StudyAustralia
🌏 EN ▾
简体中文 English 繁體中文 日本語 한국어 Español Português Bahasa Indonesia ไทย Tiếng Việt

2026-07-16 · StudyAU

NSW Public Primary Schools — K–Year 2 Entry 2026: Which Schools Are Open and When to Apply

Based on the NSW Department of Education's 1 June 2026 capacity data, this guide covers all 30 public primary schools that accept international students from Kindergarten to Year 2, including catchment rules, locations, and application requirements.

nsw public schoolsprimary schoolinternational studentsstudy in australiakindergarten entry

Direct Answer

As of 1 June 2026, NSW has 30 public primary schools that accept international students into Kindergarten, Year 1, or Year 2. These schools are spread across Sydney and Newcastle, from Mosman and Bellevue Hill to Campbelltown, Blacktown, and Canley Vale. Unlike secondary schools, primary international student enrolment requires a parent or approved guardian to live with the child — there is no homestay option for primary-aged students. Of the 30 schools, 16 explicitly accept out-of-area enrolment, 7 require a catchment address, and the remaining 7 have unspecified catchment policies that should be confirmed directly with the school.

This data is a snapshot from the NSW Department of Education’s 1 June 2026 Capacity Update. Availability can change; this information is a guide only and does not constitute a guarantee of placement. All 31 primary schools in the international programme were open for K–2 in 2026 with the exception of Chatswood Public School, which reported no capacity for the 2026 intake.

The 30 Schools by Catchment Rule

Schools That Accept Out-of-Area Enrolment (16 schools)

These schools do not require the student’s family to live within a designated catchment zone:

  1. Beauty Point Public School · Mosman · K–5
  2. Bellevue Hill Public School · Bellevue Hill · K,1,2,4,5
  3. Beverly Hills Public School · Beverly Hills · K–5
  4. Blacktown South Public School · Blacktown · K–5
  5. Campbelltown Public School · Campbelltown · K–5
  6. Campsie Public School · Campsie · K–5
  7. Canley Heights Public School · Canley Heights · K–5
  8. Carlingford Public School · Carlingford · K–5
  9. Concord Public School · Concord · K–5
  10. Hampden Park Public School · Lakemba · K–5
  11. Marsden Road Public School · Liverpool · K–5
  12. Ngarala Public School · Epping · K–5
  13. Ryde Public School · Ryde · K–5
  14. St Ives Park Public School · St Ives Park · K–5
  15. Strathfield North Public School · Strathfield North · K–5
  16. Strathfield South Public School · Strathfield South · K–5

Schools Requiring a Catchment Address (7 schools)

These schools require international families to reside within the school’s designated enrolment zone:

  1. Canley Vale Public School · Canley Vale · K–5
  2. Edgeworth Public School · Edgeworth (Newcastle) · K–5
  3. Gordon East Public School · Gordon · K,2,3,4 (note: no Year 1 in 2026)
  4. Hornsby South Public School · Hornsby · K–5
  5. Jasper Road Public School · Baulkham Hills · K–5
  6. Lane Cove Public School · Lane Cove · K–5
  7. Meadowbank Public School · Ryde area · K,1,3,4,5 (note: no Year 2 in 2026)

Schools With Unspecified Catchment Policy (7 schools)

Catchment requirements for these schools should be confirmed with the NSW DE International at the time of application:

  1. Cardiff South Public School · Cardiff (Newcastle)
  2. Hurstville Public School · Hurstville
  3. Killarney Heights Public School · Killarney Heights
  4. Lindfield East Public School · Lindfield
  5. Newcastle East Public School · Newcastle
  6. North Sydney Public School · North Sydney
  7. Wiley Park Public School · Wiley Park

Key Differences From Secondary School Entry

International student enrolment at the primary level differs from secondary in several critical ways:

  • Parent or guardian must reside with the child. NSW does not provide homestay for primary-aged international students. The student visa (Subclass 500) requires a parent, legal custodian, or approved relative to hold a Student Guardian visa (Subclass 590) and live with the child in Australia.
  • No English proficiency test requirement. Primary schools do not require AEAS or IELTS scores for entry. English language support is integrated into the classroom through EAL/D teaching, and young learners typically acquire English faster in an immersive environment.
  • Smaller school pool. Only 31 primary schools participate in the international programme, compared to 112 secondary schools. This makes primary places considerably more competitive in popular suburbs.
  • Year level availability varies by school. Unlike secondary schools, where most accept a continuous range of year levels, primary schools may have gaps — for example, Gordon East Public School accepts K, 2, 3, and 4 but not Year 1 in 2026, and Meadowbank Public School accepts K, 1, 3, 4, and 5 but not Year 2.

Application Timing for K–2 Entry

Primary school applications follow the same NSW DE International process as secondary applications but with different practical considerations:

  • Applications accepted year-round, but places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis within each school’s capacity
  • Term 1 (January) is the preferred intake point, with the highest number of available places
  • Kindergarten entry — children must turn 5 by 31 July of the enrolment year to start Kindergarten in NSW public schools
  • Lead time of 6–12 months is recommended to allow for CoE issuance, visa processing, and housing arrangement
  • Catchment schools fill faster — families who need a specific catchment school should apply earlier than those with out-of-area flexibility

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can a 5-year-old international student enrol in Kindergarten without a parent in Australia?

No. The Department of Home Affairs requires primary-aged international students to live with a parent, legal custodian, or approved relative holding a Student Guardian visa (Subclass 590). NSW public primary schools do not offer boarding or homestay for this age group.

Q2: What are the fees for primary school compared to secondary?

NSW DE International charges lower tuition fees for primary school (K–6) than for secondary (7–12). The exact annual fee is published on the DE International website and is updated each year. In addition to tuition, families should budget for uniforms, school supplies, and extracurricular activities.

Q3: If a child starts in Year 2, can they continue to Year 3 at the same school?

Yes — once enrolled, an international student can progress through the year levels the school offers, subject to continued visa validity and satisfactory academic progress. Some primary schools only go up to Year 4 or Year 5; families should plan for the transition to a secondary school well in advance.

Q4: Are there Mandarin or bilingual programmes at any of these schools?

NSW public primary schools offer community language programmes, but these are generally after-school or weekend programmes rather than bilingual immersion. Several of the schools on this list are in suburbs with significant Chinese-Australian communities (Hurstville, Carlingford, Epping, Chatswood area), which can ease the cultural transition even without formal Mandarin instruction.

Data Source and Methodology

All school names, year-level availability, catchment classifications, and enrolment policies in this article are drawn from the NSW Department of Education’s Government Schools Capacity Update, effective 1 June 2026. The dataset covers 31 public primary schools participating in the international student programme. Chatswood Public School is excluded from the K–2 count due to zero 2026 capacity. Catchment classifications come from the normalised catchment_required and out_of_area_ok fields; schools where both fields are false are listed as “unspecified”. Capacity data is a point-in-time snapshot and a guide only — it does not constitute a guarantee of placement.

Sources