Pre-Prep in Monash
Pre‑Prep is Victoria's new name for 4-year-old kindergarten and will gradually roll out across the state from 2025 to 2036.
Under the Victorian Government's planned roll-out, families eligible for Pre-Prep can access more funded hours for 4-year-olds enrolled in funded kindergartens. Understand funded hours.
Is my child eligible for Pre-Prep?
From 2026, some children in the City of Monash will have early access to Pre‑Prep (priority groups):
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
- Children from refugee or asylum seeker backgrounds.
- Children who have had contact with Child Protection services.
- Children supported by Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning programs.
More priority groups will be added as the Pre-Prep roll out continues.
If your family is not in these priority groups, you can still access 15 funded hours per week under the Victorian Government's 4-Year-Old Kindergarten program.
Use the Pre-Prep calculator to check your family's eligibility.
Pre-prep calculator
Pre-Prep funded hours for 2026 priority groups
If your child belongs to one of the priority groups listed above, your family can access:
- Between 16 and 25 hours per week from 2026
- Between 16 and 30 hours from 2028.
- Minimum enrolment: From 2026, funded Pre‑Prep requires at least 16 hours per week across 40 weeks (640 hours per year).
Funded hours apply differently to standalone (sessional) kindergartens and kinder programs in long day care (integrated).
Monash Council does not manage enrolments for kindergartens in long day care or independent schools. Please contact these directly for information about Pre-Prep.
What to do if your child is eligible for Pre-Prep
Enrolling in 2026
If you belong to a priority group and are enrolling for the current year (2026), please contact our kindergarten enrolments team before submitting your application to discuss available services.
To contact our kindergarten enrolments team, email kinderenrolments@monash.vic.gov.au or call 03 9518 3555.
Attending in 2027 (enrolments not yet open)
If you belong to a priority group and your child will attend Pre-Prep in 2027, wait until applications open in early June 2026 and select your priority group in our online enrolment form when you apply.
You can do this under the section of the form: "Additional information about your child"
You can also submit an Expression of Interest for 2027 now, and indicate your priority group status on the form.
This helps our enrolment team and kindergarten service providers better manage hours across services.
Attending in 2028 or later (enrolments not yet open)
If you belong to a priority group and your child will attend Pre-Prep in 2028 or later, you can select your priority group if you submit an Expression of Interest form.
You can do this under the section of the form: "Additional information about your child".
Alternatively, you can select your priority group when enrolment applications open in June the year before your child attends kindergarten.
Universal access
If your family is not in these priority groups, you can still access 15 funded hours per week under the Victorian Government’s 4-Year-Old Kindergarten program.
Pre-Prep for all families in Monash is scheduled to start rolling out in 2034. This also applies to all other local councils in Metropolitan Melbourne.
The staged schedule allows time to grow the workforce, build the infrastructure and prepare services for expanded programs.
Pre-Prep roll out schedule
Contact details
For more information about Pre-Prep in Monash, please contact our kindergarten enrolments team on kinderenrolments@monash.vic.gov.au or call 03 9518 3555.
Fore more information about the Pre-Prep transition and rollout of hours, visit the Victorian Government website.