Education business ideas with a startup budget over $20,000
39 ideas
These 39 education ideas suit people who have meaningful capital to invest and want to build a premises-based business rather than a side project. Examples include a small local language school, a small group tutoring centre and a dance studio with a full weekly timetable.
Cookery school with its own teaching kitchen
Open a small teaching kitchen with regular courses for home cooks and aspiring professionals.
- A$60k-200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small music school with teaching rooms
Rent a small space and run a school with several teachers covering different instruments.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small independent kindergarten centre
Open a small, local early learning centre caring for and teaching young children in a leased or purpose-fitted space.
- A$250k-800k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Sessional kindergarten in a hired hall
Run a part-week kindergarten program from a community hall or hired room, with lower setup costs than a full centre.
- A$20k-90k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small adult learning centre with your own classrooms
Rent a small space and run a timetable of evening and weekend courses taught by you and local tutors.
- A$15k-60k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small neighbourhood preschool centre
Run a licensed play-based preschool in leased premises for local children in the years before school.
- A$150k-450k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Sessional preschool in a hired community hall
Run morning or part-week preschool sessions from a hired hall, keeping fit-out and lease costs lower.
- A$15k-60k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small children's farm with bookable visits
Open a small farm where families and school groups meet friendly animals and join hands-on farming sessions.
- A$15k-70k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Mobile farm animal visits for kids
Bring a small group of friendly farm animals to schools, parties and events for hands-on learning.
- A$5k-25k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Beginner woodworking classes in a small workshop
Run evening and weekend woodworking classes for beginners from a rented unit or shared workshop.
- A$8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small exam coaching centre
Rent a small space and run weekly classes and tutoring for entrance and standardised exams.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local tutoring centre
Rent a small space and run after-school tutoring for primary and high school students.
- A$5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small local training centre
Run short courses in your own small training room for locals, employers and funded learners.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Approved after-school care service
Run a registered outside school hours care service for local primary school children in a hired hall or school space.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small specialist training college (RTO)
Set up a small registered training organisation teaching one nationally recognised qualification in a trade or care area.
- A$20k-90k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small bilingual early learning centre
Open a small centre where qualified staff teach and care for young children in two languages.
- A$150k-600k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Dance studio with a full weekly timetable
Lease a small studio and run a full timetable of classes for children and adults, with a team of teachers.
- A$15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small child care centre
Open a small centre with qualified educators caring for babies and toddlers while parents work.
- A$300k-1500k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Chinese language school with its own rooms
Lease a small teaching space and run Chinese classes on weekdays after school, plus weekends.
- A$8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small language school with its own space
Open a small language school with rented rooms, a timetable and a few part-time teachers.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small specialist apprenticeship training centre
Run a small registered training organisation teaching apprentices in one trade, paid by employers and government funding.
- A$20k-80k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small local tuition centre
Rent a small space and run weekly small-group classes helping students prepare for school and exam goals.
- A$8k-35k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small Montessori preschool centre
Run a small, approved preschool in rented premises using Montessori methods for local children, with fees paid by parents.
- A$200k-600k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Small local language school
Rent a small room and run weekly language classes for adults, kids and local businesses.
- A$5k-25k
- Part-time
- Own premises
About these ideas
Higher budgets usually go towards leasing and fitting out rooms, equipment, insurance, qualified staff and enrolment systems. Before you commit, check which licences, approvals, qualifications and background checks apply to your chosen idea and state, especially if you will work with children. Test local demand, compare rents and work out how many students you need each week to cover costs. Start by visiting similar centres nearby and speaking with parents or learners.
More ideas
- Small accredited trade training school
- Hands-on cabling and fibre workshops
- French language school with premises
- Hands-on technical short-course workshop
- Local study and tuition centre
- Small group tutoring centre
- First aid training room for the public
- Residential English camp for visiting groups
- Small accounting classroom and workshop centre
- Drum school with its own studio
- Shared woodwork and craft workshop
- Community makerspace with classes
- Small real estate training school
- Small software training centre
- Small independent nursery school
Questions
What should I check before leasing premises for an education business?
Check that the zoning and lease terms allow your intended use, and ask your local council about any approvals. Also look at parking, accessibility, noise, fit-out rules and whether the space can handle your planned class sizes.
Do I need qualifications or approvals to run an education business in Australia?
It depends on the idea. Early learning, after-school care and vocational training can involve regulators, staff qualifications and child safety checks. Contact your state or territory authority and relevant national bodies to confirm what applies to you.
How can I plan finances for an education business costing over $20,000?
List your setup costs, ongoing rent, wages, insurance and marketing, then estimate how many enrolments you need to break even. Allow a buffer for slow early months, and consider speaking with an accountant before committing funds.