Subsidies

Services eligible for the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (QKFS) qualify for the standard subsidy. Other subsidies may also be available depending on your circumstances.

Read more about QKFS eligibility and application processes.

Standard subsidy

Services that meet the eligibility criteria will receive a standard subsidy per eligible child enrolled (eligible children must be at least 4 by 30 June in the year they are enrolled):

• Kindergarten services will receive up to $2439 per eligible child per year.
• Long day care services will receive up to $1438 per eligible child per year. (This rate is lower because families with children attending long day care services can access childcare benefits and rebates to reduce their costs.)

Other subsidies

Your eligibility for the remote area and low socio-economic subsidies will be automatically assessed when you apply for QKFS—no further application is necessary.

The Health Care Card and multiple birth subsidies are not automatically assessed.

Remote area subsidy

This subsidy provides additional support for services in remote and very remote areas to attract and retain qualified early childhood teachers.

A loading of 50% of the standard subsidy rate applies per eligible child.

View a map to see what areas are classified as ‘remote’ or ‘very remote’ by the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia.

Low socio-economic subsidy

This subsidy reduces expenses for parents.

For kindergarten services there is a loading per eligible child of:

• 45% of the standard subsidy rate if you operate within the bottom 20% of areas identified by the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA)
• 30% of the standard subsidy rate if you operate within the next bottom 20% of areas identified by SEIFA.

For long day care services there is a loading per eligible child of 25% of the standard subsidy rate if you operate within the bottom 20% of areas identified by SEIFA.

Health Care Card subsidy

This subsidy is provided directly to services to reduce expenses for eligible parents.

The subsidy is worth up to:

• $2698* per eligible child per year to families accessing a kindergarten service
• $1082* per eligible child per year for families accessing a kindergarten program at a long day care service.

You can claim the Health Care Card subsidy if a family presents:

• a current Health Care Card (in the parent, foster parent or the child’s name)
• an Australian Government Pension Concession Card with automatic Health Care Card entitlements
• formal communication such as a letter from the relevant agency stating the intent to issue a Health Care Card.

You will need to keep a copy of the Health Care Card for audit purposes.

*The Health Care Card subsidy is adjusted if you are also receiving the low socio-economic subsidy—see some adjustment examples for more information.

Multiple births subsidy

Families with multiple births of three or more children are eligible for the same reduced costs as Health Care Card holders. Proof of the children’s dates of birth is required to access the subsidy.