Australia has a world-class education system spanning from Early Childhood to Year 12, delivered across Government, Catholic, and Independent schools.
Ages 3–5
Foundation learning focusing on play-based education, social skills, and early literacy and numeracy development.
Ages 5–12 • 7 Years
Core curriculum including English, Maths, Science, HASS, Arts, and PE. The Australian Curriculum is taught nationally.
Ages 12–16 • 4 Years
Broad subject selection including electives. NAPLAN assessments in Years 7 and 9. Students explore interests for senior school.
Ages 16–18 • 2 Years
Leads to a state senior certificate (HSC, VCE, QCE etc.) and ATAR ranking for university entry. Students specialise in chosen subjects.
Funded and operated by state/territory governments. Free to attend for Australian residents. The largest sector, educating ~65% of students.
Catholic education systems operating in every state. Low to moderate fees. Values-based curriculum with strong community focus. ~20% of students.
Privately operated schools with varying fees. Wide variety including Montessori, Steiner, faith-based, and elite academies. ~15% of students.
Four terms, runs January to December (Southern Hemisphere summer holidays in Dec–Jan)
National assessments in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 for Literacy and Numeracy
Australian schools consistently rank in the global top 10 for educational outcomes
Education is compulsory from age 6 to 17 across all states and territories
Pioneering programmes for remote students via Schools of the Air and online platforms
Dedicated support programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students nationwide
Each state and territory has its own education department and curriculum adaptations. Explore schools by region.
New South Wales is home to Australia's largest city, Sydney, and has one of the most comprehensive education systems in the country.
Victoria is Australia's most densely populated state and prides itself on an excellent and diverse public education system centred around Melbourne.
Queensland is Australia's second-largest state with a decentralised population and strong focus on connecting regional and remote communities through education.
Western Australia is the largest state in Australia by area. Its vast distances make education particularly important, with innovative distance learning programmes.
South Australia is known for innovation in education, being the first state to offer free, secular, and compulsory education in Australia.
Tasmania, Australia's island state, has a small but tightly-knit education community with strong connections between schools and the natural environment.
The ACT is home to Australia's capital, Canberra, and is renowned for having one of the best-performing school systems in the country.
The Northern Territory is one of Australia's most unique regions with a rich Indigenous culture. Its education system serves incredibly diverse remote communities.
Visually browse all 8,879+ Australian schools plotted on an interactive map. Filter by state, type, and sector.
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