Tasmania's education system puts learners first
In Tasmania, our commitment is to inspire and support all learners to succeed as connected, resilient, creative and curious thinkers. The delivery of services to learners is supported by the following structure. Find the stage for you and follow the links below to see what’s on offer now.
Childcare and early learning centres
Tasmania offers childcare and early learning centres across the State with new openings continuing to add to the accessibility of child care and learning opportunities. In Tasmania care is available through purpose run centres and family day care, where accredited cares provide in-home services.
Schools
The school system in Tasmania commences with a kindergarten program, which provides 15 hours of early learning experiences a week for children who are four years of age at the end of the previous calendar year. The program provides a pathway into the school system and sessions may be half day or full day depending on the school. Class times for schools are around 9am to 3pm. These times are often complimented by before and after school, and holiday care programs, which can be discussed with your preferred school.
The delivery of Tasmanian school based education services are often separated into primary schools (kindergarten to grade 6), secondary schools (grade 7 to 10), and college (grade 11 to 12). However, increasingly secondary schools are expanding to offer classes from grade 7 to 12.
In Tasmania there is a mix of government schools and non-government schools on offer. School options are predominately co-educational, however, there are options for boy or girl only schools across the State.
Vocational Education Training (VET)
VET courses provide hands-on learning with an industry and trade focus, providing skills and training to prepare participants for the workplace. Courses in Tasmania range from Certificate I to an Advanced Diploma, with the option to complete levels in between depending on your training and employment needs. VET courses cover a broad range of nationally accredited industries and skills including automotive, building and construction, tourism, aged care, community services and metal trades, to name a few. It also provides pathways to university.
In Tasmania you can complete VET courses through TasTAFE, a government-run education service provider, and through private Registered Training Organisations.
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania ranks among Australia’s finest in teaching and research and has a long history of hosting international students and researchers. Its internationally significant research institutes and centres are drawcards for scientists, researchers and commercialisation experts. The University’s reputation for excellence in research and teaching is supported by three specialist institutes: the Australian Maritime College, the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, as well as the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, which is jointly funded by the Tasmanian Government and the University.