BCYF & Bethany have merged! Our two like-minded not-for-profit organisations are now Meli. Learn more

How to register and enrol

1. Check your child’s age

Your child can attend two years of kindergarten – three-year-old (first year) and four-year-old (second year) kindergarten. 

They must turn three or four by April 30 in the year they start their kindergarten program. 

For example, if your child turns three in May they start three-year-old kindergarten when they’re about 3.5 years old. 

Check your child’s eligibility using the kindergarten calculator below:

 

2. Choose your kindergarten and register

Find your local Meli kindergarten and watch our virtual tours here.

Register your preferences of Meli kindergartens you’d like your child to attend here.

 

Explore Kindergartens Register now

3. Accept your child’s place and enrol

You will receive a notice from us for an offer of a Meli kindergarten place.  2025 Allocation Dates

When you accept your child’s offer, you will be asked to select which session group you would prefer.

You will receive a seperate link to complete an enrolment form once your session group has been confirmed.

4. Prepare for your child’s first day

To ensure you and your child are as prepared as possible check out our First Day at Kindergarten page.

Here you’ll find helpful tricks and tips to reducing separation anxiety, a list of what to pack and an informative video detailing what to expect on your child’s first day.

For a comprehensive guide, read through our Parent Information Handbook.

The registration process

Meli Kindergartens offers places for both three and four-year-old kindergarten programs. 

Kindergarten registrations are open all year. We provide families with key dates each year to register and accept a place. First round registrations close near the end of Term 2 of the school year. 

Fill out your child’s details on our online registration form and list up to three Meli Kindergartens in the order of your preference. If you haven’t considered more than one place, you can view our virtual tours to find suitable kindergartens for your family.  

Kindergarten places are offered in accordance with the agreed registration dates for that year and the priority of access criteria outlined by the Department of Education and Training (DET). 

When all registrations are equal, places are allocated using a computer generated random process.

Priority 1 Criteria: Victorian Kindergarten Guidelines Criteria
 

  • Children at risk of abuse or neglect and children in out-of-home care 
  • Children exposed to increased vulnerability as evidenced by referral from child protection, early intervention and/or family support agency 
  • Children who have been granted approval to receive funding for a second year of kindergarten in accordance with The Victorian Kindergarten Guide, Part B Guidelines for a second year of kindergarten 
  • A child who identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
    Children with additional needs who:
     
  • require additional assistance in order to fully participate in the kindergarten program 
  • require a combination of services which are individually planned 
  • have an identified specific disability or developmental delay 

 Children who hold, or has a parent or guardian who holds: 

  • a Commonwealth Health Care Card 
  • a Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card 
  • a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or White Card 
  • a Refugee/Special Humanitarian Visa 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, or 217 
  • Asylum Seeker Bridging Visa A, B, C, D, E or F 

Multiple birth children (triplets or a greater multiple), as identified on their birth certificate  

 Priority 2 Criteria:  

  • Children who have prior association with the centre. 

Priority 3 Criteria: 

  • Children who live in the local government area 
  • Children whose families are in the process of moving to the local government area 
  • Children who are cared for within the local government area 
  • Children whose families work or study in the local government area. 

Kindergarten places are offered in accordance with the agreed registration dates for that year and the priority of access criteria outlined by the Department of Education and Training (DET). 

The first round offers of a kindergarten place will be sent to families in the first week of Term 3. 2025 Allocation Dates

The offer must be accepted by the date indicated on the offer. If you elect to wait for a place in another kindergarten, you must contact BKS in writing to advise that you are declining the first round offer and indicate the kindergarten you are wanting to be wait listed for. 

Failure to respond to an offer of a kindergarten place will result in your child’s kindergarten registration being cancelled and the place being offered to another family. 

If there are no available places at your preferred kindergarten/s, your child will remain on a waiting list until a place becomes available. 

Applications submitted after the second last Friday of Term 2 in the year prior to attending kindergarten are considered late applications and are not included in the first round of allocations. All applications are included in subsequent allocation rounds. 

When you accept your child’s offer for a place at a Meli Kindergartens, you will be asked to tell us which group you prefer. Each group at a Meli Kindergarten has a specific set of session times and days that your child attends. 

For example, the Blue group might hold sessions 9am-2pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 

The earlier you send your completed acceptance documents, the more likely it is that you’ll get allocated to your preferred group. We stamp the date and time on each application to confirm the order in which families are allocated to groups. 

All offers of kindergarten places are subject to families providing an up to date Australian Immunisation Record Immunisation History Statement for their child. You can access these through your MyGov account. 

We strongly advise families to hold off from making any permanent care and/or education arrangements until you receive group confirmation. 

If you decide to wait for a place at another kindergarten, refer to What if I don’t want to accept the place my child was offered? 

If you elect to wait for a place in another kindergarten, you must contact Meli Kindergartens in writing to advise that you are declining the first round offer and indicate the kindergarten you are wanting to be wait listed for. 

Failure to respond to an offer of a kindergarten place will result in your child’s kindergarten registration being cancelled and the place being offered to another family. 

To secure a place for a kindergarten, it’s best to register your child for a place early in the year before your child will start. Registrations generally close just before the end of Term 2. 

If there are no available places at your preferred kindergarten/s, your child will remain on a waiting list until a place becomes available. 

Change your enrolment

Whenever you move house, you must update your details. 

Email enrolments@meli.org.au and Meli will provide you a link to update your details. 

If your move means your child can no longer attend kindergarten, read the instructions under How do I cancel my kindergarten place. 

If you withdraw your child before the end of Term 3 in the year before they attend 

You must provide written notice. Meli will provide a refund of any enrolment acceptance fees. You will not receive a refund for the registration fee. 

If you withdraw your child before the end of Term 4 in the year before they attend 

You must provide written notice. Meli will provide a 50% refund of any enrolment acceptance fees. You will not receive a refund for the registration fee. 

If you withdraw your child after the end of Term 4 in the year before they attend 

You must provide written notice, however you will not be eligible for a refund of any fees, except in extraordinary circumstances. 

If you un-enrol your child during the kindergarten year 

You must provide Meli with 4 weeks’ notice in writing that your child no longer requires a place. 

If you provide at least 4 weeks’ written notice, Meli might adjust your child’s term fees to a pro rata rate based on the weeks they attended. 

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