Schooling in Australia – An Overview

Compulsory education in Australia starts at around the age of five or six years, with minor variations between states and territories. A school year in Australia starts in late January or early February finishing in December and is divided into 4 terms with each state defining the start and end dates of these terms differently. All schools in Australia are the responsibility of and are registered with the state or territory education department and are subject to government requirements in terms of infrastructure and teacher registration.

The Department of Education and Training works with states, territories and non-government education providers so all children have access to education that meets their needs. Formal schooling in Australia starts with a Foundation Year (a year before Year 1, which is known in different states either as Kindergarten, Preparatory Year, Pre-primary, Transition or Reception), followed by 12 years of primary and secondary school.

• Pre-School / Kindergarten: Before formal schooling, many children attend preschool or kindergarten (also known as early childhood education), which provides a structured learning environment for children aged 3 to 5 years. These programs focus on socialization, basic numeracy, literacy, and cognitive skills. While not compulsory, preschool is highly encouraged.
• Primary school – Runs for seven or eight years (depending upon the state), starting at Kindergarten/Preparatory through to Year 6 or 7 (Age Group: 5 to 12 years). In most states and territories, children must attend school from the age of 5 or 6 until they turn 16 (or complete Year 10). The curriculum for primary school typically includes English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Physical Education, Arts, and Languages.
• Secondary school – Runs for three or four years, from Years 7 to 10 or 8 to 10. Students study a broad range of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Health and Physical Education.
• Senior secondary school – Runs for two years, Years 11 and 12. Students typically choose a specialized set of subjects, such as English, Mathematics, Science, History, Business, and Technology, depending on their future career or university aspirations.

Types of Schools

In the choices depending upon the types of Schools Australia has three types

• Public (state) Schools are run by and funded by government.
• Private Schools are run privately but in some cases may be subsidised by the government
• Catholic Schools run by Catholics and subsidised by government.

Regardless of whether a school is government or private, it is regulated by the same curriculum standards framework. Most schools, government and private, enforce a uniform or dress code, although there are varying expectations.

Australian Curriculum

The Australian Curriculum is a national curriculum that sets out what students are expected to learn in each subject area at each grade level. It covers:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences (History, Geography, Civics, and Citizenship)
• Health and Physical Education
• The Arts
• Technologies
• Languages

This ensures that students across the country have a consistent and quality education, while also allowing for flexibility in teaching methods and content based on local needs.

School Fees

The below fees are an indication for citizens and permanent residents in Australia. Individuals on other types of visa in Australia may have to pay higher.

Public (state) schools: They offer free education, however, many schools ask parents to pay a voluntary contribution fee and a materials and services charge that could amount to anywhere between $200 to $1000 a year.

International students attending government schools are generally required to pay tuition fees, which can vary by state and school. These fees can range from $8,000 to $20,000 per year.

Private schools: $5000 to $30,000 a year. Private schools may follow the Australian curriculum or provide an alternative curriculum, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, which is widely recognized globally.

Catholic schools: $600 to $6000 a year

An additional cost will be associated with uniforms, books, stationary and other stuff like application and enrollment fees.

School Terms in Australia

School terms are divided into four terms each year:

• Term 1: Late January to April
• Term 2: April to June
• Term 3: July to September
• Term 4: October to December

Each term typically lasts around 10 weeks, with two-week breaks in between terms. The longest break is the summer holidays, which run from mid-December to late January.

Australia is a popular destination for international students and or children of people who are temporarily working in Australia, with a large number of schools offering support services to help international students integrate into the education system.

Home Schooling

Home Schooling is also a legal option in Australia and parents can take direct responsibility for the schooling of their children and educate them at home. Each state may define different requirements for home schooling. Please visit https://www.hea.edu.au/ for more details.

To search all schools in Australia please visit https://www.myschool.edu.au/