Relocating to Australia
Choosing schools

Australia is highly rated in the world for the standard and scope of its education. The vast majority of Aussie children complete six years of primary school, six years of secondary school and a high proportion progress to University or other Tertiary institutions.

However, like many aspects of Australian life, education is State based and 'free', with much of the funding derived from the Federal government. All State schools offer a diverse range of secular education. Education is a high priority to all governments, as the future prosperity of Australia depends on a well-educated workforce. At Government schools, you'll find every community background represented, from country of origin to spiritual beliefs. Overall the system works well, although it is continuously reviewed to achieve higher and higher levels of opportunity and achievement.

In addition to the State-run primary and secondary schools, there is a wide variety of fee-paying private or independent schools. Many of these are based on religious principles. The Catholic Church runs a huge network of schools, including local schools and elite colleges. Some of these are single sex schools, but most are co-educational. Other Christian denominations run schools, although not on the same scale.

As the cultural make-up of Australia diversifies, so does the range of schools. For example, in most big cities you'll find Muslim and Jewish schools. In addition to the State and religious schools, there are many secular schools, such as Steiner and Montefiore.

It's not practicable to try and provide all information on the total gamut of schools available in Australia to familles seeking high quality education. But any parent can rest assured that they'll find a wide choice of schools across the country, even in cities of 10,000.

Skills and professionalism are essential to the fabric of Australia. New arrivals can be confident – whatever conditions are like in other parts of the world – that the future of their youth is an absolutely top priority.

Australian state primary schools guide
Australian secondary schools guide
Australian universities