Schools and early learning – Handy Australian Links. An easy to use list of links to education websites in Australia. A great resource for teaching in the classroom, homeschooling or research

The Australian education system is open to everyone in Australia offering both public schools and private schools. The Australian government encourages everyone to continue their education throughout their life with a variety of educational programs.

Australian School Requirements

School is compulsory for all children between 5 and 15 years of age. These ages may vary slightly in some states so contact your local school for specific requirements.

Each state government manages the school systems within their own state. The curriculum taught may vary in each school or state, but the learning areas are the same in all.

Public and Private Australian Schools

Australia has public and private schooling. The government provides free public schooling. To enrol in a private school (religious, etc.) requires tuition fees, etc. paid to that school by the students’ parents or guardians.

For the year 2004, Australia had 9,615 schools and 3.35 million students. That’s 16.75% of the Australia population.

Type of School		Schools	Students
Government	72.2%	6,938	2.260,000
Catholic Church	17.6%	1,695	666,358
Independent	10.2%	682	417,289

Education for Older Students

Each state has a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) or a Vocational Education and Training (VET) system. VET/TAFE courses prepare people for careers that do not need a university degree. A typical course takes 2 years of study and is transferable between all states.

University education is available in all states. A typical university course takes 3 to 4 years of study. The national government provides the funding for universities in all the states.

State & Territory Government Education Departments

1. Australian Capital Territory
2. Queensland
3. New South Wales
4. Northern Territory
5. South Australia
6. Tasmania
7. Victoria
8. Western Australia

Independent Schools

9. Independent Schools Council of Australia

Religion Based Schools

10. Australian Assoc of Christian Schools
11. Christian Schools Australia Limited
12. National Catholic Education Commission
13. Lutheran Schools

Other Helpful Information

14. Open Colleges – online courses
15. Study In Australia – government website
16. Study Options
17. Open Learning Australia
18. StudentNet
19. Girl Guides of Australia – Scouts
20. Scout Association of Australia
    Boy Scouts
21. Britannica