- Kumon Australia and New Zealand has around 300 centres and has operated here since 1984.
- Instructors pay a fixed royalty per enrolled student per subject, which covers worksheets and their delivery. There’s no separate marketing levy.
- Because the royalty is fixed per subject, your tuition pricing and enrolment numbers decide profit.
Kumon is a Japanese after-school maths and reading program. Franchisees are called Instructors and run study centres where students work through worksheets at their own level. Kumon Australia and New Zealand has around 300 centres.
The economics are different from a food franchise: there’s little stock and no kitchen, and income depends on enrolments, retention and fees.
Kumon franchise at a glance
| Sector | After-school education |
|---|---|
| Franchisor | Kumon Australia and New Zealand |
| In Australia since | 1984 |
| Network | About 300 centres |
| Royalty | Fixed amount per enrolled student per subject; covers worksheets and freight |
| Marketing levy | None separate from the royalty |
| Training | New Instructor Development Programme |
Figures come from the public sources listed at the end of this guide and can change. Treat them as a starting point and confirm current numbers in the franchise disclosure document.
How the Kumon model works financially
A Kumon centre earns monthly tuition per subject. Because the royalty is a fixed amount per subject enrolled, every dollar you charge above it, after your other costs, is yours. That makes the gap between your fee and the royalty, and your enrolment numbers, the key drivers.
Costs are mainly rent for the study space, assistant wages and local marketing. Enrolments build over time, so a new centre needs cash to cover fixed costs until it reaches a sustainable number of subjects.
The numbers to test before you buy a Kumon franchise
- The royalty per subject and how and when it can change.
- Your planned tuition fee and local competition.
- Enrolments needed to break even after rent and assistant wages.
- Time to build enrolments and the cash needed meanwhile.
- Rent for a suitable study space.
- Student retention and withdrawal patterns.
Buying an existing Kumon centre
Kumon centres are sometimes transferred to new Instructors with franchisor approval. Ask for enrolment history by subject and month, withdrawal rates and the current fee schedule, and reconcile income to bank statements.
How Franchise Co. can help with a Kumon purchase
We work with buyers and owners of franchise businesses across Australia. For a Kumon centre we can:
- Review the numbers before you sign. Our business due diligence starts from $2,000 + GST and tests enrolments, fee levels, royalty and fixed costs to find the break-even point.
- Set up the structure and the books. Entity choice, GST, payroll and a chart of accounts that tracks enrolments and income per subject. See accounting and tax and bookkeeping, BAS and payroll.
- Check your franchise fees. We reconcile per-subject royalties to the sales they’re calculated on. See royalties and franchise fees.
- Plan the next centre. If a second site is on the cards, we model the cash flow and funding first. See multi-site reporting.
Kumon franchise FAQs
How does the Kumon royalty work?
Instructors pay a fixed amount per enrolled student per subject. It covers worksheets and their delivery, and there’s no separate marketing levy.
How many Kumon centres are there in Australia?
Kumon Australia and New Zealand has around 300 centres.
How do Kumon centres make money?
From monthly tuition per subject. Profit depends on enrolments, the fee you charge and your fixed costs such as rent and assistants.
What does it take to break even?
Divide your monthly fixed costs by the margin per subject (your fee less the royalty and other per-student costs). That tells you how many subjects you need.
Franchise Co. is an independent accounting practice. We aren’t affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Kumon or Kumon Australia and New Zealand. Kumon is a trademark of its owner and is used here only to identify the brand this guide discusses.
Sources and further reading
- Franchise Business: Kumon Australia and New Zealand
- Franchise Business: Kumon royalty and materials
- Franchise Business: Kumon worksheets and freight
- ACCC: Franchise disclosure document
Sources checked November 2026. Franchise costs and fees change. Confirm current figures with the franchisor before acting.
This guide is general information for people considering a franchise in Australia. It doesn’t take your circumstances into account and isn’t personal tax, legal or financial advice.
Talk it through
Every franchise is different. Ask us how this applies to yours.
