Children can start kindergarten at four years of age and school or college attendance is compulsory until year 12, although the last two years can be taken as equivalent training or work experience. All schools are computer networked and have internet access.

 

Innovative senior secondary colleges in Tasmania provide a more adult approach to learning for students in years 11 and 12. Students can choose from more than 100 subjects and the colleges have extensive facilities with learning resource centres, technology centres and sports development centres.

 

Launceston is regarded as one of the best equipped regional education centres in the country, with 36 primary schools, 8 secondary schools, 8 district schools, 2 senior colleges, 5 special schools and 15 independent schools and colleges (including 2 of the oldest and most prestigious independent schools in Australia).

 

The city also houses the northern campus of the University of Tasmania (UTAS), which is highly regarded internationally as a teaching and research institution, with a wide range of courses on offer. UTAS has a student population of more than 15,000 including approximately 1,500 international students. UTAS was the fourth university to be established in Australia.

 

The University's Australian Maritime College - Australia's national centre for maritime education, training and research is also based in Launceston and also has an internationally-recognised reputation for research.

 

Learning is a life-long ambition here, with the city boasting the nation's highest participation per head of population in Adult Education.