periods, and students need the visa before they can start. Families should count backwards from their target start date and allow time for transcript translation, language testing and, where required, ELICOS study. The 2026 school year runs in four terms: students return on 28 January, 21 April, 14 July and 7 October, with terms ending 2 April, 19 June, 18 September and 3 December; the final day for Year 12 is 20 November 2026. The 2027 dates are already published, starting with Term 1 on 27 January.

Costs and Fees for 2026

The 2026 international fee schedule published by Canterbury College sets tuition at 35,408 Australian dollars per year for all three programs, from Prep to Year 6, Years 7 to 10 and Years 11 to 12 alike. On top of tuition, an acceptance fee of 850 Australian dollars is payable once when an offer is accepted. Annual charges include a Master Plan Building Levy of 436 Australian dollars per year level, a single resource charge that rises from 349 Australian dollars for Prep to Year 2 up to 2,300 Australian dollars for Year 12, and an English proficiency test fee of 300 Australian dollars.

Students in Years 11 and 12 also pay 884.80 Australian dollars per year to the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and a welfare fee of 720 Australian dollars per year applies when the college holds a CAAW. Overseas student health cover costs approximately 780 Australian dollars per year and is purchased by the student. Stationery runs to about 250 Australian dollars per year and uniforms about 1,500 Australian dollars per CRICOS course. The schedule notes that fees are reviewed each year and subject to change.

Student Life and Homestay

Canterbury College does not offer boarding, so international students live either with a parent or relative or with a College-approved homestay family. The 2026 schedule lists homestay at 22,700 Australian dollars for 48 weeks per year, with a placement fee of 360 Australian dollars and a one-time retention fee of 1,000 Australian dollars. Homestay families are screened by the Queensland Government and must hold a Working With Children Blue Card; they provide three meals a day, a private room and daily transport to school.

The school publishes curfew rules for homestay students. Students in Years 11 and 12 must be home by 6:00pm Monday to Thursday, 9:00pm on Friday and Saturday and 6:00pm on Sunday; Years 9 and 10 by 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday; Years 7 and 8 by 7:00pm on Friday and Saturday. From Monday to Thursday, students may not go to Chinatown, the City or Sunnybank after school without permission. Airport pickup and drop-off costs 175 Australian dollars per trip.

Planning Checklist for Families

For families weighing up Canterbury College , the practical checklist has five items: confirm the target year level maps to the right CRICOS course, check the English band for that year against the student’s current scores, allow for ELICOS if the language level is below the band, total the 2026 tuition plus homestay and the one-off fees before setting a budget, and start the visa timeline early because peak processing can run to three months. The school’s own website states that it values all-roundedness alongside academics, with arts and sport programs plus service and leadership opportunities, which is worth weighing against the student’s interests.

All figures in this guide are from Canterbury College’s official website and 2026 documents accessed on 5 August 2026, and the school reviews fees and term dates annually. If your child’s year level, English level and budget need to be matched against the current schedule, speak to our advisers here for a tailored check.