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Finland vs Australia (Comparing Education Systems 2026)

Explore full profiles:🏫 Finland Education System🏫 Australia Education System

This page compares the education systems of Finland and Australia.

Finland and Australia education system comparison
CategoryFinlandAustralia
Education System Overview
System TypePredominantly public provision with limited non-state providers; governance is decentralised (municipal responsibility) within a nationally defined curriculum framework Source✅Public/private mix; mixed federal governance with national policy and funding support, while states and territories operate most school services and registered non-government providers operate alongside public schools [Source-1✅]
Governing BodyMinistry of Education and Culture (OKM) and the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) Source✅Australian Government Department of Education, state and territory education departments, ACARA for national curriculum, TEQSA for higher education quality assurance, and ASQA for vocational education regulation [Source-2✅]
Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP)5.4% of GDP (spending on educational institutions, latest year shown in the country note) Source✅About 5.1% of GDP for government education expenditure, with OECD reporting total primary-to-tertiary education investment at 5.4% of GDP [Source-3✅]
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
Compulsory Age RangeFrom age 7 to age 18 (plus compulsory pre-primary at age 6) Source✅Generally from age 5 or 6 to age 15–17, depending on the state or territory [Source-4✅]
Total Compulsory Duration (Years)Up to 12 years (1 year pre-primary + 9 years basic education + continuation in upper secondary until 18) Source✅Usually around 10–12 years, with school education structured across a 13-year pathway from Foundation/Preparatory to Year 12 [Source-5✅]
Pre-primary Education (ECE) AccessECEC (ages 0–5) is optional; pre-primary at age 6 is compulsory. Ages 3–5 enrolment: 84% / 89% / 92% Source✅Optional before compulsory school in most settings; OECD reports 64.6% enrollment for ages 3–5 in ISCED 0, while ABS reports 91% preschool participation for 4-year-olds in 2025 [Source-6✅]
Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years)1 + 6 + 3 + 3 (pre-primary + basic grades 1–6 + basic grades 7–9 + upper secondary) Source✅Foundation + Years 1–6 primary, Years 7–10 junior/lower secondary, and Years 11–12 senior secondary; commonly expressed as F+6+4+2 [Source-7✅]
Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%)40% Vocational / 52% General (share of learners continuing after basic education; remainder in preparatory options) Source✅Approx. 17% vocational / 83% general among 15–19 upper-secondary enrollment, based on OECD upper-secondary enrollment shares [Source-8✅]
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
Academic Year Start (Typical Month)August Source✅Late January or early February, depending on jurisdiction and school calendar [Source-9✅]
Academic Year End (Typical Month)May/June (end of schoolwork is typically in late May or early June) Source✅Typically December, with final term dates varying by state and territory [Source-10✅]
Instruction Weeks per YearAbout 38 weeks (based on 190 working days) Source✅About 40 weeks, with OECD noting Australia as an at-least-40-week school-year system [Source-11✅]
Instruction Days per Year190 days (basic education working days; adjusted for public holidays) Source✅Approximately 195–200 days, varying by jurisdiction; Australia also provides around 1,000 compulsory instruction hours per year in primary and lower secondary education [Source-12✅]
Grading System
Primary/Secondary Grading Scale4–10 (with 10 as the highest) Source✅Commonly A–E or equivalent standards-based reporting in Years 1–10; senior secondary credentials use state/territory certificate systems and ATAR for tertiary selection [Source-13✅]
Higher Education Grading Scale0–5 (often ECTS-compatible) and Pass/Fail in some courses Source✅Usually HD/D/CR/P with percentage marks; a common university example is HD 80–100, D 70–79, CR 60–69, and P 50–59, though each provider sets its own rules [Source-14✅]
Language of Instruction
Primary Instruction Languages (K–12)Finnish and Swedish Source✅English is the main language of instruction across K–12 schooling, with Australian Curriculum delivery adapted by states, territories and sectors [Source-15✅]
Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12)Sami (in Sámi-speaking areas) and other languages may be used in specific programmes when approved by providers Source✅Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, Auslan, and community/world languages may be offered through curriculum programs, bilingual initiatives, and local school arrangements [Source-16✅]
School Provision & Access (K–12)
Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students)Basic education: 97% public; upper secondary: 90% public Source✅62.8% of school students were enrolled in government schools in 2025 [Source-17✅]
Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency)$0 (tuition-free) Source✅$0 tuition for public schooling in general resident access; families may pay for uniforms, books, excursions, and supplies [Source-18✅]
Public Schools Nationwide AvailabilityYes (municipal school network covers the country) Source✅Yes; state and territory governments provide public schools in most towns and suburbs nationwide [Source-19✅]
Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students)Basic education: 3% private; upper secondary: 10% private Source✅37.2% total non-government enrollment in 2025, including 20.0% Catholic schools and 17.2% independent schools [Source-20✅]
Private Schools (Geographic Concentration)Mostly in urban areas and larger municipalities; typically publicly funded within the national framework Source✅Mostly urban and suburban, with Catholic, independent, faith-based, specialist, and alternative schools also present in many regional education markets [Source-21✅]
International Schools (K–12)
Number of International Schools (Total)No single nationwide official register publishes a definitive total covering all “international schools” and programmes Source✅About 46–68 directory-listed international schools, depending on the definition used; Australia does not publish one single national official count for this category [Source-22✅]
Number of IB World Schools18 IB World Schools Source✅215 IB World Schools are listed for Australia in specialist international-school references [Source-23✅]
Main International Programmes OfferedIB (PYP/MYP/DP), European Baccalaureate, and Deutsche Internationale Abitur (examples of recognised international qualifications) Source✅IB, Cambridge International, Australian senior certificates, and selected American, British, French, German, Japanese, and other community-linked programmes in specialist schools [Source-24✅]
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools)Most teachers are required to hold a Master’s degree (university-level teacher education) Source✅Generally at least four years of higher education, including an accredited initial teacher education programme or recognised equivalent [Source-25✅]
Average Class Size (Primary)About 19 pupils (grades 1–6, average teaching group size) Source✅About 23.1 students per primary class in 2023, according to OECD reporting [Source-26✅]
Average Class Size (Lower Secondary)About 17 pupils (grades 7–9, average teaching group size) Source✅National lower-secondary class size is not published as one simple universal school-rule figure; practical class groupings are commonly around the low-to-mid 20s, while ABS reports a secondary student-to-teaching-staff ratio of 11.7:1 in 2025 [Source-27✅]
Average Class Size (Upper Secondary)Course-based groups; sizes vary by subject and provider (no single national average is routinely reported for all general and vocational upper secondary course groups) Source✅Not nationally standardised as one comparable class-size figure; upper-secondary classes vary by subject, provider, and pathway, with secondary staffing ratios reported nationally at 11.7 students per teacher [Source-28✅]
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
PISA Participation (First Year)20002000 [Source-29✅]
PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science)507 / 520 / 522 Source✅491 / 503 / 503 [Source-30✅]
PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science)484 / 490 / 511 Source✅487 / 498 / 507 [Source-31✅]
Average PISA Rank 2000–2022 (Math / Reading / Science)Not officially published as a single “average rank” across 2000–2022 cycles; performance is commonly presented by cycle and domain rather than a long-run rank average Source✅No official OECD average-rank series is published as a single national indicator; Australia is best presented by cycle scores and cycle ranks. In PISA 2022, Australia was reported around equal 10th in mathematics and equal 9th in reading and science among participating systems [Source-32✅]
Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2022)Science (highest domain score) Source✅Science, with Australia scoring 507, higher than reading and mathematics in the 2022 cycle [Source-33✅]
Higher Education System
Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total)36 total: 13 universities + 22 universities of applied sciences (OKM branch) + National Defence University (separate administration) Source✅206 TEQSA-registered higher education providers at 30 June 2024 [Source-34✅]
Number of Universities (Research Universities)13 universities Source✅43 Australian Universities in TEQSA’s registered provider categories [Source-35✅]
Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges22 universities of applied sciences Source✅No separate universities of applied sciences category; TEQSA lists 7 University Colleges and 156 Institutes of Higher Education [Source-36✅]
Main Institution TypesUniversities and Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) Source✅Australian Universities, University Colleges, Institutes of Higher Education, TAFE institutes, and VET providers under the national qualifications framework [Source-37✅]
Tertiary Enrollment Share by OwnershipPublic/non-profit: ~100% | Private/for-profit: ~0% (system is primarily publicly governed and publicly funded) Source✅Public/non-profit: dominant share | Private/for-profit: smaller provider segment; for domestic undergraduate university equity data, around 98% attended Table A public universities and about 2% attended Table B institutions [Source-38✅]
English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total)At least 431 English-taught programmes available via the national joint application (latest published count for that intake) Source✅No official national count is published as one consolidated bachelor-plus-master total; Australia is a primarily English-medium higher education system with thousands of searchable programmes across registered providers [Source-39✅]
Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%)Not published as a single national percentage; programmes are primarily offered in Finnish and Swedish, alongside many English-taught options Source✅English-medium programmes make up the mainstream share; non-English delivery is mainly limited to language, bilingual, exchange, and specialist pathway components rather than a large separate national-language degree sector [Source-40✅]
Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%)Not published as a single national percentage; English-taught programmes are listed and searchable via national application services and institutional catalogues Source✅Effectively near-universal for mainstream domestic and international higher education delivery; international applicants commonly meet English-language entry requirements [Source-41✅]
Main Global Ranking UsedQS World University Rankings Source✅QS World University Rankings, alongside Times Higher Education and ARWU as widely used global references [Source-42✅]
Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking)0 Source✅9 Australian universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026 top 100 [Source-43✅]
Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking)7 Source✅About 28 Australian universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026 top 500, based on the QS country-filtered ranking list and published ranking positions [Source-44✅]
Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking)9 Source✅About 36 Australian universities were ranked overall in QS World University Rankings 2026 listings, with top-1000 status depending on the live QS banding and correction updates [Source-45✅]
National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education)FINEEC (Finnish Education Evaluation Centre) Source✅TEQSA is the national higher education quality assurance and regulatory agency; ASQA regulates the national VET sector [Source-46✅]
International Students (Total)31,656 international (foreign-language) degree students in 2023 Source✅481,851 onshore overseas higher education students in 2024 [Source-47✅]
International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%)9.3% (in 2023) Source✅31% of onshore higher education enrollment in 2024 [Source-48✅]
Education Costs (Indicative)
Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency)$0 for degree programmes taught in Finnish or Swedish (no tuition fees) Source✅For Commonwealth Supported Places, 2026 maximum student contribution amounts are about $4,738–$17,399 per EFTSL, depending on field of study [Source-49✅]
Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency)Typically $8,000–$20,000 per year for English-taught Bachelor’s/Master’s programmes (set by the university and programme) Source✅Typically around $20,000–$50,000+ per year for many international bachelor and master programmes, with higher-cost specialist degrees possible [Source-50✅]
Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency)Commonly $8,000–$20,000 per year for non-EU/EEA students (programme-specific) Source✅Most mainstream degree programmes are English-taught; indicative annual tuition commonly falls around $20,000–$53,000 for bachelor and master study, depending on course and provider [Source-51✅]
Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency)Varies by provider and course intensity; many options are organised as course-based fees rather than monthly pricing Source✅English language study is often priced weekly; a common indicative cost is about $300 per week, or roughly $1,200 per month before accommodation and living costs [Source-52✅]
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms
  • Two-cycle (Bachelor/Master) degree structures strengthened within the European framework (university degree regulation and related directives).
  • Universities Act (558/2009) modernised the legal basis for universities and their administration.
  • Quality and transparency in higher education governance supported through updated national regulation.
    		• —
    OverviewSource✅—
    2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms
  • National Core Curriculum (introduced 2014) implemented in grades 1–6 from August 2016 and in grades 7–9 during 2017–2019.
  • VET reform advanced a competence-based approach and more individual learning paths.
  • Expansion of English-taught study options and clearer programme information through national services.
  • 2011–2012: TEQSA was established and began national higher education regulatory functions, strengthening quality assurance [Source-58✅]
  • 2013–2014: the Australian Education Act 2013 commenced as the core Commonwealth funding framework for schools [Source-59✅]
  • National curriculum consolidation: ACARA continued to develop and maintain the Australian Curriculum across learning areas [Source-60✅]
  • Teacher standards: national teacher registration expectations increasingly aligned around accredited initial teacher education and professional standards [Source-61✅]
  • AQF alignment: school, VET and higher education qualifications continued under one national qualifications framework [Source-62✅]
    • OverviewSource✅—
    2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms
  • Compulsory education extended to age 18 (effective 1 August 2021), strengthening pathways to upper secondary qualifications.
  • TUVA launched (1 August 2022) as a unified preparatory programme for upper secondary qualification pathways.
  • Enhanced focus on guidance and smooth transitions across education stages.
  • 2022–2023: Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 was endorsed and implementation planning began across jurisdictions [Source-63✅]
  • 2024: the Australian Universities Accord Final Report was released, setting a long-term reform direction for higher education [Source-64✅]
  • 2024: the Higher Education Student Statistics reported 1,676,077 total domestic and overseas higher education students [Source-65✅]
  • ECE focus: preschool funding agreements supported the year before school and access-focused reform activity [Source-66✅]
  • International education services: Study Australia expanded official tools for course search, budgeting, and student guidance [Source-67✅]
    • OverviewSource✅—
    2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms
  • Compulsory education extension continued through implementation measures and provider-level pathway development.
  • TUVA scaled as a flexible option supporting readiness for upper secondary studies.
  • Ongoing refinement of student support and study guidance practices in daily schooling.
  • 2022–2023: Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 was endorsed and implementation planning began across jurisdictions [Source-63✅]
  • 2024: the Australian Universities Accord Final Report was released, setting a long-term reform direction for higher education [Source-64✅]
  • 2024: the Higher Education Student Statistics reported 1,676,077 total domestic and overseas higher education students [Source-65✅]
  • ECE focus: preschool funding agreements supported the year before school and access-focused reform activity [Source-66✅]
  • International education services: Study Australia expanded official tools for course search, budgeting, and student guidance [Source-67✅]
    • OverviewSource✅—
    2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms
  • Learning support rules updated in basic education; the amending act (1090/2024) entered into force on 1 August 2025.
  • Core curricula updates aligned with the legislative changes; education providers update local curricula accordingly.
  • System-wide emphasis on early and proactive support throughout the learning path.
  • 2025: the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement 2025–2034 commenced as a 10-year national school reform and funding framework [Source-68✅]
  • 2025: Australia recorded 4,160,918 school students and 9,673 schools in ABS school statistics [Source-69✅]
  • 2026: updated Commonwealth Supported Place student contribution amounts applied from 1 January 2026 [Source-70✅]
  • 2025–2026: First Nations Languages Education Program activity supported flexible local partnerships for language learning [Source-71✅]
  • 2026 planning: TEQSA continued national regulation and quality assurance through updated regulatory guidance and standards-based oversight [Source-72✅]
    • OverviewSource✅—
    General Overview (Narrative)
    OverviewFinland’s education system is built around a publicly funded, largely municipality-run school network, supported by national steering from the Ministry of Education and Culture and EDUFI. Compulsory education runs from age 7 to 18, complemented by compulsory pre-primary at age 6. Basic education (grades 1–9) is tuition-free, and upper secondary education is offered through both general and vocational pathways. Learning outcomes are monitored internationally through OECD PISA, and Finland’s 2022 profile shows its strongest domain in science. At the end of general upper secondary, the national matriculation examination is organised by the independent Matriculation Examination Board, appointed by the Ministry. Recent policy direction highlights smooth transitions through extended compulsory education, the TUVA preparatory option, and strengthened learning support from August 2025. Overall, Finland combines local autonomy in everyday teaching with a consistent national framework that supports quality, inclusion, and clear progression routes across education levels.
    Source✅    		Australia has a mixed public and private education system with shared national, state, and territory responsibilities. The Australian Government supports national policy, funding, and higher education regulation, while states and territories operate public schools and manage local school requirements. Schooling usually begins with Foundation/Preparatory education and continues through Years 1–12, with compulsory attendance rules varying by jurisdiction. Public schools educate the majority of K–12 students, while Catholic and independent schools form a substantial non-government sector. The Australian Curriculum provides a common national reference for Foundation to Year 10, and senior secondary students complete state or territory certificates that can support vocational, university, and employment pathways. Higher education is internationally visible, with 43 Australian Universities and a large international student population. Recent reforms focus on curriculum renewal, preschool access, school funding agreements, teacher quality, higher education reform through the Universities Accord, and support for First Nations languages. Overall, Australia combines national standards, local delivery, broad public access, and globally connected tertiary education.

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    Australia—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌
    Canada⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌
    China⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌
    Denmark⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌
    Estonia⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Finland⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    France⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Germany⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Japan⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Netherlands⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Singapore⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    South Korea⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌○⇌⇌⇌
    Sweden⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌⇌⇌⇌
    Switzerland⇌⇌⇌⇌○○○○○○○○⇌—○⇌⇌
    Turkey⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌○—⇌⇌
    United Kingdom⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—⇌
    US⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌⇌—

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