This variable shows the level of a person’s highest completed non‑school qualification. Non‑school qualifications are educational achievements that are not part of preschool, primary, or secondary schooling. This information can be used to show education levels in different parts of Australia and across different communities.
Scope
Persons aged 15 years and over who stated a completed qualification
What is the highest year of primary or secondary school the person has completed?
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Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: What is the highest year of primary or secondary school Person 1 has completed?
Underneath the question text, the instructional text states: For people currently at school, select the highest year of schooling they have completed, not the year they are currently undertaking.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: Select ‘Year 12 or equivalent’ if the person has completed: Year 13; 6th form; Matriculation; Highest year of school available. If the highest year of schooling the person has completed was in primary school, select ‘Year 8 or below’. For persons who left school and then returned after a break, select the highest year of schooling they have completed irrespective of when it was completed. Include school level education undertaken at other institutions (e.g. at a TAFE).
The response options are: Year 12 or equivalent; Year 11 or equivalent; Year 10 or equivalent; Year 9 or equivalent; Year 8 or below; Did not go to school.
Has the person completed any educational qualification?
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Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: Has Person 1 completed any educational qualification?
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: If the person completed any vocational qualifications as part of their secondary schooling, select ‘Yes, other qualification’. If the person has completed any other qualifications, select the appropriate ‘Yes’ response. Non-school or higher education qualifications include Certificates I-IV; Trade Certificates; Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas; Bachelor Degrees; Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas; and higher degrees such as a Masters or Doctorate.
The response options are: No; No, still studying for first qualification; Yes, trade certificate/apprenticeship; Yes, other qualification (certificate, diploma or degree).
What is the level of the highest qualification the person has completed?
Image
Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: What is the level of the highest qualification Person 1 has completed?
Underneath the text, the instructional text states: For example: Trade Certificate, Bachelor Degree, Associate Diploma, Certificate II, Advanced Diploma.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: If the person has two or more qualifications, only state the highest qualification obtained. For example, if the person has a Graduate Diploma of Education and a Bachelor Degree in Economics, the Graduate Diploma should be reported as the higher qualification. Qualification levels listed from highest to lowest: Doctorate; Master Degree; Graduate Diploma; Graduate Certificate; Bachelor Degree with Honours; Bachelor Degree; Associate Degree; Advanced Diploma; Diploma; Associate Diploma; Advanced Certificate; Certificate IV (or Post-trade); Certificate III (or Trade); Certificate II; Certificate I.
The response option is: Level of qualification, followed by a free text field.
What is the main field of study for the person’s highest qualification completed?
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Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: What is the main field of study for Person 1’s highest qualification completed?
Underneath the question text, the instruction text states: For example: Plumbing, Primary school teaching, Accounting, Hairdressing, Psychology, Hospitality.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: The main field of study is in relation to the highest qualification entered in the previous question. If the person has two or more qualifications and they are at the same level, provide the field of the one obtained most recently. If the person has two qualifications of the same level, completed at the same time (for example, double degrees), select the qualification considered the most important to them.
The response option is: Field of study, followed by a free text field.
How this variable is created
This variable is primarily coded from written responses to questions about qualification level and field of study. The following questions may also be used:
highest year of primary or secondary school completed
whether the person has completed any educational qualification
whether the qualification was completed before 1998
History and changes
A question about level of education was first asked in the 1911 Census. In many Censuses, school and non-school qualification were not asked as separate questions.
In 2001, the ASCED replaced the previous ABS qualifications classification.
In 2006, the question about when a qualification was completed was changed to ask whether it was finished before 1998 or from 1998 onwards. This change reflected the introduction of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) in 1998 and helps code certificates to more detailed ASCED levels.
In 2026, the question about whether a qualification was achieved before 1998 was removed from the paper form, however, where relevant will be asked on the online form.
