Help paying for early childhood education

All 3, 4 and 5-year-olds can get up to 20 hours of early childhood education (ECE) fully funded by the Ministry of Education.

Get up to 20 hours a week of funded ECE

For the Ministry of Education to pay for up to 20 hours of your child’s ECE, you’ll need to:

  • find an early learning service that offers 20 hours of funded ECE
  • enrol your child with the service
  • state on the enrolment form which days and hours you’ll claim for your child — no more than 6 hours in a day and 20 hours in a week.

Your early learning service can charge you for any hours your child attends outside of the fully funded hours.

Finding an early learning service for your child’s ECE

Not all early learning services offer 20 hours of funded ECE. Check the details before you enrol your child.

Find an early learning service: check for 20 hours of funded ECE — Education Counts

Fees and ongoing costs for ECE

While up to 20 hours of ECE are fully funded, there are other costs to know about. Each early learning service charges different fees, which depend on different factors.

The Ministry of Education recommends checking the fees and conditions with early learning services before enrolling.

Choosing an early learning service — Ministry of Education

More information — 20 hours of funded ECE

The Ministry of Education has information about:

  • home-based ECE services
  • receiving the ECE funding
  • enrolment fees and which other fees are allowed
  • donations and optional charges
  • splitting your fully funded hours of ECE across early learning services
  • possible minimum hours and days of enrolment at some early learning services.

20 hours funding for early childhood education — Ministry of Education

More help with ECE costs

If you qualify, you can get more help with the costs of ECE.

Childcare subsidy — Work and Income

Some people will also be able to claim a childcare subsidy to help with other ECE costs. You cannot claim the subsidy for the same hours you’re claiming for full funding.

Childcare subsidy — Work and Income

FamilyBoost — Inland Revenue

With Inland Revenue (IR):

Save your ECE invoices for each 3-month period

  • July to September
  • October to December
  • January to March
  • April to June.

Overview of FamilyBoost — IR

Apply for FamilyBoost money every 3 months

After each 3-month period ends, apply for the FamilyBoost money.

Use your FamilyBoost account (set up when you register) in myIR.

FamilyBoost: contact us — IR

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

Utility links and page information

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