Many private schools across Australia are charging between $70 and $500 in non-refundable application fees and as much as $7200 in enrolment fees that are required to accept a place at the school.
A recent survey of more than 2000 parents conducted by finder.com.au found that 6 per cent said they had paid application fees for multiple private schools.
NSW enrolment figures show that 11 per cent of primary school students and 16.6 per cent of high school students attend non-Catholic independent schools, a total of more than 161,550 students.
Bessie Hassan, money expert at finder.com.au, said applying to multiple schools can become financially difficult for some families, especially soon after having a child.
"Even if families will be able to afford said school fees in the future, their kids may not be in the running because their parents couldn't afford to put their name down when they were a baby," Ms Hassan said.
"The schools will take your money whether or not you have any chance of even being offered a place due to limited available places."
Scots College, which had year 12 school fees of nearly $35,000 last year, is charging parents a $500 application fee followed by a non-refundable $5000 entrance fee to accept an offer.
Cranbrook School, which has one of the highest fees in Sydney at $37,230 for year 12 this year, has an application fee of $300 and a non-refundable enrolment fee of $7275 to accept a place at the school.
Knox Grammar School has an application fee of $380, while Sydney Grammar charges $253 and Newington College has a fee of $250.
Head of the Association of Independent Schools of NSW Geoff Newcombe said not all private schools charge enrolment or waiting list fees, which cover the administrative costs of managing applications.
"They also act to discourage parents from applying for a place at several schools for the same child, and to ensure proper notice is given by parents if they withdraw their child," Dr Newcombe said.
He said approaches to enrolment fees also vary between schools, with some not charging the fee or refunding it by reducing the amount from the first year's school fees.
Lecturer in education at Deakin University Emma Rowe said school application fees and competitive waiting lists are the result of Australia's "segregated education system".
"Schools are asking for an indication of a family's socioeconomic status from the offset and this is incredibly prohibitive for students from families who simply don't have the financial means," Dr Rowe said.
"A lot of middle-class parents, they all seem to know that as soon as your kid is born, you start looking for a secondary school. A lot of parents describe it as quite intense pressure from the get-go.
"There's relentless competition to avoid schools that are residualised, with a higher proportion of low-socioeconomic students. That's the problem with having such a segregated system."
Education reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald
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