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Kindy savings

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Please note that this page only refers to savings available until 31 December 2023. From 1 January 2024, ​kindy will be free​. V​isit the ​free kindy​ page to find out more.

​From 1 January 2023, many Queensland families have access to free or cheaper kindy.​

Whether your child attends kindy in a sessional kindergarten or in a long day care, it may be free or cheaper if you are eligible for Kindy plus or you receive Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

Check your eligibility and savings for 2023 kindy today by using the steps below.

Eligibility checker​​​

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Step 1: Do you want to calculate the subsidy for sessional kindy or kindy in a long day care?

A Queensland Government approved kindergarten program is for children who are at least 4 years old by 30 June. Queensland Kindergarten Funding is for children who attend a 600-hour annual kindy program.

Sessional kindy
Approved sessional kindergartens run 600-hour kindy programs for set terms and hours during a year. They provide kindergarten without extended hours of care.

Long day care
Approved long day care services providing kindergarten usually operate at least 10 hours a day, Monday to Friday, for at least 48 weeks a year. They provide a 600-hour kindergarten program and extended hours of care. Long day care services may also attract the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy to reduce fees.

Learn more about the different types of kindergarten.

Step 2: Kindy plus eligibility

Do 1 or more of the following apply to you or your child who will be attending kindy:

  • hold a current Australian Government Health Care Card (HCC) with the child named on the card
  • hold a current Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card (automatic HCC entitlements)
  • hold a Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card or White Card
  • have formal communication, such as a letter, from the relevant agency stating the intent to issue a HCC
  • have evidence of formal foster or kinship care arrangements
  • identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • have 3 or more children, of the same age, enrolled in the same year
  • have a child who is identified as living in a formal child protection out-of-home-care arrangement
  • are a family and child who have entered Australia under the Australian Government’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program, or is in the process of seeking asylum and holds a temporary visa.


Step 3: Family Tax Benefit eligibility

Has your family been confirmed as eligible for Family Tax Benefit (either FTB A or FTB B)?

If you are not sure of your eligibility for Family Tax Benefit please visit the Family Tax Benefit page.


The Queensland Government will make your kindy free.

The Queensland Government will meet your out-of-pocket costs for your sessional kindy 600-hour program. Please confirm your eligibility with your chosen kindergarten provider.

The Queensland Government will make your kindy cheaper.

The Queensland Government will reduce your out-of-pocket costs for your sessional kindy 600-hour program by $3,544 per year. Please confirm your eligibility and the actual fees with your chosen kindergarten provider.

The Queensland Government will make your kindy cheaper.

The Queensland Government will reduce your out-of-pocket costs for your sessional kindy 600-hour program by $1,500 per year. Please confirm your actual fees with your chosen kindergarten provider.

The Queensland Government may make your kindy free.

The Queensland Government will reduce your out-of-pocket costs for your long day care 600-hour kindy program by $1,409.50 per year. Depending on the fees charged by your provider, this may make your kindy free.

Please confirm your eligibility and the actual fees with your chosen kindergarten provider.

The Queensland Government will make your kindy cheaper.

The Queensland Government will reduce your out-of-pocket costs for your long day care 600-hour kindy program by $500 per year. Please confirm your eligibility and the actual fees with your chosen kindergarten provider.

You are not eligible for a subsidy.

Based on the information provided, you are not eligible for a Queensland Government long day care 600-hour kindy program subsidy. Please confirm this and your actual fees with your chosen kindergarten provider.

Eligibility criteria

Kindy plus

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may be eligible for Kindy plus or fee-free kindy. Do you:

  • hold a current Australian Government Health Care Card (HCC) with the child named on the card?
  • hold a current Australian Government Pensioner Concession Card (automatic HCC entitlements)?
  • hold a Department of Veterans' Affairs Gold Card or White Card?
  • have formal communication, such as a letter, from the relevant agency stating the intent to issue a HCC?
  • have evidence of formal foster or kinship care arrangements?
  • have 3 or more children of the same age enrolled in the same year?
  • have a child who is identified as living in a formal child protection out-of-home care arrangement?
  • identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?
  • hold a temporary visa and in the process of seeking asylum, or are you a family and child who have entered Australia under the Australian Government's Refugee and Humanitarian Program?

In addition, if you attend a sessional kindy and experience temporary financial hardship you may be eligible for the Kindy plus subsidy.

Next steps if you're eligible for Kindy plus

Talk to your kindy provider (sessional kindergarten or kindy in a long day care) to confirm your eligibility.

If you haven't selected a kindy provider, visit the Starting Blocks website.

Next steps if you are not eligible for Kindy plus

If you answered no to any of the above, you still may be eligible for cheaper kindy if you receive Family Tax Benefit or attend a sessional kindergarten.

Kindy Family Tax Benefit (Kindy FTB) subsidy

Note: You are only eligible to apply for the Kindy FTB subsidy if you do not meet the above Kindy plus criteria.

If you receive FTB, there are reduced fees regardless of whether you attend a sessional or long day care kindergarten.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, kindy is cheaper in 2023 for your kindy-aged child. Do you receive:

  • Australian Government Family Tax Benefit A?

    • and/or

  • Australian Government Family Tax Benefit B?

Different saving amounts apply if you are eligible for FTB, for example, you will receive:

  • up to $3,544 per year if your child is enrolled in a sessional kindergarten
  • $500 per year if your child attends kindy in a long day care. The difference is less than in a sessional kindy because you also receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) from the Australian Government.

Read more about Family Tax Benefit.

Next steps if you're eligible for FTB

Talk to your kindy provider (sessional kindergarten or kindy in a long day care) to confirm your eligibility and your final out-of-pocket costs.

If you haven't selected a kindy provider, visit the Starting Blocks website.

You will need to give your kindy provider your FTB reconciliation, also known as a balancing letter. This letter confirms that you receive FTB and are eligible to also receive the Kindy FBT subsidy.

Read the below frequently asked questions about cheaper kindy and kindy savings in 2023.

Frequently asked questions

Cheaper kindy

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Kindy savings

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What does the kindy savings webpage do?

The eligibility checker helps determine if you’re eligible for a Queensland Government subsidy to make kindy cheaper from 2023.

Do I receive the kindy savings directly?

No. The kindy savings or subsidies are provided directly to your kindergarten program provider to pass on through your reduced fees. Confirm your kindy savings eligibility with your kindergarten program provider.

Does the kindy savings webpage tell me how much kindy will cost?

The eligibility checker shows you the overall annual kindy savings or subsidies you are eligible for. Your kindergarten program provider will apply your savings to your fees and tell you what kindy will cost.

Do I have to show proof I'm eligible for a kindy subsidy or fee free kindy?

You are encouraged to take your result from the eligibility checker to your chosen kindergarten program provider. You may need evidence or documentation on enrolment to enable the provider to confirm your eligibility and apply your savings. For example, you may have to show your Health Care Card if that is a subsidy you are claiming.

How do I know what my out-of-pocket costs will be?

Each kindy is different and sets their fees individually. You will need to check what daily fees are set by your provider and what your Child Care Subsidy entitlement is if attending a long day care service. The eligibility checker tells you what your annual fee reduction is from the Queensland Government. For some families kindy may be free from 2023. Talk directly with your kindergarten program provider to determine your out-of-pocket costs.

Why are there different savings for attending a sessional kindy or kindy in a long day care?

The eligibility checker provides different results for sessional kindy or long day care. This is because families accessing kindy through a long day care service can access the Child Care Subsidy from the Australian Government, which already reduces their out-of-pocket costs.

Will the kindy savings affect my Child Care Subsidy (CCS)?

The Queensland Government is helping families to reduce their kindy fees. The new subsidies are in addition to any Australian Government or CCS entitlements, making kindy even cheaper. Talk directly with your kindergarten program provider to determine your final out-of-pocket costs.

I haven’t selected a provider or enrolled my child yet. Will this change my results?

No, your results won't change unless your circumstances change, for example, if you decide to go to a sessional kindy instead of a kindy in a long day care. Head to the Starting Block website to find your nearest kindergarten program provider. All government approved kindergarten program providers will apply the kindy savings.

Does the new Queensland Government subsidy help pay for additional child care?

The new Queensland Government kindy subsidies help to reduce the cost of the 15-hours-per-week kindy program. A kindy program is delivered by qualified early childhood teachers through an approved program. This is 600 hours per year or 40 weeks per year. Additional hours at child care may attract other fees.

If my child moves kindergartens, am I still eligible for the kindy savings?

Unless your eligibility changes, if you move from one sessional kindergarten to another, or from one long day care service to another, your kindy subsidies will follow you. If you move from one setting to another e.g sessional kindy to long day care, subsidies amounts will change as different subsidies apply to each service type. Check the kindy savings webpage for more information about eligibility.

Will my kindy savings be applied to any kindy?

Different subsidies are available for kindy through long day care and sessional kindergarten. Your savings will depend on what setting you use. Subsidies are provided directly to your kindergarten program provider to pass on through your reduced fees. Kindy subsidies are provided to 1 kindergarten program provider per eligible family.​​

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Last updated 12 September 2023