
The education system in Austria
Education in Austria is primarily known for the practice of differentiated instruction - an individual approach to each student, which maximizes the potential and talents of the child. In most of these schools, children are taught in the most advanced and in-depth programs, but tuition costs a lot, yet private schools and lyceums are in great demand among the local population and visiting high-ranking professionals.
Children stay in kindergartens from the age of three to six. Then they go to school.
There are many public schools in Austria. From first to ninth grade, i.e. from 6 to 15 years, study is compulsory.
From first to fourth grade, children attend elementary school. From the age of ten, pupils take classes in secondary school. From the ninth grade begins preparing for a profession: at the age of 14 or 15 adolescents attend a polytechnic high school, which prepares them for vocational education or further education.
The school levels in Austria:
⦁ 6-10 years: junior high school
⦁ 10-14 years old: secondary school
⦁ 14-18 years old: high school
The length of time in High School depends on the specialty chosen. These regulations are governed by the Education Act. For example, it takes three years to become a mechanic or a cook and four years to become a waiter.
Many students prefer to continue their studies after the ninth grade, which lasts from three to four years. During this period, high school students combine study and work in order to master the profession. When they graduate, they receive a technician's or master's degree and a diploma.
This document is the key to higher education. Students enter Austrian universities and colleges. Some teenagers take a preparatory year in order to build a career or to prepare for entrance exams.
There are colleges and universities where university graduates can enter for free. For this you need a certificate of German B1 level.
Advantages and difficulties of studying in Austria
Studying at school in Austria has many advantages..:
⦁ The opportunity to get a quality education;
⦁ The opportunity to learn about European culture;
⦁ Opportunity to acquire language and communication skills with foreigners;
⦁ The opportunity to continue studies at universities in Austria.
Despite the fact that the advantages of studying in Austria allow many parents of schoolchildren to make a choice in favor of the educational system of this country, the schoolchildren may encounter some difficulties. The most significant of these is the assimilation of the child in another country. Here plays a role and the language barrier - the less the child knows German, the harder it will be in school and learning in general, as well as in everyday life. Thus, knowledge of the German language for studying in schools in Austria is an important recommendation, if not a requirement.
Prospects for graduates of Austrian private schools
After graduation, the path to public universities in Austria and Germany is open to the student. The cost of tuition is pleasantly surprising, so graduating from an Austrian school is a good investment in your child's future.
After graduation from grammar school or school in Austria, the applicant can enter any university in the EU. The procedure is about the same as in the rest of the world. The certificate is sent to five institutions of higher education in Europe.
It is worth noting that employers of large corporations value a German university education more than an Austrian diploma. If two university graduates from Austria and Germany apply for a vacancy in the BMW Group, all other things being equal, they will hire the one who has a German higher education.
If a foreigner has graduated from a university in Austria, he or she has the prospect of obtaining a permanent residence permit and citizenship. First, the graduate has the right to obtain a red-white card, which allows you to work in Austria, and the years of study count towards the application for permanent residency. However, only half of it: if the student has studied for eight years, then four years are counted for the permanent residence permit.
Employment prospects depend on the demand for the specialty. At the moment there is a shortage of doctors, engineers, IT specialists.
Consequently, if the graduate works for another year, then he claims a permanent residence permit (for this is enough to live in Austria for five years). In order to get citizenship you will need ten years of permanent residence in the country. But unfortunately you have to give up your first citizenship.
How to enter an Austrian private school
The best private schools, colleges in Austria for students have standard requirements for documents, pay attention to the level of English (German), knowledge of the main subjects. Private schools in Austria begin to accept documents in advance, 8-12 months before the start of the school year, so it is better to send an application in advance.
List of documents:
⦁ Application (most often done online on the school's website), admission fee
⦁ Copy of passport
⦁ School transcripts for the last 2 years
⦁ Certificate of proficiency in a foreign language obtained no earlier than 2 years prior to application
⦁ Recommendation letters from teachers of English (German), Mathematics, Headmaster
⦁ Resume, motivation letter
⦁ Diplomas, diplomas confirming the student's success in academic, creative, athletic fields.
After sending the documents the school schedules an interview online or a date for a study visit (if possible). Some schools in Austria have entrance tests in math and language.
Costs of education
School education in Austria is relatively inexpensive - in comparison with other schools (even public schools), the price is affordable for almost all categories of citizens. Thus, education in schools in Austria will cost for parents 300-700 euros per year. International schools and some elite private schools have much higher rates - tuition at such Austrian schools will cost 12-18 thousand euros a year.
The cost of tuition varies depending on the number of subjects, school specialization (main study area), and the number of languages taught to the children. It should be noted that there is no free education in Austria - there are schools where you can study for a few hundred euros a year, but the options where you do not have to pay for education at all, at the moment does not exist.