Moving to Austria
Are you moving to Austria with your family or children? If so, then one of the biggest considerations is going to be the type of schooling that is available in the country. Generally, expats find that schooling in Austria isn’t quite at the standards of that in the UK, but there are still a number of sound and respectable schools, and the chance of an extremely cultural experience there. Here, we’re taking a look at the different types of schools that your child can attend while in Austria in order to make their transition as seamless as possible.
Schooling Overview
When moving to Austria, expat parents will need to make the decision on whether to send their child to a private international or public school. One of the biggest downsides to public schools a few years back in Austria was that they are taught completely in German and this language barrier could cause a significant problem. However, Austrian school education is changing to a bilingual education in German and English. Depending on the school, they will also provide other languages such as Serbocroatian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and more. In order to make the right decision about where to send your children, you will need to take into account the school frees and the curriculum.
Schooling in Austria is compulsory for children aged between six and 15 and is separated into two tiers – Volksschule (primary school) and Gymnasium (secondary school). However Gymnasium is actually separated into lower secondary and upper secondary over the eight years that the child is required to attend. Most schools in Austria do not require a uniform, and registration for a place in a school in Austria takes place in March.
Public Schools
Public schools are an attractive option for those with young children who they are keen to learn the language there. Some public schools are actually bilingual, and are usually free, but the majority are taught solely in German. The curriculum is tailored to those who can learn in both languages, and because of the multi-cultural atmosphere in these schools it provides an excellent, diverse learning environment. These schools do tend to uphold relatively high standards of education and learning, and because of this spaces can be quite in demand and somewhat limited.
International Schools
One of the more popular options for expat parents to send their children is an international school. This is particularly favourable if they’re only relocating to Austria for a short time period. However, there are very few international schools in the country, and these are generally situated in and around Vienna. These institutions provide a higher standard of education and often much better facilities and infrastructure, but this is due to the high tuition fees. These types of schools can cost anywhere up to EUR 20,000 per year, and generally have limited space. However, these are excellent schools and eliminate language barriers by teaching in the language of the child’s home country. Here, children can continue with their familiar curriculum and teaching style.
If you’re considering sending your child to school in Austria, then you may want to contact a member of our local team to find out more about the individual schools from a local perspective. Also, you can use our school search tool to find the closest school to your new location.
