Free Kinder in Victoria
The Victorian Government funds up to 15 hours of kindergarten per week for eligible 3 and 4-year-olds — at no cost to families. All Jenny's ELC centres participate.
How much can your family save?
3-Year-Old Kinder
Up to $2,101
Based on 15 hours/week. Savings start from $700 for 5 hours/week, scaling up as hours increase.
Available at all Jenny's ELC centres
4-Year-Old Kinder
$2,101
15 hours per week of funded kindergarten. Applied as a fee offset — you pay less, not claim it back.
Available at all Jenny's ELC centres
4-Year-Old Pre-Prep
Up to $4,202
As 4-Year-Old Kinder transitions to Pre-Prep, funded hours for Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong are increasing to 25 hours/week from 2032, and 30 hours/week from 2033.
Increasing hours from 2032
Savings figures sourced from vic.gov.au/free-kinder. Updated March 2026.
Simple. Automatic. No forms to fill.
Enrol at a Jenny's ELC centre
Choose a participating Jenny's ELC centre in Bendigo, Ballarat or Geelong and enrol your 3 or 4-year-old in a kindergarten program.
We apply the funding directly
Victorian Government funding for the kinder component is applied as a credit to your family account. We will guide you through the required declaration for your nominated service.
You pay the reduced fee
Long day care fees still apply for education and care beyond the funded kinder component. The funding credit reduces your weekly fee, and CCS may then reduce the remaining cost for eligible families.
Sign the one-service declaration
Because Free Kinder can only be claimed at one service at a time, we'll ask you to sign a simple declaration confirming Jenny's ELC is your nominated Free Kinder provider.
Every child deserves a great start — with access to funded kindergarten.
Understanding Free Kinder eligibility.
The Victorian Government designed Free Kinder to be universal. There are no income tests, no Health Care Card requirements, and no citizenship requirements.
No income test or means testing
No Health Care Card or Pension Card required
No Australian citizenship required
Available at standalone kinder and long day care
Available in addition to Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
Available for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds
Available at participating Jenny's ELC centres
Free Kinder and CCS work together. Free Kinder is a Victorian Government program that operates separately from the Federal Government's Child Care Subsidy (CCS). You can receive both at the same time — Free Kinder reduces your base fee, and CCS is then calculated on the remaining amount. This means eligible families can achieve very significant reductions in their total childcare costs.
Understanding funded hours
3-Year-Old Kinder
Programs currently run for between 5 and 15 hours per week. The Victorian Government is progressively increasing funded hours to 15 hours per week by 2029.
4-Year-Old Kinder / Pre-Prep
Currently 15 hours per week. For Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong specifically, funded hours increase to 16–25 hours/week from 2032, and up to 30 hours/week from 2033, as part of the statewide Pre-Prep roll-out.
Hours and savings figures are based on Victorian Government Free Kinder rates published at vic.gov.au (page updated March 2026). View official rates at vic.gov.au
Pre-Prep roll-out timing for Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong sourced from vic.gov.au/pre-prep-roll-out-schedule. Updated March 2026.
Free Kinder at Jenny's ELC.
Participating centres in Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong offer funded 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten. Our team can explain how the funding applies to your child and service.
Ballarat
- The Arch (Alfredton)
- Ballarat Central
- Delacombe
- Soldiers Hill
- Winter Valley
Free Kinder questions answered
Does Free Kinder mean my child attends for free?
At long day care centres like Jenny's ELC, Free Kinder works as a fee offset — it reduces your weekly fees by the funded amount. It doesn't mean zero fees, because long day care provides education and care beyond the kinder program hours. However, combined with Child Care Subsidy (CCS), many families find their out-of-pocket costs are very manageable.
Can I receive Free Kinder and Child Care Subsidy (CCS) at the same time?
Yes. Free Kinder and CCS are separate programs from different levels of government. Free Kinder reduces your base fee first, then CCS is calculated on the remaining amount. This means eligible families can benefit from both simultaneously.
Do I need to apply for Free Kinder?
No. At Jenny's ELC, we handle the Free Kinder registration on your behalf. Once your child is enrolled in a kinder program, we apply the funding automatically. You'll just need to sign a simple declaration confirming we're your nominated Free Kinder provider.
My child is 3 — are they eligible for Free Kinder?
Yes. Victoria's Free Kinder program covers both 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten programs. For 3-year-olds, the funded hours are currently between 5 and 15 hours per week (increasing to 15 hours by 2029).
What is Pre-Prep and how does it differ from 4-Year-Old Kinder?
Pre-Prep is the new name for 4-Year-Old Kindergarten as part of Victoria's Best Start, Best Life reforms. The program is the same quality teacher-led experience, but hours are being progressively increased — for Jenny's ELC families in Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong, this means 16–25 hours from 2032, rising to 30 hours from 2033. Funding increases with the hours.
Can I access Free Kinder at more than one service?
No. Free Kinder can only be claimed at one service at a time. If your child attends multiple services, you'll need to nominate one as your Free Kinder provider. You can change your nominated provider during the year if needed.
Ready to make the most of Free Kinder?
Book a free tour at your nearest Jenny's ELC centre. Our team will walk you through exactly how Free Kinder applies to your family and what your fees will look like.