Help with school costs and fees
There are options if you’re having difficulties with school costs.
On this page
There are options if you’re having difficulties with school costs.
You can:
- talk to your school about your situation. They may be able to arrange a payment plan or look at other options.
- ask about support from State Schools’ Relief and the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund
- use the payment and service finder to see if you can get support from the Commonwealth government.
- use the Crisis Referral Information System to find support near you.
- ask your school about support services in your area.
Your school cannot stop your child from learning the standard curriculum if you can’t pay.
Get further advice
If you’ve spoken with your school and are not happy with the response:
- Speak to the school principal first.
- If things are still not resolved, contact us via your closest regional hotline.
Help from State Schools’ Relief
Help is available through the Affordable School Uniforms program to meet the costs of uniforms and other key school items.
Support is available from State Schools’ Relief if you have a child at a Victorian government school and are facing, for example:
- serious financial difficulty
- crisis situations such as homelessness, family violence and natural disasters
- out of home care
- refugee status
Victorian state government school students are eligible to receive uniform items, school shoes, stationery packs and other essential school items such as travel passes at no cost.
State Schools’ Relief assistance will be provided either by direct supply of items or via a voucher for redemption from school uniform suppliers.
Apply
Speak to your child’s school to get the support you need. You can discuss your requirements with:
- the school principal
- assistant principal
- a student welfare coordinator.
They will work with you to identify the need and will apply for assistance directly with State Schools’ Relief on your behalf .
If your child is beginning prep or year 7 and is eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund, they can automatically receive help with school uniform support. Schools make CSEF uniform applications on behalf of families at designated times during the school year. This assistance is additional to the application-based support available to all eligible families through the Affordable School Uniforms program that is available year-round.
Background
State Schools’ Relief is an organisation that helps children stay in education. They provide practical and confidential support for thousands of families in need and work with all government schools to ensure that students facing hardship and/or crisis situations have the necessary items they require for school.
Since 2015, the Victorian government has provided $42.7 million to State Schools’ Relief to help them provide uniforms and essential school items to Victorian students through the Affordable School Uniforms program. An additional $32.9 million for the continuance of the Affordable School Uniforms program was announced in the 2024 State Budget.
Learn more about the organisation on the State Schools’ Relief website.
Updated 26 March 2026
About the VIC Government
- The Premier and ministers
- Find a Vic Gov department, agency or service
- Strategies and policies
- Inquiries and royal commissions
Grants and programs
Jobs and careers
Arts, culture and heritage
Business and the workplace
- Mentally Healthy Workplaces Framework
- Portable Long Service Authority
- Victoria’s racing industry
- Workforce Inspectorate Victoria
- Liquor licensing, sale and supply
Communities
- Children
- First Peoples - State Relations
- Finding records
- Gender equality & women’s leadership
- LGBTIQA+ equality
- Multicultural communities
- Seniors Online
- Veterans support and commemoration
- Volunteering in Victoria
- Youth Central
Education and training
- Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority
- Early childhood education – information for professionals
- Kinder: Best Start, Best Life
- Education – information for parents
- Schools.Vic - information for schools
- Education grants, programs, awards and events
- PROTECT
- TAFE, training and universities sector
- TAFE Victoria
- Victorian Skills Authority
- Apprenticeships Victoria
- Learn Local
Environment, water and energy
Finance and economy
Health and social support
- Family violence reform
- NDIS Worker Screening Check
- NDIS and disability services and support in Victoria
- Patient Review Panel
- Transforming Trauma Victoria
Housing and property
Law and justice
- Adoption
- Births, deaths and marriages
- Honorary justices
- Machete ban
- Safeguarding Victorians against terrorism
- Stolen Generations Reparations Package
- Victims of Crime
- Victorian Racing Tribunal
Safety and emergencies
- Emergency Recovery Victoria
- Victorian Emergency Relief and Recovery Foundation
- Emergency Recovery Resource Portal
- How well do you know fire
- Fire Services Reform
- Water safety
- Marine Search and Rescue
Science and technology
- Data sharing and open data
- Data.vic - discover and access Vic Gov open data
- Developer.Vic - portal for API developers
- Go.vic URL shortener
- Vic Gov IT project dashboard
- Victoria’s free public wi-fi network
- Cyber security in the Victorian Government
Sport and recreation
Traffic and transport
- Cameras Save Lives
- Transport Fines
- Getting Around
- Transport Planning
- Transport Future
- Climate Change and transport
- Future Directions For Transport
- Transport projects
- Ports and Freight
Working in the Victorian Government
- Single Digital Presence home
- Accommodation and Library Services
- Executive employment in the Victorian public sector
- Budget, procurement and funding
- Careers in the Victorian Government
- Council and Regulator Toolkit
- Guidelines for working in government
- Join a government network
- Standards and guidelines
- VicFleet CarPool
- Victorian Government style guide