This section provides a brief overview of the Australian education system.
School education sector
Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector
Higher Education sector
More detailed information is available on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website -The Australian education system.
Schooling in Australia can be provided by State or Territory governments or by private education providers. Further information about the school sector at State and Territory level can be found on the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website. The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education is the AQF qualification for this sector.
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA) website is a central access point for information about the provision of the Senior Secondary Certificates of Education in each State and Territory.
Vocational Education and Training sector (VET) gives students the opportunity to:
- gain the skills they need to enter the workforce for the first time
- re-enter the workforce
- retrain for a new job
- upgrade their skills for an existing job, or
- gain additional qualifications.
Traineeships and apprenticeships are available in a diverse range of trades and other occupations in most sectors of business and industry.
Courses can be delivered in publicly or privately funded institutions often referred to as VET providers or Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). All VET providers must be registered to provide government accredited courses.
For details of Registered Training Organisations and accredited courses, see the National Training Information Service.
Nationally recognised VET awards can range from Certificate I to Advanced Diploma. VET awards can also include Vocational Graduate Diplomas or Vocational Certificates, or any other award specified as a vocational education and training award under the Australian Qualifications Framework. VET awards may also lead to higher education qualifications.
The Higher Education sector in Australia is made up of universities and other higher education institutions, often referred to as higher education providers.
By definition within Australia, universities are self-accrediting institutions and each university has its own establishment legislation (generally State and Territory legislation) and receive the vast majority of their public funding from the Australian Government, through the Higher Education Support Act 2003.
Higher education institutions also include non self-accrediting institutions that are recognised by a State or Territory government accreditation authority listed on the Australian Qualifications Framework Register before it can deliver higher education awards.
For details of registered higher education providers and accredited courses, see the Australian Qualifications Framework Register
Nationally recognised higher education awards include degrees at Bachelor, Master or Doctorate levels. Higher education awards also include Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate, or any other award (such as Diploma or Advanced Diploma) specified as a higher education award under the Australian Qualifications Framework.