Largest CRICOS Tuition Fee Changes in September 2026
CRICOS.net’s comparison of the August and September 2026 course datasets identified 627 continuing course records with changed Tuition Fee values. Of these, 604 increased, 18 decreased and five previously blank fields received a value.
The largest published tuition increase was A$113,198 for St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith Ltd’s Primary course, CRICOS code 041263D. The largest decrease was A$88,064 for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program registered under The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane, code 112749A.
These findings describe changes between two register snapshots. They do not establish when a provider changed its prices, why a record was revised or what an individual student will pay. The amounts are published course-level figures and should not be read as annual tuition fees.
September 2026 tuition changes at a glance
The comparison matched 25,925 continuing records using CRICOS Provider Code and CRICOS Course Code. Tuition values changed in 627 of those records, equivalent to 2.42% of the matched population.
| Tuition Fee result | Continuing records |
| Numeric value increased | 604 |
| Numeric value decreased | 18 |
| Previously blank field received a value | 5 |
| Tuition value unchanged | 25,298 |
| Total continuing records | 25,925 |
Among the 622 records with changed numeric tuition values in both snapshots, 97.1% increased: 604 divided by 622.
The denominator matters. This does not mean that 97.1% of all CRICOS courses became more expensive. Most continuing records had unchanged tuition values, and newly added or removed course records are outside this fee comparison.
The figures are CRICOS.net calculations from the monthly datasets, rather than an Australian Government price index.
Ten largest published tuition increases
The table ranks changes by their absolute Australian-dollar amount. August and September refer to the 2026 dataset snapshots.
| CRICOS code | Provider — course | August tuition | September tuition | Increase |
| 041263D | St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith Ltd — Primary (Kindergarten to Year 6) | A$176,722 | A$289,920 | A$113,198 |
| 041264C | St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith Ltd — Junior Secondary (Years 7 to 10) | A$100,984 | A$202,520 | A$101,536 |
| 056962J | The University of Melbourne — Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental)/Doctor of Philosophy | A$241,332 | A$336,416 | A$95,084 |
| 107736D | University of Tasmania — Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine | A$455,588.30 | A$513,607.42 | A$58,019.12 |
| 075876E | St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith Ltd — International Baccalaureate | A$50,492 | A$104,495 | A$54,003 |
| 041265B | St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith Ltd — Senior Secondary (Years 11 and 12) | A$50,492 | A$104,490 | A$53,998 |
| 037232A | The University of Melbourne — Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy | A$341,886 | A$394,634 | A$52,748 |
| 118471M | The University of Melbourne — Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology)/Doctor of Philosophy | A$341,886 | A$394,634 | A$52,748 |
| 082479D | Rudolf Steiner Education Group Brisbane Inc — Junior Secondary Education (Class 7–10) | A$59,214 | A$109,760 | A$50,546 |
| 093278M | University of Tasmania — Advanced Diploma of Applied Science (Nautical Science) | A$59,374.13 | A$109,887.15 | A$50,513.02 |
Source: CRICOS.net analysis of the August and September 2026 course datasets. Some provider names are shortened for readability; course codes identify the records.
Five of the ten entries are school programs. Their titles cover school stages that can span several years, which is relevant when interpreting the size of the published amounts.
This ranking identifies the largest changes in recorded dollars. It does not rank annual price increases, affordability or the cost of equivalent qualifications. Comparing a primary-school program with a postgraduate degree requires additional information about duration and the period covered by each fee.
Largest published tuition decreases
The eight largest downward amounts cover nine records because three courses share a reduction of A$5,500.
| CRICOS code | Provider — course | August tuition | September tuition | Decrease |
| 112749A | The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane — International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (Prep to Year 6) | A$291,624 | A$203,560 | A$88,064 |
| 0100111 | The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane — Junior Secondary Studies (Years 7–10) Boys Only | A$203,560 | A$127,116 | A$76,444 |
| 029294J | The University of Melbourne — Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) | A$66,912 | A$43,904 | A$23,008 |
| 116041E | MARUTI GLOBAL PTY LTD — Certificate III in Carpentry | A$28,000 | A$15,000 | A$13,000 |
| 040663G | University of Tasmania — Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice | A$25,950 | A$13,225 | A$12,725 |
| 041920J | Pacific Group of Christian Schools Limited — Primary (Kindergarten to Year 6) | A$197,845 | A$190,565 | A$7,280 |
| 119322E | Sheila Baxter Training Centre Pty Ltd — Certificate III in Painting and Decorating | A$21,500 | A$16,000 | A$5,500 |
| 119323D | Sheila Baxter Training Centre Pty Ltd — Certificate III in Solid Plastering | A$21,500 | A$16,000 | A$5,500 |
| 119324C | Sheila Baxter Training Centre Pty Ltd — Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling | A$21,500 | A$16,000 | A$5,500 |
Source: CRICOS.net analysis of the August and September 2026 course datasets.
A lower value can reflect a revised fee, a correction or a change in the course information represented. The comparison records the before-and-after values but does not provide the provider’s explanation.
Several reductions also coincide with changes in registered duration, making a simple “discount” interpretation particularly unreliable.
Six tuition decreases accompanied shorter course durations
Of the 627 records with changed tuition fields, seven also had a changed Duration (Weeks) field. Six of those seven recorded lower tuition and shorter durations.
| CRICOS code | Course | Duration: August → September | Tuition: August → September |
| 116041E | Certificate III in Carpentry | 96 → 54 weeks | A$28,000 → A$15,000 |
| 119322E | Certificate III in Painting and Decorating | 92 → 52 weeks | A$21,500 → A$16,000 |
| 119323D | Certificate III in Solid Plastering | 92 → 52 weeks | A$21,500 → A$16,000 |
| 119324C | Certificate III in Wall and Floor Tiling | 92 → 52 weeks | A$21,500 → A$16,000 |
| 121031J | Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying | 76 → 52 weeks | A$20,000 → A$16,000 |
| 120946G | Certificate III in Bricklaying and Blocklaying | 60 → 54 weeks | A$15,000 → A$13,000 |
Source: CRICOS.net cross-check of Tuition Fee and Duration (Weeks) changes within the same matched records.
The seventh case was the University of Technology Sydney’s Master of Quantitative Finance, code 088930G. Its duration changed from 56 to 78 weeks, while tuition moved from A$75,367.50 to A$75,368—a difference of just A$0.50.
These simultaneous changes do not establish causation. They show why the tuition field should be read alongside other registration details.
Dividing a published amount by its duration can help examine differences, but the resulting figure is not necessarily the provider’s weekly teaching rate or billing schedule. Registered weeks and the period used to calculate fees need to be checked before making that comparison.
Tuition and total course cost can move differently
Three fee fields changed in the September comparison:
| Field | Records changed | Numeric increases | Numeric decreases | Blank to value |
| Tuition Fee | 627 | 604 | 18 | 5 |
| Non Tuition Fee | 346 | 325 | 16 | 5 |
| Estimated Total Course Cost | 629 | 611 | 18 | 0 |
These counts overlap. A single course may appear in all three rows, so the figures must not be added together as a count of distinct courses.
The following examples show how tuition and non-tuition movements combine in the published total-cost field.
| CRICOS code | Tuition change | Non-tuition change | Estimated total-cost change |
| 041263D — St Paul’s Primary | +A$113,198 | +A$15,705 | +A$128,903 |
| 082479D — Rudolf Steiner Junior Secondary | +A$50,546 | +A$32,200 | +A$82,746 |
| 041264C — St Paul’s Junior Secondary | +A$101,536 | −A$9,210 | +A$92,326 |
St Paul’s Primary had the largest increase in Estimated Total Course Cost, rising from A$179,067 to A$307,970.
For Rudolf Steiner’s Junior Secondary record, the non-tuition increase added A$32,200 beyond the tuition movement. For St Paul’s Junior Secondary record, a lower non-tuition value partly offset the tuition increase.
A tuition-only comparison would miss both effects. Even the Estimated Total Course Cost field should be checked against the provider’s current documentation rather than treated as a personalised study and living-cost budget.
What the September figures establish
The analysis establishes that particular fields differed between the August and September snapshots for the same provider-code/course-code pairs.
It does not establish:
- the date a revised fee took effect;
- whether it applies to existing students or a future intake;
- whether a change was a price revision or a data correction;
- the scholarship or credit arrangements available to an applicant;
- the amount payable under an individual offer.
The ranking also provides no evidence about teaching quality, student demand or graduate employment outcomes.
The Australian Government’s explanation of CRICOS registration provides the regulatory context for the register. The monthly fee comparison presented here is a separate CRICOS.net analysis.
How to check a course before using its fee in a budget
Start with the CRICOS code rather than the course title alone. Similar titles can refer to different registrations, providers or qualification levels.
Use the official CRICOS course search to check the current record, then compare it with the provider’s fee information and offer documentation.
For a course appearing in this report, confirm:
- Course identity: the provider and CRICOS code match the intended program.
- Fee period: the amount covers the whole course, a year or another specified period.
- Duration: the current registered duration and the duration relevant to the student’s offer.
- Additional costs: compulsory non-tuition charges and what they include.
- Applicability: the intake, study load and fee conditions covered by the quote.
For context on the previous reporting period, CRICOS.net’s August 2026 course update compares July with August. Its findings use a different month-to-month window and should remain separate from the September figures above.
Methodology and data limitations
CRICOS.net matched the August and September 2026 course datasets using a composite key: CRICOS Provider Code + CRICOS Course Code. The fee analysis covers 25,925 records present in both snapshots.
Currency symbols and thousands separators were removed before comparing numeric values. A positive difference was classified as an increase and a negative difference as a decrease. Five Tuition Fee fields that changed from blank to a number were reported separately because they have no numeric starting value.
The rankings use:
September published value − August published value
Amounts are expressed in Australian dollars. Rankings are ordered by dollar change, without annualising fees or adjusting for course duration. They measure changes in recorded amounts and are not an inflation index.
The 97.1% increase share uses only the 622 tuition records with changed numeric values in both snapshots. The 2.42% change share uses all 25,925 continuing records and includes the five blank-to-value transitions.
Duration changes were cross-checked within the same matched records. They identify concurrent revisions, not the reason for a fee change.
This article uses CRICOS.net’s saved August–September comparison outputs, including the field-level change records. Government links provide register access and regulatory context; they do not independently reproduce these historical rankings. Current records may have changed after the September snapshot.