Overview
Data you provide in the School Survey Data for Non-State Schools – Queensland 2026 (the Census form) assist the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board (the Board) to perform its statutory functions. The Queensland Department of Education (the department) also uses these data when assessing entitlement to allowances distributed to governing bodies of non state schools on behalf of the Queensland Minister for Education.
Overseas students are responsible for the cost of their own education. They do not receive state recurrent funding. Please do not include these students in any section of the Census form, except the Overseas students section.
You should also not include Students on visitor visas, bridging visas with study limitations or no visa in any section of the Census form, except the section Students on visitor visas, bridging visas with study limitation or no visa. These may be students who do not currently hold a visa to stay in Australia or are on a temporary/bridging visa that has limited study rights.
Census Day (Relevant day)
Census Day is the last Friday of February of each year. Complete the Census form using data as at Friday, 27 February 2026, except for Boarding fee concessions, which refers to 2025 data.
Return date
You will need to submit the completed Census form to the NSSAB Secretariat by Friday, 6 March 2026 (the Friday following Census Day).
Information collected
The Census form collects data on:
Retention of documentation
All enrolment, attendance and related documentation that you use to complete the Census form should be retained by the school/governing body for a period of five years from Census Day, and in a way that ensures the integrity and security of the data and documents.
Retention of birth certificates or other identity documentation
Authorised persons may request schools provide evidence of a school’s compliance with section 5(1) of the Regulation.
From 2025 onwards, schools are no longer required to demonstrate that copies of birth certificates have been obtained for each student, provided an alternative process has been implemented to verify a student’s identity.
While schools are not required to retain copies of birth certificates for enrolled students, the following requirements must be adhered to:
- If a school has obtained copies of birth certificates, these must be retained for a minimum of 5 years, in accordance with section 5(1)(a) of the Regulation; and
- Schools must sight birth certificates (or other suitable identifying documentation) for all enrolled students and maintain records that evidence this process.
The Board will accept a written record as evidence of compliance. This record may include a signed file note from an identified school officer, recording that a birth certificate (or other suitable identifying documentation) has been sighted, and recording the details of that document.
>> Enrolment verification program
Last updated 20 January, 2026