A guide to the Austrian education system

Contents

Use the links to go straight to the required section:

1. Introduction and background information

2. Pre-school

3. Volksschule/Primary school/Elementary school

4. Sekundarstufe/Secondary school/High school

5. Sekundarstufe I - The Unterstufe

6. Sekundarstufe II - The Oberstufe

7. Higher education

8. State (public) schools with an English or bilingual programme

9. Private International schools

10. Special Educational Needs/Sonderpädagogik

11. Alternative schools

12. Homeschooling

13. Further useful links

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1. Introduction and background information to the Austrian education system

Anyone considering moving to Austria with a young family will need to understand the education system. The pre-school, primary school and lower secondary systems are quite straightforward to understand but the wealth of options from age 14 upwards are overwhelming. Nevertheless, understanding the system will give your child the best chance of successfully navigating it and achieving their potential.

This article aims to explain the system to outsiders who don't speak German. We have used the German terms (with English translations) throughout since you won't get far without them. Nobody else - not even English speakers - will know many of the English translations!

Once you have an understanding of the system, do get in touch with other parents in your local area to get tips about schools either through our website or Facebook groups.

This introduction section will cover:

• 1.1 Key points

• 1.2 The school year

• 1.3 Marks, tests and the Austrian grading system

• 1.4 The minimum school-leaving age

• 1.5 School-leaving qualifications

1.1 Key points:

• In Austria children start school in the academic year (1. September to 31 August) following their sixth birthday. This means that if their sixth birthday is on 2. September they will start school the following year. (see here).

• Compulsory schooling is for 9 years so it is possible to leave school at 15 years old (but only to go into further training such as an apprenticeship).

• In total there are 12 or 13 years of school so young people will typically finish their Matura exams when they are 18 or 19 years old.

• The OEAD have produced an excellent interactive diagram of the Austrian education system (here) which we have used for this article. You can switch between German and English versions but we will use the German version, as already explained, since this is the terminology that you will need when using the system.

The Austrian school system. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at (an interactive diagram in German and English)

1.2 The school year

There are two semesters in the school year. The first semester is from September to February. The second is from February to July.

The school holidays ("Schulferien") are:

• Herbstferien (Autumn holidays) - typically a few days at the end of October

• Weihnachtsferien (Christmas holidays) - usually from 23 December until around 6 January

• Semesterferien (Semester holidays) - Different provinces have a different week in February

• Osterferien (Easter holidays) - Around a week at Easter

• Pfingstferien (Pentecost) - A couple of days in May (50 days after Easter)

• Sommerferien (Summer holidays) - 9 weeks from early July to early September depending on province

You can find the exact dates for this year and next in your province here ("Schulferien in Österreich im Schuljahr...").

1.3 Marks, tests and the Austrian grading system

One initial point of confusion for me was that marks or grades are called "Noten" (plural. Singular = "Note"). It has nothing to do with music!

In Austrian schools there are no big end of year exams apart from in the final year of secondary school. Instead, tests are spread throughout the year. Some are more important than others:

• Schularbeit (SA): A major test. In secondary school the major subjects have one or two of these each semester. They should be taken very seriously. You, as a parent, should find out when these will take place and help your child to prepare. The content ("Stoff") must be sent out to the class at least 7 days before the test takes place. Generally a SA must last not more than one lesson. They must be returned to the students within a week. If more than half the class is given a "5" (see below) the SA must be repeated.

• Test: A test must not last longer than 15 minutes (in Sekundarstufe I). These are usually given in the more minor subjects that do not have Schularbeiten. Pupils receive grades which contribute towards their end of semester grade.

• Lernzielkontrole: A minor test used for feedback to the student. In theory these can only be graded with a "plus" or a "minus".

As you may be able to tell from the information above, the law regarding Schularbeiten and other tests is taken very seriously. The rules and regulations are seemingly endless. See here for more information.

School work throughout the school system is graded from 1 to 5 where:

• 1 = very good ("Sehr gut")

• 2 = good ("Gut")

• 3 = satisfactory ("Befriedigend")

• 4 = sufficient ("Genügend")

• 5 = not satisfactory ("Nicht genügend").

Pupils receive a Semesterzeugnis (Zeugnis = certificate) at the end of the first semester in February and a Jahreszeugnis in July. These are coveted: pupils will take plastic wallets to school on the last day of the semester to bring them home in.

In the Sekundarstufe (secondary school) a pupil's subject grade for the semester/year will usually be a combination of tests and "Beobachten" (= "B-Note" = observation = classwork). The teacher will have explained the final grade calculation at the start of the year. Two-thirds tests, one-third "B-Note" is perhaps the most common system but this will depend on the subject.

In general a child will not be able to advance to the next year if they have 5s in their end of year certificate ("Jahreszeugnis"). Especially in upper secondary education, it is not uncommon that pupils need to repeat a year or that they switch school types (for example from a BHS to a BMS) due to low grades.

1.4 The minimum school-leaving age

The law requires that young people must complete a minimum of nine years of compulsory schooling. This means that it is theoretically possible to leave school at the age of 15.

However, although it is possible to leave school at this age, it is not possible to stop your education. There is an "Ausbildungspflicht" (compulsory training) until 18 which ensures that all young people have a qualification. This is where the dual "Berufsschule + Apprenticeship" option comes in.

1.5 School-leaving qualifications

Students who want to continue their education and pursue higher education continue with their studies beyond the age of 15, typically completing secondary education and obtaining their school leaving certificates, usually the Matura but alternatively in some schools the International Baccalaureate (IB), which allow them to enrol in universities or other higher education institutions.

2. Pre-school [top]

In much of Austria it can be very, very difficult to find pre-school care before the compulsory kindergarten year. It is often prioritised for single parent families and families in which both parents work. You may need to be persistent to find the childcare you need and want.

If one parent is working and the other "only" looking for work, you are likely to be put on a waiting list for childcare. To quote one example from our Facebook groups:

Seven months ago we moved to Carinthia from abroad. Almost from the first minute, we've been looking for nursery/Tagesmutter. So far we talked to about 25 places, if not more, and there is simply no room. Today we were told that maybe there would be a place next year in September. But that's in 18 months time!

The situation is so bad in some parts of Austria that people talk of registering for childcare in the second trimester of pregnancy. If you are moving to Austria from abroad and will need childcare, you can't apply soon enough.

Here are the options that are available to you:

• Tagesmutter/Tagesvater (Childminder)

• babysitting: Leihomas/Leihopas (Grandparents for hire!)

• Krabbelstube/Kinderkrippe (Nursery)

• Kindergarten

Tagesmutter/Tagesvater (Childminder)

A Tagesmutter/vater looks after small groups of children (4-6 children) in their own home. They cook for the children and provide materials for play. They work with children from when they are small babies upwards. Some even do after school care of older children. They are often more flexible than Krabbelstube and Kindergartens regarding drop-off and collection times. One point to note is that a Tagesmutter/vater is entitled to 5 weeks of holiday each year so there will be times when they are unavailable and you will need to seek alternative arrangements.

Useful links for the Tagesmutter system:

• Links to childminders in each province: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/familie_und_partnerschaft/kinderbetreuung/Seite.370400.html

• https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/familie_und_partnerschaft/kinderbetreuung/2/Seite.370140.html

• Umbrella organisation of Tagesmütter and -väter: https://www.bundesverband.at/index.php/wer-sind-wir

Babysitting: Leihomas/Leihopas (Grandparents for hire!)

For a flexible arrangement many people in Austria make use of a Leihomas/Leihopas.

For more information see: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/en/themen/familie_und_partnerschaft/familie-und-kinderfuersorge/kinderbetreuung/2/Seite.370180.html.

For contact details by province see: https://www.meinefamilie.at/leihoma.

Krabbelstube/Kinderkrippe (Nursery)

These are both public and private nurseries for children aged 0-3. Private nurseries are often linked to churches.

For more information including links for each province, see: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/familie_und_partnerschaft/familie-und-kinderfuersorge/kinderbetreuung/2/1.html

Kindergarten

The Austrian school system highlighting the kindergarten stage. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at

Kindergarten is generally available for children from the age of 3. But kindergartens often offer a wide range of different groups including "alterserweiterte Gruppen" (mixed age groups) for children aged 1-6.

For children who turn 5 by 31 August at least 16 hours on 4 working days per week between September and June are compulsory (with some exceptions). In the last year of kindergarten there is a compulsory curriculum which prepares the preschoolers for their entrance into the school system.

A minimum of 20 hours per week of kindergarten is paid by the state for this final year, although a number of states provide financial support beyond this level.

There are three types of kindergarten:

• Public - See below for information about registration

• Private - These include Waldorf and Montessori as well as church-run kindergartens. Contact the kindergarten directly to find out about fees, opening hours etc.

• Company - If your employer provides this, you will presumably know about it.

Your local town/city’s website will have a list of public kindergartens. Applications for registration typically take place from November for starting the following September. Check well in advance because missing a deadline could mean that you don’t get your first choice of kindergarten and may end up having to take your child to a kindergarten a long way away.

You can find out which authority is responsible in your area by putting your PLZ (post code/ZIP code) into this website: https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/at.gv.brz.portalframe/oegvat/formsuche/portlet?

TIP: Contact other parents in your province via the groups on our website or on our local English Speakers in... Facebook groups for recommendations about local childcare and kindergartens.

KiB children care ("Kinderbegleitung") - "insurance" for emergency childcare

Finally here it is worth mentioning this wonderful organisation.

Many families lack support in an emergency. This is where the Austria-wide KiB association comes in. Funded entirely by membership fees and donations, the association is there to provide emergency care when there is a sickness in the family.

For example, you work full-time and are a single parent family with no local grandparents. What do you do when your child is sick for the day? You ring the 24-hour KiB phone number and they will organise an "emergency mum" ("Notfallmama") from the next day. For free. Whether you need child care for just a few hours, or a few days, it will be there and at no additional charge.

The same applies if it is you that is sick and can't care for your children.

The cost of KiB is €16.50 per month (January 2024), regardless of the size of your family.

To find our more about the KiB read their FAQs (your browser will translate the webpage into English).

3. Volksschule/Primary school/Elementary school [top]

The Austrian school system highlighting the primary school stage. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at

In Austria, children start primary school, known as "Volksschule", at the age of six. Volksschule lasts for four years, and at the end of it children receive a certificate (Abschlusszeugnis) that allows them to continue with their education in secondary school.

Those children who are six years old but are not quite ready for school can do a preliminary year in the "Vorschule" class of Volksschule. The headteacher (Director/Direktorin) might advise this for the children of new immigrants to give them a year to build their German in readiness for the first class. Public Volksschulen in small towns may not have a "Vorschule" class, but may offer extra help in language and/or accent improvement depending on specialist availability.

Of course the first day of school is a very big deal for any child but it can be quite a cultural shock for those who come from abroad. First of all, don't let your child be the only one in the class without a Schultüte (see the blog article coming up) on day 1. Secondly, make sure he or she has the most enormous Schultasche (which in some parts of the country is called by the German word "Schulranzen") or school rucksack. And finally, keep the day free: your child will be home with you before you know it. There will probably be a short, optional, Catholic welcome service in the local church (maybe even with a blessing by the local priest) followed by an hour or so with the class teacher. It will possibly all be over by 10:30!! Read this excellent blog article by Rachel Fox to find out more about the start of Volksschule.

The Klassenvorstand (KV, class/homeroom teacher) is a very important person in your child's schooling, but never more so than in Volksschule. In most of the country this teacher will teach your child throughout their four years. But there are some corners where a different model is used; most usually one teacher takes the class for years 1and 2 and then hands over to another for years 3 and 4. In smaller communities it's also possible that years 1 and 2 are combined into one class for example. Whatever the system, the Klassenvorstand will be an excellent source of advice and support. Do tap into their knowledge, especially with regard to further German support (if needed) and post-Volksschule options.

When your child is in the third class you will start to receive information about choices for the next school. There should be information events and your child's Klassenvorstand will also be able to advise you.

Nachmittagsbetreuung (NABE) (After-school care)

Whole-day school (such as 8:30 until 15:30) is still not really a thing for many Volksschulen in much of Austria. The day's schooling might end at 11:45 or earlier so it is important for many families to organise some form of after-school care.

For parents who are working two models of "whole-day school" (probably Monday to Thursday until at least 16:00 with lunch provided) will be relevant:

• "Getrennte Abfolge von Unterrichtsteil und Betreuungsteil" (essentially: morning school, afternoon supervision of homework and play)

• "Verschränkte Form" (intertwined form): Teaching and other activities such as sport, time for homework and play time are blended throughout the school day, much as they are in many other countries. This is more common in some parts of Austria (e.g. Styria) than others

The "Getrennte Abolge" model can be used throughout the week or only on selected (pre-arranged) days. Options are in-school care or a “Hort" which is a type of after-school program that is offered outside of school.

Hort programmes are designed to provide children with a safe and supportive environment where they can spend time with their friends, engage in a variety of activities, and receive homework assistance. These programmes are typically available from the end of the school day until late afternoon, and they are open to children of all ages who attend Volksschule.

The activities offered in a Hort vary but they may include things like arts and crafts, sports, music, and games. In addition, a hot lunch and snacks will be provided.

Parents are typically responsible for covering the cost of after-school care, although some municipalities may offer subsidies or other forms of financial assistance to families who need support.

It's important that parents research the options available in their area and apply for after-school care programs well in advance of the start of the school year to ensure that they can secure a spot for their child with the provider of their choice. Schools are required to provide internal after-school care until at least 16:00 if at least 15 pupils want it; this may not always be the case in rural schools!

4. Sekundarstufe/Secondary school/High school [top]

The secondary school system is split into two levels:

• Sekundarstufe I (the Unterstufe): Years 5 to 8

• Sekundarstufe II (the Oberstufe): Years 9 to 12 or 13

5. Sekundarstufe I - The Unterstufe [top]

The Austrian school system highlighting the lower secondary stage. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at

There are two options for Unterstufe secondary education:

1. Mittelschule (MS) (middle school): This is a type of secondary school that provides a comprehensive education to children of all abilities. The goal is to prepare students for both vocational training and further academic studies. There are no particular entrance criteria. Some Mittelschule have specialisms such as sport or music. Mittelschule do not offer an Oberstufe so pupils will need to make further study/career choices during their final year.

2. Gymnasium (AHS) (grammar school): This is an academic secondary school (allgemeinbildende höhere Schule) that prepares students for university. It is the most prestigious type of secondary education in Austria and is highly competitive. Students can attend Gymnasium for both Unterstufe and Oberstufe. At the end of the Unterstufe a number of students would change schools, for example into a vocational school, but the general aim is for pupils to finish with their Matura at the end of the 12th class in readiness for university. Again, many Gymnasiums have specialisms such as music, sports or languages.

6. Sekundarstufe II - the Oberstufe [top]

[Apologies but there are a great many acronyms in this section. Austrians love to shorten long words and names to just two, three or four letters. We use them here because you will need to know them!]

The Austrian school system highlighting the upper secondary stage. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at

The Sekundarstufe II features numerous options. These can be broadly grouped into:

• AHS (allgemeinbildende höhere Schulen) - academic secondary school: This corresponds to the Oberstufe in a grammar school.

• BHS (berufsbildende höhere Schulen) - higher vocational school: There is a wide range of vocational schools with different specialisms. They all offer 5-year courses and finish with both a Matura qualification for university entrance and professional qualifications. They can be very time-demanding due to the amount of practical work involved.

• BMS (berufsbildende mittlere Schulen) - vocational middle school: These school types lead their pupils towards a professional trade. Studies last for 3 or 4 years without the qualifications necessary for university.

• PTS (Polytechnische Schule/Pre-vocational school) followed by a dual system of Berufsschule (vocational school) and apprenticeship

The Sekundarstufe II school types will now be explained in more detail:

6.1 AHS (allgemeinbildende höhere Schulen)

The continuation of a grammar school education up to the Studienberechtigungsprüfung (university entrance examination). Some grammar schools only offer an Oberstufe which is designed for those pupils moving from a Mittelschule.

6.2 BHS and BMS (berufsbildende höhere/mittlere Schulen)

Many vocational schools and colleges offer both BHS and BMS qualifications. Remember that if the young person has plans for higher education (university) they will need a BHS qualification, although it is possible to do these later in life, for example the Berufsreifeprüfung through BFI or WIFI.

You can search for a BHS or BMS school with filters for location and interest here.

BHS and BMS options are:

• HAK: Handelsakademie (= Business college or Secondary College of Business Administration) and HAS: Handelsschule (= Business school)

• HTL: Höhere technische und gewerbliche Lehranstalt (= Higher Technical College)

• HUM: Humanberufliche Schulen und Höhere land- und forstwirtschaftliche Schulen (= Vocational schools for humanities and higher agricultural and forestry schools)

6.2.1 HAK and HAS (Business college, BHS and Business school, BMS)

Both HAK and HAS offer courses that prepare students for careers in business and finance, and they are popular choices for students who are interested in pursuing careers in these fields. HAKs and HASs are usually found within one organisation with an unpronounceable name such as Bundeshandelakademie und Bundeshandelsschule Wien 10.

To be eligible for admission to a HAK pupils may have to pass an entrance exam or meet specific admission requirements (such as 1s and 2s on their last school certificate) set by the school.

The HAK is a five-year program that provides students with a broad education in business, accounting and economics. During their studies, students take courses in subjects such as accounting, marketing, business law, economics, and foreign languages. Additionally, students can specialise in specific areas such as tourism, information technology, or entrepreneurship. Some HAKs conduct a significant part of their teaching in English. After completing their studies, students can obtain the "Reife- und Diplomprüfung" which is equivalent to the Matura and allows them to enroll in universities or other higher education institutions as well as qualifying them to start their own business (“Unternehmerprüfung").

HAS, on the other hand, is a three-year program that provides students with a more focused education in business and administration. Students at a HAS study topics such as accounting, finance, and office management, and they can obtain a vocational qualification after completing their studies.

Relevant work experience is built into the curriculum at a HAK/HAS.

For further information about the HAK and HAS school type see: https://www.hak.cc/die-hak-has/lernen.

6.2.2 HTL/Fachschule (Technical college/school)

These technical colleges are very highly regarded in Austria. HTLs provide a 5-year education in a wide range of specialist fields leading to a Matura for university entrance. Fachschule provide 3- and 4-year courses leading to the world of work. Relevant work experience is built into the curriculum at a HTL/Fachschule.

Examples of studies include: construction technology, electrical engineering, electronics and technical informatics, computer science, mechanical engineering, flight technology, mechatronics, plastics technology, metallic materials technology,...

For further information about the HTL school type see: https://www.abc.berufsbildendeschulen.at/technische-gewerbliche-und-kunstgewerbliche-schulen.

6.2.3 HUM (Vocational schools for humanities, agricultural and forestry)

A very broad range of schools falls into this category including fashion schools, art colleges, tourism schools, agricultural colleges and primary education teacher training. Again courses ending in a Matura will be 5 years long whereas those leading straight into the world of work will typically be 3 years long.

For more information about the HUM school type see https://www.hum.at.

6.3 PTS (Pre-vocational school/Polytechnische Schule followed by dual system Berufsschule + Apprenticeship)

In order to complete the compulsory 9 years of schooling most pupils choosing this route will do a year-long course in a Polytechnische Schule before embarking on their dual Berufsschule/apprenticeship. (Some students who started Volksschule with Vorschule or who repeated a year along the way may not strictly need this year.)

You can search for a Berufschule by profession/trade as well as a Polytechnische Schule here.

Final words

Whichever school type you choose for your child (and I am assuming that they aren't bilingual with German here), check what "Deutsch als Fremdsprache" language support they will receive in the school. You might find that they will get better support in a BMS than in an AHS. If your child has aspirations for university, it might be wiser for your child to go to a Mittelschule for 4 years in the Unterstufe and then transfer to a Gymnasium (AHS), HTL or HAK for the Oberstufe and Matura rather than starting off in a Gymnasium where they might really struggle.

7. Higher education [top]

Austria has a number universities that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. Admission to university is competitive, and students must have passed a Studienberechtigungsprüfung (Austrian Matura or an equivalent from abroad). The curriculum includes lectures, seminars, and practical training. Universities in Austria are heavily subsidised by the government, and students pay only a small fee.

The higher education sector in Austria has four branches:

• Public universities (22 institutions)

• Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) (21 institutions)

• Accredited Private universities (17 institutions)

• University colleges of teacher education (14 institutions)

Researching Austrian university choices

• The ÖH is the Austrian university student body. It is funded by small compulsory contributions by all students every semester (€21.20 in 2023). Their website is a great place to start when researching higher education choices in Austria.

• The ÖH has a great search tool which can be filtered by type of qualification, course, university, city, language of study and more: https://www.studienplattform.at

• It is possible to organise taster days (Schnupertage) on many courses at universities in Austria. These are different to open days: more personal and informal. On a taster day you will be met by a current student and spend the day with them, sitting in on lectures and seminars etc: https://www.studierenprobieren.at

• Psychological student advice service: Offering advice before and during your higher education studies: https://www.studierendenberatung.at

For further information about higher education in Austria see: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Topics/Higher-education---universities/Higher-education-system.html

8. State (public) schools with an English or bilingual programme [top]

All across Austria there are state (public) schools with bilingual classes. We haven't found a comprehensive list, even for bilingual schools in Vienna, so we have made our own!

Note that we have included in this list private schools (such as those linked to the Catholic church) which receive a considerable amount of state funding and therefore have relatively low fees. For private schools with little or no public funding, see the next section.

Some of these (secondary) schools will offer the International Baccalaureate, some will offer the Austrian Matura, and some both. Be aware that in those schools that offer the Austrian Matura the pupils will be required to pass German at native speaker level in their final exams.

Health warning

If you are a parent of a child with limited German, be careful to do your own research. Who is benefiting most from your child being in a bilingual class: your child because they are learning in English, or the other kids in the class because they get to improve their English with a native speaker?

Consider how long you expect to be in Austria and the age of the child. It may be that the best option for your child is for them to dive headlong into a normal German-language class. In this way in just a few short months they will learn to get by, and within a couple of years they will have a German language "superpower" which could be with them for life.

Find out about the final exams too. This is very important. Will your child be required to pass native speaker German exams in their final year for their Matura, even if they are in an English language or bilingual class at their school?

Finally, research what language support the school will offer to your child. Will they be taken out of some lessons for small group Deutsch als Zweitsprache (DAZ) classes?

Now that you've read the health warning, here is an incomplete list of Austrian state/public schools which have at least one class taught either in English or bilingually.

Please use the comments below to update us if you have any new information.

Vienna (Wien)

Burgenland

Carinthia (Kärnten)

Lower Austria (Niederösterreich)

Salzburg

Styria (Steiermark)

Tirol

Upper Austria (Oberösterreich)

Vorarlberg

9. Private International Schools [top]

In addition to the publicly funded school system (state schools [UK] or public schools [US]) there are, of course, private international schools. Many of these offer the highly regarded International Baccalaureate qualification.

There are many private schools (for example owned by the Catholic church) which receive considerable amounts of state funding, have relatively low fees, and receive large numbers of local pupils. These have been included in the state schools section above where appropriate.

Fees for international schools can, of course, be very high.

Directories of international schools:

• https://ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/

• https://www.international-schools-database.com/country/austria

• https://www.internationalschoolsearch.com/international-schools-in-austria

• US Embassy list of English speaking schools

• Stadt Wien: List of international schools

10. Special Educational Needs/Sonderpädagogik [top]

The Austrian school system highlighting the Sonderpädagogik system. Source: https://www.bildungssystem.at

An explanation of special education provision is currently outside the scope of this article but we have provided some useful links. If you have knowledge in this area and would like to contribute to the article, please contact us.

Useful links for Sonderpädagogik schools:

• BMBWF webpage for special educational needs

• oesterreich.gv.at webpage for special educational needs

• OEAD interactive diagram for special educational needs and inclusion

• OEAD: Pre-vocational year (PVY) and individual vocational training for upper-secondary education

• Links to Sonderpädagogik information by province:

  • Vienna

  • Burgenland

  • Carinthia

  • Lower Austria

  • Salzburg

  • Styria

  • Tirol

  • Upper Austria

  • Vorarlberg

11. Alternative schools [top]

Two prominent alternative approaches to mainstream education are Montessori and Waldorf kindergartens and schools.

Both Montessori and Waldorf schools are known for their alternative approaches to traditional education, and for their focus on the individual needs and interests of each child. They provide a learning environment that allows children to develop their own unique strengths and abilities, and to grow into well-rounded, self-aware individuals.

More information about these approaches and directories of schools can be found here:

• Montessori schools: https://www.montessori-gesellschaft.at/einrichtungen/

• Waldorf schools: https://www.waldorf.at/waldorfschulen/liste-aller-waldorfschulen

Montessori and Waldorf schools that teach a bilingual or English curriculum:

• Vienna: Amavida Montessori School

• Vienna: Campus Wien West (Montessori and Waldorf, ages 16-19, International Baccalaureate)

• Klagenfurt: De La Tour School Klagenfurt (Diakonie): Montessori school for years 1-8

12. Häuslicher Unterricht (Homeschooling) [top]

Homeschooling is possible in Austria although I have been told by someone who has done it that the authorities don't make it easy. Teaching at home must be at least equivalent to that in a regular school. And what is more, I am told that there is a clause in the law prohibiting pupils with a "Deutsch-Förderbedarf" (German language learning support needs) from being homeschooled.

The pupil must be registered for homeschooling every year before the summer holidays start in July. This is done by writing to the local education authority (Bildungsdirektion).

At the end of the school year Externisten exams must be taken in German in all subjects at a local school to prove that the required learning has taken place. These exams cannot in practice be repeated. If the child fails to pass an examination, they have to repeat the year in all subjects at a regular school in the following school year. (Edit, May 2023: But there is currently a draft law which might change this. See here.)

There is limited information online. Links to homeschooling information by province where it exists:

• Vienna

• Burgenland

• Carinthia (this is only the form required for registering for homeschooling)

• Lower Austria

• Salzburg (this is a link to the forms required for registering for homeschooling and for taking the annual Externisten exams but a lot of information is provided on the forms)

• Styria

• Tirol (this is only the form required for registering for homeschooling)

• Upper Austria

• Vorarlberg

For further information about homeschooling it would probably be an good idea to make contact with your local province's education advice centre: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/Themen/eb/bb/bibebu.html.

For further information about homeschooling in Austria I can recommend this blog (bilingual: scroll down for the English): http://meinhomeschoolblog.net/homeschooling-in-oesterreich-haeuslicher-unterricht/

13. Further useful links [top]

• The OEAD's excellent interactive Austrian Education System diagram: https://www.bildungssystem.at

• The Bildungsministerium for Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung: Educational pathways in Austria (PDF overviews in various languages)

• BMBWF page on everyday school life (dates, curricula, school types...)

• Migration.gv.at: Overview of the education system for imigrants

I am indebted to Eva Crewe, Keith Davies, Rachel Fox, Ted Kempster and Su Osborne for their contributions to this article.

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