Education in Sydney facts for kids
Sydney is a big city in Australia, and it's a fantastic place to learn! You can find many excellent universities, special training schools called TAFE, and lots of different kinds of regular schools here. Most students who want to go to university in New South Wales are ranked by something called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). This rank helps universities decide who gets to study there.
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Universities in Sydney
Sydney is home to some of Australia's most well-known universities. A university is a place where you can study for advanced degrees after you finish high school. The very first university in Australia, the University of Sydney, was started here in 1850.
Here are some of the main universities in Sydney:
| Institution | Started | Main Campus |
|---|---|---|
| University of Sydney | 1850 | Main |
| University of Technology, Sydney | 1988 | Main |
| University of New South Wales | 1949 | Main |
| Macquarie University | 1964 | Main |
| Western Sydney University | 1989 | Main |
| Australian Catholic University | 1991 | Main |
| University of Notre Dame Australia | 1989 (Sydney campus in 2006) | Secondary |
| University of Newcastle | 1965 | Secondary |
| University of Wollongong | 1951 | Secondary |
Besides the University of Sydney, there are five other big public universities in Sydney. These include Macquarie University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Technology, Sydney, Western Sydney University, and the Australian Catholic University. Some other universities also have smaller campuses in Sydney, like the University of Notre Dame Australia, University of Wollongong, and University of Newcastle.
TAFE Colleges
TAFE stands for Technical and Further Education. These are government-funded colleges that offer practical training for different jobs. If you want to learn a specific skill, like how to be a chef or a graphic designer, TAFE is a great option.
In Sydney, there are several TAFE institutes. They include the Sydney Institute of Technology, North Sydney Institute of TAFE, Western Sydney Institute of TAFE (which also includes OTEN for online learning), and South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE.
Schools in Sydney
Sydney has many different types of schools for all ages. The New South Wales Department of Education and Training manages all the state schools. These include pre-schools, primary schools (for younger kids), secondary schools (high schools), and special schools for students with particular needs.
There are four main areas in Sydney that help manage 932 state schools. Sydney also has many private schools. Most of these private schools are either Catholic schools or Grammar Schools.
Selective High Schools
Some high schools in Sydney are called selective schools. These schools choose students based on special tests, usually academic ones. Students in Year 6 often take a selective schools test in March if they want to try and get into one of these schools.
International Schools
Sydney also has international schools for students from other countries. For example, there's the Lycée Condorcet, which is a French school. There's also the Sydney Japanese International School, which is a Japanese school.
Other Education Programs
The Sydney Saturday School of Japanese (SSSJ) is a special program for Japanese students. It's a weekend school where Japanese national and Japanese Australian students can learn and practice their Japanese language and culture. They hold classes at the Cammeray Public School in Cammeray.
