Kindergarten Allocations and Offers

Council manages enrolments for kindergartens that are part of the central enrolment system.

When allocating places, we are required to give preference to children who meet the Victorian Government's Priority of Access requirements, and then to children of Monash residents and ratepayers.

To be considered in the first, second and third round allocations for the following kindergarten year, families must submit an application by 30 June. Please note, we do not prioritise early applications.

Council sends families first-round offers for places in mid-July, and second- and third-round offers by mid-August.

To view the enrolment process, visit Kindergarten Enrolments.

Availability at individual kindergartens depends on the number of sessions, the kindergarten's policies and the number of places it can offer. These are decided each year by the kindergarten's Early Years Management Service or its Committee of Management.

After the first 3 rounds, we send out offers for the applications submitted after 30 June. Offers continue to be made throughout the year until kindergartens are full and/or all children have been offered a place. 

Once families accept offers through the Council's central enrolment platform, we send the lists to individual kindergartens. The kindergartens then contact families to complete the enrolment process.

Submitting an early application or early expression of interest does not guarantee a place in the nominated kindergarten or in any kindergarten in the municipality.

Enrolment in a 3-year-old kindergarten program does not guarantee a place in the 4-year-old program at the same kindergarten, however, does give you a higher priority as outlined in the priority of access criteria below. 

Each year's applications are processed and allocated separately. Please note you cannot apply for 3 and 4-year-old kindergartens on the same form.

If you would like more information on the enrolment process, please contact the Kindergarten Support Officer on kinderenrolments@monash.vic.gov.au or call 03 9518 3555.

Priority of Access Criteria

If more eligible children apply for a place at a kindergarten service than there are places available, services must:

  • Work with other local kindergarten services and the regional Department of Education office to ensure all eligible children have access to a kindergarten place.
  • Prioritise high-priority children in accordance with the Victorian Government’s Priority of Access criteria.

Please note, the Victorian Government’s Priority of Access criteria have been recently updated (below) and are not yet updated in the Monash Kindergarten Registration and Enrolment Policy and Procedure.

Victorian Government’s Priority of Access criteria

Firstly:

  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children.
  • Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in out-of-home care.
  • Asylum seeker and refugee children.
  • Children and/or families holding concession cards.
  • Children from families with multiple births (triplets or more).
  • Children and/or families with additional needs who require additional assistance to fully participate in the kindergarten program, including those with a diagnosed disability or developmental delay, are undergoing assessment of a disability or developmental delay, have complex medical needs, or are eligible for Early Childhood Intervention Services.
  • Children accessing an additional year of 3 or 4-year-old Kindergarten or Pre-Prep.

Followed by: Children currently attending the service who are seeking to stay at the same service the following year.

More information: Victorian Government Priority of Access criteria

Additional priority access questions set by Monash kindergartens:

  • Does the child reside in City of Monash?
  • Does the child have a sibling who attended the same kindergarten in the past 3 years?
  • What is the proximity of the child’s residence to kindergarten in a straight line?

Change of Kindergarten Preference

The new online application and expression of interest replaced the previous online parent portal on 24 September 2025.

To change your address, contact details or kindergarten preferences, please contact the Kindergarten Support Officer on kinderenrolments@monash.vic.gov.au or 03 9518 3555 and we will email you a link to update your details.

If you submit a change of preference before 30 June in the year before your child is expected to attend, your application will still be included in the first-round offers. We do not prioritise early applications.

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