Enrolment

Enrolment preference is given to students or families with an established Catholic connection. To establish this, families must obtain a Preference of Enrolment Certificate from their Parish Priest. A student qualifies for preference enrolment if they meet one of the following criteria:

• The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.
• The child’s parents/guardians have already baptised one or more children in the Catholic faith.
• At least one parent/guardian is a Catholic, and although their child has not yet been baptised, their involvement in the school may lead to baptism.
• With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant Catholic family member (e.g. grandparent, aunt, or uncle) who lives nearby and is actively involved in the child’s upbringing undertakes to support the child’s formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church.
• One or both of a child’s non-Catholic parents/guardians are preparing to become a Catholic.

Aquinas College welcomes non-preference (non-Catholic) families to apply for enrolment. However, as a Catholic school, preference applications are given priority.

The number of non-preference places available each year is limited and depends on the number of preference applications received. Due to high demand, non-preference enrolment is highly competitive.

Attendance Dues are a compulsory fee and a condition of enrolment at integrated schools. They are a key source of funding for the maintenance or upgrading of existing school buildings.

The 2025 Aquinas College Attendance Dues for Year 7 or 8 students are $516 per student and $1,032 per Year 9 to 13 student. Attendance Dues are invoiced from and payable to the Catholic Integrated Schools Office. It is administered and collected by the Hamilton Diocese Office. For more information, please visit our School Fees page.

In addition, the Aquinas Board requests a voluntary contribution from families to support the resources and facilities that enhance every student’s education. This Aquinas College Contribution is $1,200 for one student, with a maximum contribution per family of $3,000.

The Aquinas Board has set the 2025 Aquinas Contribution at $1,200 per annum per student. The contribution provides crucial funding for many of the vital services we offer students. As a high decile school (now renamed the Equity Index), our government funding per student is lower than schools with a higher index, leaving Aquinas with a funding shortfall. We need your support.

The Aquinas College Contribution consists of:

1. $1,000 – Education Enrichment Contribution
2. $200 – Building Fund Contribution (collected on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton)

Education Enrichment Contribution

Your school contribution helps pay for additional staffing above Ministry-approved levels and boosts our teacher aide funding. It bankrolls targeted programmes for literacy and numeracy support, student well-being services, and additional school counsellors. Unlike most schools, we have two counsellors — a staffing commitment that significantly exceeds our government funding.

Funding from Education Enrichment Contribution also helps support students in need — helping them attend school trips, join sports teams, and access school uniforms. It provides vital assistance to Aquinas families experiencing hardship.

Building Fund Contribution

Collected on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, the fund helps maintain and improve our school’s facilities. It supports projects such as:

• Construction of the new Joy (Arts) Block
• Redevelopment of the Family (Technology) Block
• Refurbishment of the Administration Block

Since our land and buildings are owned by the Catholic Diocese, government funding for building development is lower than that provided to state schools. For generations, Aquinas families have supported the Building Fund, ensuring quality facilities for future students. By choosing Aquinas College, we encourage you to continue this tradition of support.