A child must be at least 4 years of age by 30 June in the year they commence kindergarten.
Service providers may only claim funding for each enrolled, eligible child.
Check the
kindy age calculator to determine when parents or carers can enrol their child in your kindergarten program.
Proof of age
Parents or carers must show you evidence of their child's date of birth, for example, a birth certificate.
You need to keep a copy as a record.
Kindergarten services should check their
central governing body's policies and procedures for collecting and documenting proof of date of birth.
Enrolment in more than 1 kindergarten program
Subsidies only apply for a child's enrolment in 1 approved kindergarten program at a time.
All services must have processes to avoid the likelihood of a child being subsidised to take part in 2 funded programs at the same time.
For example, on your service's enrolment form, you may ask families to state if their child is attending another service and if that service offers an approved kindergarten program.
If a child is enrolled in 2 long day care services or 2 sessional kindergartens, you should ask the parent or carer to nominate which service they wish to receive Queensland Kindergarten Funding. Only the service the parent or carer nominates can include the child in their funding claim.
If a child is enrolled in an approved kindergarten program in both a sessional kindergarten and a long day care service, the sessional kindergarten will receive kindergarten funding for the child.
A child cannot be enrolled in 2 programs at 2 different sessional kindergartens until after 28 February.
Sessional kindergartens or long day care services may charge families fees where another service is receiving kindergarten funding for the child.
Contact us if you are aware a child is attending 2 services with approved kindergarten programs.
Inclusive programs
Inclusion subsidies are provided to service providers to support inclusion of all eligible children in an approved kindergarten program irrespective of diversity of background or additional needs. Funding is provided to ensure all eligible children meaningfully participate in kindergarten on the same basis as their peers.
Learn more about:
Early Prep enrolment
If your child will benefit from a delayed entry to Prep they will still be eligible for Queensland Kindergarten Funding.
Your child must be enrolled in school (Prep) when they turn compulsory school age (that is, at least 6 years and 6 months). Parents who decide to delay their child's start in Prep may choose to keep their child at home or in an early childhood service.
Read about
early and delayed entry to Prep.
Enrolment of non-eligible children
Service providers must prioritise enrolment of eligible children into approved kindergartens prior to opening additional programs or enrolling non-eligible children (3-year-olds).
Service providers should only offer non-eligible children places in an approved kindergarten program after finalising the enrolment of eligible children. To ensure there are sufficient places for families to enrol their eligible child in a kindergarten program, sessional kindergartens must not offer non-eligible children places until after 28 February.
Service must charge full fees for non-eligible children and the Queensland Government will not offset this cost to families. The out-of-pocket expense for families of non-eligible children must be based on the full cost of operating the program.