• Independent or private schools – these schools are well established and some have long histories. Many are considered by Australian families to be very prestigious.
• Tuition fees range from approximately AUD$16,000 to approximately AUD$40,000 per year. Higher fees often mean that such schools are able to provide a wider range of specialist programs and contemporary facilities.
• Some schools have small student populations of around 500 students while others are larger with around 3000 students.
• Many have religious affiliations but many are also secular. All schools enrol students from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Choices of school type include girls, boys, coeducational schools and schools that provide either boarding or homestay accommodation for international students. Some schools provide both boarding and homestay accommodation.
• Independent schools usually limit the number of international students to up to approximately 10 per cent of the total student population and some only have small numbers of around 15-30 international students.
• Some independent schools also provide intensive English language programs within the school while others have relationships with English language colleges.

• Government schools – in each Australian State or Territory, nominated government or public schools accept international students.
• These schools include some select entry schools in some States which are often considered prestigious.
• Most government schools are coeducational and provide homestay accommodation.
• Government schools also provide a quality pathway for international students.
• Tuition fees are approximately AUD$12,000-$15,000 per year

• International schools in Australia – these schools or colleges are usually established to teach the Australian school curriculum to international students.
• Sometimes the majority are international students with a minority of Australian students in attendance.
• Students should ask about the proportion of international students at a particular school when considering their choice of school.

There are two choices for international students to consider – (1) ELICOS programs delivered by private English language colleges or (2) English language preparation programs within a school.

English Language Colleges

• English language colleges are available in major cities in each state and many regional locations.
• Intensive English language programs are referred to as English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS).
• Many English language colleges have High School Preparation programs which are specifically designed to prepare international students for studying in Australian schools. These are usually full time intensive courses that students attend before they commence at a school.
• International students should complete an AEAS assessment to determine the number of weeks ELICOS they should study before commencing at their Australian school.
• Many Australian schools have preferred relationships with English language colleges.
• International students may contact an English language college directly or their preferred Australian school for advice.

English Language Programs in Schools

• Some schools provide their own intensive English program (ELICOS) within their school.
• Some schools provide an English language preparation program with students attending English language classes for less than 20 hours per week and other general classes with local and international students.
• The majority of Australian schools also offer ESL (English as Second Language) or EAL (English as an Additional Language) for between two to ten hours per week.
• International students should check with their preferred school on the type of English language support available and the number of hours each week they can access.