Western Australia Schools
and Education Sites

Providing information on Schools - primary and secondary, Tafe Colleges, Universities plus some useful information for international students

The Western Australia school year runs from January to December, with four school terms. The longest holiday is over the Christmas period Most educational institutions are closed for six to eight weeks over the Christmas holidays (the Australian summer). There are three two-week school holidays during the year, in April (Easter), July and October.

Public schools

Children in public schools usually start school at 8.30 am and finish at 3.25 pm. However, some private schools start earlier and finish earlier.

Public schools are free (in theory), although you are asked to pay school fees, which are voluntary. Having said that, most parents pay school fees and expect to pay extra amounts during the year for school excursions and special performances. More here....

Private schools

Private schools are competitively priced when compared to schools in other parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom. A recent survey by William M. Mercer of school tuition fees charged by secondary schools found that schools were less than one-third the cost of equivalent schools in London. 

Many private schools are affiliated with church organisations. Boarding facilities are provided within many top schools and fees range over A$20,000 a year.

It is best to phone the school in person to get an idea of fees and facilities. More here...

Pre-school opportunities

Education in WA can start at kindergarten or pre-school. Children from two to five years can attend these schools. Most of these pre-schools are privately run. Fees will vary depending on facilities and location.

Most suburbs will also have day-care centres where working parents can leave their babies and under-fives from 7 am to 6 pm. Day care centres and pre-schools must be council approved so they will be able to provide a list of those in your area.

If you work you maybe able to claim back some fees from the government, depending on how much you earn and your visa status. Check with your local Department of Social Security for details.

Note: You may find that primary and pre-schools may request information on your childs age and what they have been vaccinated against. ie polio, smallpox, measles and diphtheria. It is a good idea to keep on hand your children's vaccination certificates and birth certificates for proof of age.

Primary school

In WA, children must turn five before July 31 in the year they start school, although gifted and talented children may be allowed to start school earlier. By law, children have to start school by their sixth birthday.

Children start school in kindergarten - usually called 'kindy' - and continue until year six, when children are 11 or 12 years old and they leave primary school.

Secondary or High School

In WA, students enter high school in year eight at age 12 or 13. Students can legally leave school at age 15, however students remain at school if they want to take their TEE in year 12.

The TEE earns a mark out of 100. Universities and colleges set a Tertiary Entrance Requirement (TER) out of 100 that students must achieve to gain entry to courses. As an example, would-be medical students usually have to earn a TER of 96 to 99 to win a place on a medical course.

To find a primary or high school in your area use the Department of Education website search tool.

Universities and Tafe Colleges 

Australia is ranked 12th out of 36 countries for the percentage of the population that has attained at least a tertiary level of education (28%), just behind Ireland and ahead of the United Kingdom and Germany (OECD Indicators 2000 Edition).

For information on the entry requirements for University of WA visit the University WA website. This site also provides a course search facility and details of admission requirements for overseas students.

WA has several other universities - Murdoch, Notre Dame, Curtin and Edith Cowan. Visit their respective websites for course lists, rates and campus facilities. They to will have sections on courses for international students. 

Tafe Colleges or "Technical and Further Education" (TAFE) centers are located around WA and offer a wide range of diploma courses. Diploma courses are usually shorter than university degree courses and tend to have more of a commercial focus. Course types are many and varied compared to the academic university courses. For example, you can attend TAFE for qualification to become a car mechanics, building trades and plumbing.

The TAFE website lists courses, college locations, and visitor and entry requirements for WA residents and overseas students.

Adult Education 

Adult Education courses are available around WA and topics range from computing and marketing to car mechanics and photography. Courses in instructional topics usually last for a term and classes are generally held in the evenings. To look at the range of courses available go to the Board of Adult and Community Education website.