Education
Australia offers a variety of educational possibilities:
1. Public or Government School System:
Each region has its own public schools and children will be required to attend the school in the suburb where they live. Schooling is compulsory for students in most states and territories until the age of sixteen. Students are able to leave at that time. Most students do not leave until they complete Year 10. Most continue to complete their Year 12 (last year of senior school). Education at public schools is free in most states. Most schools do have a small voluntary annual fee to cover extra activities. Parents may have to purchase items such as books and uniforms and pay for outings, camps etc. Most public schools are co-educational, with girls and boys encouraged to participate equally in class.
For information on costs please contact the separate government Education Departments relative to the state or territory of your new place of residence.
2. Private School:
Private or independent schools have their own fee structure and receive a subsidy from both Federal and State governments. Many are either exclusively all boy or all girl schools. For information please contact the separate government Education Departments relative to the state or territory and search for the listing of private schools.
3. Home schooling:
Home schooling is allowed in Australia. Children are required to follow a set curriculum by the Education Department. At the age of sixteen the child is usually required to attend a high school for the remaining two years.
4. University:
There are over forty Australian universities. A full range of academic and professional disciplines is offered with awards ranging from associate diploma to doctorate. Typically an undergraduate degree takes at least three years to complete, longer for honours or double degrees. It is possible to receive government assistance with fees. You may apply to any university of your choice.
www.goingtouni.gov.au provides useful information. For information about Higher Education Loan Programs and fee subsidies such as ‘FEE-HELP’ visit the Department of Immigration website.
5. Apprenticeships & Traineeships:
Combining practical paid work with structured training to provide young people with nationally recognised industry qualifications. There is a good selection of apprenticeships and traineeships available in most trades. These courses are 'competency based', which means they can be completed as soon as students achieve the required skill level. Usually this will require attending TAFE (technical and further education) one or two days a week.
It is important before choosing any final location for your family within Australia to become familiar with the quality and program of the available schools in the area. Children living outside towns in rural areas are in nearly all cases picked up by regular school bus at the front gate or at a location very close to your farm.
The Australian Government has a dedicated website for Education in Australia, with links to the states and territories education departments: www.education.gov.au |