School EntryCALCULATORAUSTRALIA · VIC
Five by 30 April · Foundation (Prep) · Source check: 21 October 2026
PLAN THE YEARS AHEAD
Plan school entry or estimate Year 12 completion for a child already at school. Birth dates stay in this browser.
THEIR NEXT CHAPTER
| School year | Year level | Age on 1 January | Age turning that year | Stage |
|---|
For standard Victorian school entry, children must turn five by 30 April in the year they start Foundation, also called Prep. A birthday from 1 May produces the following year's standard entry result.
Check the official VIC entry guidance ↗Victoria's first school year is Foundation, also called Prep. This page separates Foundation eligibility from kindergarten participation and the application process for a government-school place.
A child born on 30 April 2022 has a standard Foundation result of 2027. Moving the birthday one day forward to 1 May 2022 changes the result to 2028. This boundary matters when comparing friends from the same kindergarten room: being in the same preschool program does not by itself establish the same school-entry year.
Treat eligibility and school choice as two separate tasks. First establish the likely Foundation year, then check the school zone for that year using Find my School. If your family expects to move, ask the intended school which address evidence and timing it requires. A calculation cannot verify a future address or secure an enrolment.
For a 15 May 2022 birthday, the Victorian first-entry projection is Foundation in 2028. South Australia's standard pathway starts Reception in Term 3 of 2027 but includes Reception again in 2028. Both projections reach Year 1 in 2029. An earlier first attendance year does not always mean an earlier numbered grade.
Children can start Foundation (Prep) if they turn five by 30 April in the year they start. Enrolment applications and school zones are separate from age eligibility.
The standard entry cohort includes children who turn five by 30 April in the year they start Foundation. A birthday on 1 May moves the standard entry calculation to the following year.
Schooling is compulsory once a child turns six, subject to applicable exemptions. If a later Foundation start is being considered, ask the school how the age requirement applies to the proposed start date.
Use Victoria's Find my School service when considering a local government school. Zones may change between enrolment years, so a map checked for an older sibling is not necessarily sufficient for a new application.
The ordinary pathway moves from Year 6 to Year 7. Begin the secondary placement conversation with the primary school in time for the relevant application process. The timeline helps identify that year; it does not submit an application.
These fictional examples illustrate the boundary. They are not records of real children.
Example date of birth
Year 1: 2028. Standard progression shown.
Example date of birth
Year 1: 2029. Standard progression shown.
| Example birthday | First school year | Intake | Year 1 | Year 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 April 2022 | 2027 · Foundation (Prep) | Term 1 | 2028 | 2039 |
| 1 May 2022 | 2028 · Foundation (Prep) | Term 1 | 2029 | 2040 |
No. Both names are used for the first school year in Victoria.
The calculator uses the child's full date of birth and the school-entry cutoff. A preschool program name alone does not determine Foundation eligibility.
Use the official Find my School service for the intended entry year, then confirm application steps with the school.
Foundation is the first school year before Year 1. It is also commonly called Prep; the two names do not represent consecutive grades.
No. Kindergarten is an earlier program. Calculate Foundation from the full birthday, then coordinate the transition with the kindergarten and school.
A South Australian mid-year entrant completes six terms of Reception. The additional Reception calendar year can bring Year 1 into line with a later Victorian Foundation start.
Keep the calculated year and intake handy when you contact the school. Ask it to confirm the plan before changing childcare, work or moving arrangements.
Standard entry rules checked 21 October 2026. Future entry projections run through 2032. Earlier birth years are supported as estimates using the current rule, not a verified historical rule. Compare the projected year level with the student’s actual year level. Confirm current enrolment requirements with your school.
Five by 31 July
Term 1: before 1 May · Term 3: 1 May–31 October
Five by 1 January
READ & PLAN
