1.     What is the Education Access Scheme?

Sydney Zoo Education has created the Education Access Scheme to increase access to our zoo and increase participation in sustainability and conservation education.

For a fee of $1,500 for the 2025 Academic Year, institutions who are eligible will access a range of benefits including:

• Unlimited self-guided visits under a school membership to Sydney Zoo during school terms*
• Discounts on additional activities, such as workshops, at certain times of the year**
• Support for teaching staff to make the most of the Scheme.

* Subject to availability based on our daily capacity. Included adult tickets within defined ratios only. Additional adult tickets or services such as workshops are subject to additional fees. For more details see here.

**Upgrade to the discounted workshop tickets only available in Term 1 and 4. Full workshop prices apply during peak periods in Term 2 and 3.

Any workshops or additional activities are additional costs as per the terms and conditions of the scheme.

2.    Eligibility

• Education institutions within Greater Sydney (as defined by the NSW Government) are eligible to apply to join the Education Access Scheme at Sydney Zoo. Education institutions include schools, whose purpose is to provide formal learning for children & young people.
• To be eligible to apply institutions must meet a level of disadvantage
  • An ICSEA value of approximately 950 or below on Myschool.edu.au will be the indicator used by Sydney Zoo of the level of disadvantage of a school. However, eligibility assessment may take into account other factors as necessary in the application if an ICSEA value does not apply or there are other relevant factors, and eligibility will be at Sydney Zoo Education management team’s discretion.
• Institutions will need to be able to confirm their ICSEA value to apply.
• Uniformed groups (e.g. Girl Guides or Scouts), youth groups and child minders are not eligible.
• Institutions not meeting the above criteria may be permitted to join the Education Access Scheme only at the discretion of Sydney Zoo because of an agreed partnership, working towards shared objectives.
• If an establishment has more than one campus/site which all operate under one name, then all geographical sites will be required to register individually.
• An institution must be registered within Greater Sydney to be eligible.

3.    Fees and Payment

• The fee to join the 2025 Education Access Scheme is $1,500.00 including GST.
• Upon acceptance of the Education Access Scheme, you will be sent an invoice. Your access to the Education Access Scheme will not commence until payment has been received in full.
• The Education Access Scheme runs across each academic year and will end on the last day of Term 4 each year as published by the NSW Government – https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/calendars/2025 .
• The fee to join is required in full regardless of the date at which the Education Access Scheme was joined.
• Additional fees for visits not included in the Scheme (such as educational workshops) must be paid for at least 7 days ahead of a planned trip. Sydney Zoo reserves the right to refuse to book future trips until outstanding payments have been made.

4.   Upgrade to a workshop:

Teachers may choose to upgrade a visit and add a Sydney Zoo workshop led by Sydney Zoo education staff. The 2025 Education Access Scheme workshop price is $7 per student during Terms 1, 4 and Science Week, regardless of if the program chosen is a Bungarribee Dreaming, Living World or special event workshop such as Science Week.

5.    Terms and Conditions

5a. Inclusions and exclusions

• Education institutions that are eligible and are accepted into the scheme are entitled to the benefits of the scheme for the remainder of the academic year upon which they join.
• Education institutions can apply to join the Scheme at any time. However, regardless of the time at which they join the Scheme, the Scheme benefits will expire on the last day of Term 4 that year.
• The fee will not be pro-rated for part of the year.
• These benefits include unlimited self-guided visits to Sydney Zoo, subject to availability and prebooking dates. Discounts on upgrading to workshops at $7 per student, available in Term 1 and 4 only and also for special education events outside Term 1 and 4 such as Science Week (August 10-18, 2025).
• Workshops booked in peak periods (Term 2 and 3, 2025) may be subject to full workshop fees.
• These benefits exclude any incursion or online workshops.
• Self-guided education rate tickets are subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to:
  • Availability: Only available on weekdays during NSW Public School term-time, subject to availability. They are not available at weekends, public holidays, or school holidays. All tickets/visits must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Sydney Zoo works to pre-defined school term dates set by the NSW Department of Education (https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/calendars/2025). Please note that, as set out in the general conditions of entry, we may need to close or adjust opening and closing times. Examples would be if we are required to do so by law, for safety (e.g. very high winds), and for required maintenance and upkeep.
  • Access: Access for all participants to Sydney Zoo through this program is subject to Sydney Zoo’s Standard Conditions of Entry (https://sydneyzoo.com/entry/)
  • Supervising adults: Our supervision ratios vary depending on the stage and level of your students as per our booking prices here. In addition, you are able to bring 1-to-1 staff who are supporting students with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities, free of charge. Any additional adult tickets required must be paid for at $21 per adult.
  • Payment: Any additional adults or activities must be paid for at least 7 days before the trip.
  • Parking: Sydney Zoo has free bus/coach parking facilities. Buses and coaches can drop students off at the front entry and then if needed, can park in the overflow carpark area. Smaller buses and cars can park in the main carpark area.
  • Lunch spots: Sydney Zoo does not have a pre-bookable lunch space for groups bringing their own food. There are a number of spaces around the Zoo that groups can sit to eat food they have brought with them.
  • Pre-school groups: If your school has a pre-school associated with it, they are included within the Education Access Scheme. Supervising adult ratios still apply. Any additional adult tickets required must be paid for.
• There is no limit to how many term-time self-guided visits a school can book across an academic year as part of the Education Access Scheme, but they are subject to availability as we operate at a limited daily capacity for education visits. All tickets must be booked in advance. You may be refused entry if you do not prebook.
• All education institutions who have been accepted onto the Education Access Scheme must ensure the tickets are used only by the students, teachers and carers at the accepted education institution. These tickets are non-transferable.
• Education institutions who are part of the Education Access Scheme are required to contribute to our ongoing evaluation. See Appendix 1. All evaluation will comply with Sydney Zoo’s privacy policy.
• Sydney Zoo’s Education Access Scheme does not include the cost of transport.
• Tickets are non-transferable to other attractions or persons and may not be resold or transferred. If any person attempts to enter the Zoo with a ticket that has been resold/given away without Sydney Zoo’s written consent, Sydney Zoo will refuse entry, and your institution may be removed from the Education Access Scheme. No compensation is payable to either organisation by Sydney Zoo.
• The Education Access Scheme cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount.

5b. Cancellations

Your right to cancel

• If you tell us that you have changed your mind about joining the Education Access Scheme within 14 days of paying the fee, we will cancel your access and give you a refund. If you have used the Education Access Scheme within the 14-day cooling off period but then change your mind and tell us you wish to cancel, we will deduct the normal retail price of the relevant tickets and activities from your refund.
• You are not entitled to a refund if you cancel after the 14-day cooling off period.
• Education Access Scheme trips are subject to the same cancellation policy as standard trips, as described in Sydney Zoo’s cancellation policy.
• Repeated failure to not show up for planned trips without adequate notice given may result in your access to the Education Access Scheme being terminated.
• If a group does not show up for a booked visit and the trip has not been cancelled in advance, Sydney Zoo reserves the right to charge a $100 cancellation fee on top of any additional visit charges.

Our right to cancel

• In most circumstances, we expect that your access to the Education Access Scheme will run for the duration of the academic year. However, in exceptional circumstances, we reserve the right to terminate your access early with no right of refund to you for the unexpired portion.
• Examples of the above-mentioned exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to:
  • misuse of the Education Access Scheme or benefits (such as by selling, lending, or otherwise transferring your tickets to someone else without permission from Sydney Zoo).
  • engaging in behaviour to any of our members of staff, volunteers, or animals which we reasonably consider to be harmful, abusive or threatening.
  • repeatedly not showing up for planned educational trips with no notice or reason given.
• If you disagree with any decision by us to terminate your access to the Education Access Scheme in this way, then you have the right to seek a review of this decision by emailing your reasons to education@sydneyzoo.com
• Sydney Zoo reserves the right to alter planned activities on any given day due to circumstances such as, but not limited to, animal welfare, health issues, staff shortages or bad weather. If this happens then the activity will be replaced with another similar activity if available, or an alternative date will be offered to you. If a similar activity or date cannot be offered, a full refund will be provided if this was a paid-for event. Sydney Zoo endeavours to keep such changes to a minimum and will notify you as soon as possible.
• Sydney Zoo cannot cover travel or any other related costs if it is forced to cancel or reschedule an activity.

5c. Sydney Zoo’s privacy policy

• Sydney Zoo is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with their obligations under data protection legislation.
• The Sydney Zoo privacy policy explains what information Sydney Zoo collects about you and how it will be used. You can read our full privacy policy

Evaluation requirements

Evaluation of the Education Access Scheme includes, but is not limited to, providing details to Sydney Zoo about how visits and other opportunities are linked to classroom topics, questionnaires for participating teachers and students after certain events or at set intervals across the year. Students will not be asked to complete questionnaires without the consent of the teacher present. All evaluation will comply with Sydney Zoo’s privacy policy.