Schools of Austria begin with four years of Volksschule (primary school), followed by four years in Mittelschule or the lower cycle of an Allgemeinbildende Höhere Schule (AHS). After the eighth school year, a pupil chooses among distinct ninth-year and upper-secondary routes: a Polytechnische Schule, an AHS upper cycle, a Berufsbildende Mittlere Schule (BMS), a Berufsbildende Höhere Schule (BHS), and later a workplace-based apprenticeship combined with Berufsschule. The choice affects school duration, practical training and the qualification a student can obtain.
The key rule is nine years of compulsory schooling. Austria also has an education or training obligation up to age 18, but that is not a requirement to remain inside a conventional full-time school until eighteen. Apprenticeship and certain other approved training routes can satisfy the later obligation. The government’s compulsory-school guide updated July 2026 and its education-to-18 guide distinguish these two rules clearly.
For a family choosing a school, this article answers the institution question first: what is a Volksschule, Mittelschule, Gymnasium, HTL, HAK, Handelsschule, Polytechnische Schule or Berufsschule? It then explains age, curriculum, the Matura, the dual apprenticeship system and recognised progression. Austria has multiple credible routes; a single diagram saying “primary then high school then university” conceals the most important decisions.
Austria’s school structure at a glance
| School or programme | Usual school years | Primary educational purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten and optional preschool | Before Year 1 | Early childhood development and readiness |
| Volksschule | 1–4 | General foundational primary education |
| Mittelschule (MS) | 5–8 | Four-year lower-secondary route, with differentiated achievement levels |
| AHS Unterstufe | 5–8 | Lower cycle of academic secondary education |
| Polytechnische Schule (PTS) | Usually Year 9 | Pre-vocational orientation and completion of compulsory school years |
| AHS Oberstufe | 9–12 normally | Upper academic route leading toward Reifeprüfung (Matura) |
| BMS | Usually Years 9 onward, 1–4 years | Intermediate vocational education, duration-specific qualifications |
| BHS | Usually Years 9–13, five years | Higher vocational education and Reife- und Diplomprüfung |
| Berufsschule plus apprenticeship | After required school years | Part-time vocational school combined with paid workplace training |
Immediate distinction: BHS is not the same as BMS. A five-year BHS typically concludes with both a vocational diploma and Matura-level qualification; shorter BMS programmes have different outcomes. Berufsschule is not another name for BHS. It is the school component of an apprenticeship.
Contents: choose your question
- [Primary school: Volksschule](#primary-school-volksschule-years-1-4)
- [Lower-secondary: Mittelschule](#mittelschule-the-four-year-lower-secondary-route)
- [Academic secondary: AHS](#ahs-unterstufe-and-the-gymnasium-route)
- [The ninth school year](#year-9-and-the-polytechnische-schule)
- [AHS upper cycle and Matura](#ahs-oberstufe-and-matura)
- [Intermediate vocational schools: BMS](#bms-intermediate-vocational-education)
- [Higher vocational colleges: BHS](#bhs-higher-vocational-education)
- [Apprenticeship and Berufsschule](#berufsschule-and-the-dual-apprenticeship-system)
- [Compulsory training until 18](#school-until-15-versus-education-until-18)
- [How to select and verify a school](#a-parent-and-student-school-choice-method)
- [Primary official references](#sources-and-editorial-verification)
What does the word Schule actually tell a family?
The German word Schule simply denotes a school. It does not settle a student’s course, duration, credential or university eligibility. The same city can have a Volksschule for younger children, a Mittelschule for ten- to fourteen-year-olds, a Gymnasium providing an academic route, and a BHS offering senior-level technical or business education.
The names also have historical and institutional nuances. Gymnasium can be a type of academic secondary institution under AHS. Realgymnasium generally places different emphasis on mathematics or science within academic secondary schooling. Handelsakademie (HAK) is a commercially oriented higher vocational school, not simply a company-funded after-school club.
A school may also offer all-day provision, particular languages or an inclusive programme. Those features can matter greatly for a child but do not by themselves change the fundamental qualification rules. A parent’s first task is to identify which school type and year group the institution is approved to teach.
The OeAD Austrian education system diagram is a useful authoritative map because it places these branches at the appropriate school years instead of collapsing all post-primary learning into one path.
Preschool and the start of compulsory school
Before primary school, children may attend kindergarten and early education services. Austria also has arrangements for children not yet school-ready, including an optional or required preschool year where applicable. These settings are developmentally distinct from four-year Volksschule.
Under Austria’s compulsory education law, the standard starting rule is the first 1 September after a child completes their sixth year as legally calculated. Official guidance explains the special position of birthdays at the start of September. Eligibility for early admission and school-readiness decisions should be checked through the actual school and education authority.
Parents moving from abroad can easily misinterpret the word Vorschule. It might describe a preparatory school stage, not an additional full year of lower-secondary academic work. A child should not be placed into a numbered class solely because of a translation of “kindergarten” from another country.
Good early education supports vocabulary, social confidence, curiosity, counting, patterns and language. Pushing formal examinations into kindergarten without regard to development is not a sound way to prepare children for later school.
Primary school: Volksschule, Years 1–4
Volksschule is the normal four-year primary school. Pupils develop literacy, numeracy, observation, expression and habits for increasingly independent study. German plays a central role in most schools’ instruction; children with different home languages can need distinct support.
Primary mathematics should begin from meaning. A child may remember that 8 × 4 = 32 but be unable to show eight groups of four. This is a warning for later division, fractions and algebra. A good teacher moves between counters, drawings, spoken explanation and symbols.
Reading likewise goes beyond pronouncing a text. A pupil should identify the main point, link details, understand unfamiliar vocabulary and explain what a sentence means. A student who reads aloud quickly but cannot explain an informational passage needs comprehension work rather than a blanket instruction to read faster.
The government’s and OeAD’s primary-school guide sets out the four years and the subsequent school choices. Families should also investigate what support is available when a child needs help with German as an additional language or particular learning needs.
The Year 4 decision at approximately age ten
After Year 4, students move to Mittelschule or the lower level of AHS, subject to the applicable admissions requirements. This is a comparatively early institutional transition by international standards, and families should understand it before the final primary term.
The choice need not be portrayed as a permanent verdict on a child’s intelligence. Students develop at different rates, schools have transfer routes and later options remain available under documented entry conditions. It is nevertheless a consequential decision because curricula, achievement reporting and later school applications can differ.
A useful preparation review asks whether a student reads age-appropriate text with meaning, works confidently with number relationships, explains mathematical steps and can manage homework. Where a gap exists, an accurate diagnostic is more productive than simply asking a child to complete more test papers.
The family should seek current official enrolment conditions, available school places, travel arrangements and school support. A national description cannot guarantee admission to a particular AHS.
Mittelschule: the four-year lower-secondary route
The Mittelschule serves Years 5–8, normally ages around ten to fourteen. It is designed for a wide range of learners and prepares them for further academic, vocational and pre-vocational routes. Its curriculum combines general education with differentiation and educational or career orientation.
The OeAD’s Mittelschule page explains achievement levels known as Standard and Standard AHS in German, mathematics and modern foreign languages from the relevant years. These levels matter for interpreting school results and potential admissions requirements for an upper school.
Do not confuse Standard with “not capable of further study,” or Standard AHS with a guarantee of entry to any desired school. The meaning of the grade, level and current programme requirements should be read together. A family should ask a teacher what knowledge the child demonstrates and which prerequisites need strengthening.
Some Mittelschulen offer specialist emphases, such as languages, science or music, and many offer extended-day arrangements. These are real features worth evaluating, but the institutional stage remains four-year lower secondary.
A worked transition example from Mittelschule
A Year 7 learner solves the equation 4x = 28 correctly: x = 7. The teacher then asks what happens in 4(x + 2) = 28. The student gives x = 5 after subtracting two from twenty-eight and then guessing a result.
The correct method is to divide both sides by four: x + 2 = 7, and therefore x = 5. Coincidentally the student’s guessed numerical answer may be correct, but without a correct explanation, understanding remains uncertain. Ask them to check 4(5 + 2) = 28 and solve a genuinely different example, such as 3(x + 4) = 24, which gives x = 4.
The teacher’s task is not to reward accidental accuracy. It is to establish that the student recognises grouping, distributive structure and balance. A strong lower-secondary programme builds this independence through examples and feedback.
This original worked example illustrates the importance of conceptual diagnosis; it is not claimed as a reproduction of a current Austrian school examination paper.
AHS Unterstufe and the Gymnasium route
Allgemeinbildende Höhere Schule (AHS) is academic secondary education. Its lower cycle, Unterstufe, normally serves Years 5–8. Common AHS types include Gymnasium, Realgymnasium and other recognised emphases. Pupils may progress into AHS upper secondary or apply for an appropriate vocational or alternative route.
The OeAD AHS lower-cycle guide describes a four-year lower stage, its academic orientation and progression. Exact entrance conditions should be checked, especially when a learner is coming from a different school type.
The label Gymnasium should not be treated as if it were identical to a sporting institution. In Austria it ordinarily denotes an academic secondary-school form. A school with a science or economics emphasis still operates within an authorised programme and the relevant national expectations.
Families should compare actual lesson quality and the student’s needs. A child who enters AHS but has weak basic fractions or academic German may need support. Prestige does not replace prerequisite teaching.
Year 9 and the Polytechnische Schule
Austria has nine years of compulsory schooling, although primary plus lower-secondary total only eight. The ninth year can be completed in a Polytechnische Schule (PTS) or in an appropriate ninth-year class of another recognised upper-secondary school.
The PTS commonly provides a one-year programme emphasising general education, career orientation and introductory vocational preparation. It can be a sensible choice for pupils interested in apprenticeship or practical learning. It is not simply a school for students who have “failed” academic education.
The official OeAD PTS page explains its place after Year 8 and its relationship to later training. A student’s next steps depend on successful completion, the desired apprenticeship and current admission arrangements.
A school should show what occupational areas are explored, how basic mathematics and German literacy are maintained, what safety instruction occurs and how students receive guidance. A good orientation programme helps learners make an informed choice rather than settle for the first available vacancy.
AHS Oberstufe and Matura
The AHS upper cycle normally spans Years 9–12 and culminates in the Reifeprüfung, commonly called the Matura, when the relevant conditions are met. This is a recognised academic higher-education entrance route, subject to programme-specific university admission rules.
A family should not confuse attending Year 12 with automatically passing the Matura. Courses, internal requirements and final examinations matter. A student who holds a school attendance record without the qualifying examination has a different educational status from a successful graduate.
The OeAD AHS upper-cycle guide sets out the standard four-year upper cycle and the Reifeprüfung. Exact examination dates, subject combinations and current regulations must be obtained from the responsible authority.
Students considering science-intensive or language-intensive university programmes should examine their subject preparation early. A Matura can provide general tertiary eligibility, but specific courses may still have prerequisites, admission procedures or capacity restrictions.
BMS: intermediate vocational education
Berufsbildende Mittlere Schule (BMS) refers to intermediate vocational schools. Their duration is programme-dependent and can range from one to four years. Shorter programmes can provide partial vocational preparation, while longer recognised programmes can provide completed professional training.
A BMS should not be described as a five-year higher-vocational college simply because the school teaches business or technology. The duration and final award are central. The OeAD BMS explanation distinguishes short and longer programmes and the options available for further qualifications.
Examples include commercial, technical, craft or other occupationally oriented subjects. Quality should be judged through training equipment, qualified teachers, actual assessed competencies, safety arrangements and progression possibilities.
Some learners complete BMS and later pursue an additional route toward Matura-level eligibility. That option does not mean every BMS certificate itself is a Matura. Families must ask what further programme or examination would be required.
BHS: higher vocational education
Berufsbildende Höhere Schule (BHS) is a distinctive Austrian upper-secondary route. It usually lasts five years following Year 8 and culminates in a combined Reife- und Diplomprüfung, providing a higher vocational qualification and a recognised higher-education entrance qualification.
This explains why one young Austrian may still be at school in the thirteenth school year while an AHS student completes Matura after twelve. The extra BHS year is part of a different programme design, not a failed academic year.
An HTL generally represents a higher technical institution; HAK denotes a Handelsakademie, a business and commercial upper-secondary school. Other BHS programmes focus on tourism, economic professions, fashion, agriculture and related fields. The exact qualification depends on the recognised specialisation.
The OeAD BHS source describes the five-year structure and diploma examination. It also clarifies that some specialist pedagogy colleges may have comparable duration but a different legal institutional category.
HTL versus HAK: two examples of BHS school makeup
A student interested in electronics might consider an HTL offering an approved technical programme. The family should inspect mathematics, physics, engineering fundamentals, laboratory or workshop hours, supervised projects and the diploma requirements.
A student interested in accounting, management or business might examine a HAK, asking how commercial mathematics, languages, information systems and professional practice are taught. Neither institution can be evaluated solely by its initials. The course actually offered is what matters.
Consider the mathematics of a proposed small workshop: a material costs €8 per unit, and the school project requires 35 units. Base material cost is €280 before other costs. If wastage is estimated at 10%, the planned quantity may need adjustment; the learner should distinguish percentage of quantity from percentage added to a price. Such tasks connect general mathematics with work-related reasoning.
The most important question for a family is whether the student is motivated by the programme and can obtain the recognised qualification through actual structured learning, not simply whether the school has a fashionable professional title.
Berufsschule and the dual apprenticeship system
A Berufsschule is the part-time school element in Austria’s dual apprenticeship system. The learner is in a training relationship with an employer and also attends vocational school to study theory relevant to the recognised occupation. This is different from full-time BMS or BHS.
The official OeAD apprenticeship guide describes apprenticeships generally lasting two to four years, with a mixture of workplace and school-based learning. A common arrangement is one or more days of school each week or organised blocks, depending on occupation and locality.
The apprentice’s training occupation and employer’s location can influence which Berufsschule they attend. Thus it may not be an unrestricted school choice comparable to applying for an academic Gymnasium.
This route can be valuable for someone who learns through real work and wants recognised technical or commercial competence. It is not a reason to stop learning mathematics, literacy or safe working practice. A strong apprenticeship connects them to authentic tasks.
Worked example: selecting an apprenticeship
Suppose a teenager is interested in electrical installation. Before signing a training contract, they should ask the recognised occupation, duration, supervising employer, Berufsschule placement, training plan, safety arrangements and the examination that demonstrates occupational competence.
They can test preparation with a basic relationship: with 12 volts across a 6-ohm resistor, the current is 12 ÷ 6 = 2 amperes under the idealised conditions of Ohm’s law. But the school must also teach the circumstances in which the formula applies, safe equipment use and how to verify measurements. Correct arithmetic alone is not professional skill.
A student attracted by business administration could instead ask what recordkeeping, customer communication, calculation, computer systems and workplace conduct are taught. Apprenticeships are not identical simply because they are all dual training.
When a family is uncertain, the school, employer and official youth education advisers should help compare the available opportunities. An informal recruiter should not promise qualification recognition that the awarding body has not confirmed.
School until 15 versus education until 18
A common global summary says that Austrian schooling ends at fifteen. This is incomplete. Compulsory school attendance normally lasts nine school years, starting at around six, but AusBildung bis 18 imposes a separate obligation for eligible young people who have completed compulsory schooling to remain in recognised education or training until eighteen or a qualifying completion point.
The official government guidance updated January 2026 explains that the training obligation may be fulfilled by appropriate school, apprenticeship and other programmes.
The initiative’s FAQ explicitly states that this is not a demand that all young people remain enrolled in a conventional school. This distinction is important when a parent considers an apprenticeship after Year 9.
The educational objective is sustained progression toward a credible qualification. A family who needs advice should use the official coordination and youth coaching arrangements, not assume that a teenager can simply withdraw into any unrecognised activity.
Recognised assessment and the Matura distinction
Austria has several final qualification types. AHS Matura and BHS Reife- und Diplomprüfung are distinct from a completed apprenticeship examination or shorter BMS programme. They should not be merged into one generic “Austrian diploma.”
The Matura is an academically significant qualification, but it is not the only valuable outcome. Vocational programmes may confer specific competencies and documented awards, and bridging or later-entry examinations can create further opportunities subject to conditions.
A student who completes an apprenticeship may later pursue a Berufsreifeprüfung, a route toward wider higher-education eligibility under applicable requirements. This does not mean the apprentice automatically obtains Matura on completion of any training contract. The additional programme and exams matter.
Parents should identify the exact German award title, issuing authority, examination record and accepted progression options. Translating Berufsschule as “high school” may hide the apprenticeship component and mislead a foreign university or employer.
German language and multilingual classrooms
German is central to most Austrian formal school education. A family that moves from another country may find that a child understands science and arithmetic but struggles with the language used in lesson instructions and tests.
Support requires identifying separate competencies: everyday conversation, decoding text, academic vocabulary, extended reading and the ability to explain a concept. A learner can be capable in mathematics yet unable to read the problem efficiently in German.
Schools use arrangements to evaluate and support German-language skills under relevant rules. Their details and eligibility should be confirmed with the education authority because language support policies may evolve. Do not infer that a single German test measures all of a child’s intellectual potential.
An appropriate teacher can ask the student to show a calculation or explain a diagram while gradually building the German terms needed for class. This is better than immediately repeating an entire school year without determining which actual prerequisite is missing.
Inclusion, accessible teaching and individual vocational support
Austria’s school landscape includes integrated education and specialised provision for learners with particular educational needs. Some pupils study with peers in mainstream settings with adjustments; others attend particular schools or support programmes according to the relevant rules and family decisions.
OeAD describes individual vocational training options with extended apprenticeship periods or partial qualifications and support from vocational training assistance. The point is to make appropriate progression possible rather than presume that one conventional route suits everyone.
For a family, the important facts are practical: can the child access the building, participate in teaching, use appropriate materials, receive adjustments and progress toward a meaningful qualification? A school’s inclusion statement should translate into observable services.
Needs must not be conflated. A pupil with mobility difficulties may have excellent mathematics. Another may require reading intervention. A learner newly acquiring German may need language support rather than placement into a special-needs category.
Public and private schools: recognition and costs
Austria has public schools and private education under relevant supervision. A private school’s recognition status, right to issue equivalent reports and curriculum are more important than the word “private.” Families should request the school’s exact authorised programme and what its certificates mean.
The fees and practical conditions can differ. Transport, after-school care, meals, materials or specialist activities can affect family budgets. A school closer to home with effective teaching may be a better fit than an institution that requires several hours of travel each week.
Do not infer that a private international-facing name guarantees a foreign diploma. Some schools may offer recognised international programmes alongside Austrian requirements; the exact awarding bodies, authorisation and admission conditions must be confirmed.
Government guidance and regional education directorates can clarify current compulsory-attendance and equivalence requirements. A website’s promotional ranking cannot settle legal school recognition.
The geography of school choice
Austria includes urban centres, smaller towns and Alpine communities. A family in Vienna may have different nearby school choices from a family in a mountain district. Institutional options such as specific HTL departments or apprenticeship workplaces may not be available within a short commute everywhere.
School comparison must therefore consider travel, public transport, boarding where relevant, timetable compatibility and the learner’s wellbeing. The academically ideal programme on paper may be impractical without safe access.
For vocational pathways, the training company’s location and occupation can determine the relevant Berufsschule. This practical feature is easy to miss if a family assumes it may choose any vocational school by preference.
When comparing rural and metropolitan schools, use relevant data on actual programme availability, teacher preparation and student support instead of treating school size or location as a proxy for quality.
Case study: a child completing Year 4
A ten-year-old is finishing Volksschule and wants to continue studying mathematics and languages. The family is comparing a nearby Mittelschule with an AHS Unterstufe. The wrong question is simply “Which name sounds more prestigious?”
First, review the student’s work and interests: can they explain fractions, read with understanding and write a coherent answer? Second, check the actual school programmes and available support. Third, verify admissions and grades required for the AHS route. Fourth, examine travel and the child’s readiness for a new environment.
The student may have very strong curiosity but one weak prerequisite. A four-week improvement plan could target the obstacle, such as fraction equivalence or German reading, before the new school year.
Both paths can lead to further education under relevant requirements. The responsible decision considers current capability, future possibility and the learner’s genuine needs.
Case study: the Year 8 decision between AHS, BMS, BHS and PTS
A fourteen-year-old enjoys practical mechanics but is also interested in university study. After Year 8, the family compares AHS upper secondary, a business or technical BHS, a suitable BMS and PTS followed by apprenticeship.
Start with duration and qualification: AHS typically leads toward Matura after Year 12, BHS is typically five years with vocational and Matura-level awards, BMS varies by programme, and PTS is a one-year pre-vocational option before a possible apprenticeship.
Then compare actual curricula. Does the prospective BHS teach the desired specialist subjects? Does the apprenticeship offer the occupation the learner truly wants? How secure are algebra, measurement, literacy and German academic language? What entrance requirements apply?
The student may find several plausible routes. There is no honest rule that every academically strong learner must choose AHS or that every hands-on learner should immediately choose apprenticeship. Matching goals to programme evidence is a better method.
Case study: an international transfer into Austrian secondary school
A student arrives from a country where primary lasts six years and has completed a class called Grade 6. The family asks whether they should enter the second year of Mittelschule. School year labels alone do not settle this.
The receiving school should consider age, completed curriculum, documentation, German proficiency, mathematics, science and national placement requirements. A pupil may have studied more algebra than Austrian peers yet need German-language support for extended written questions.
Use an original mathematics task to separate these factors. Ask the child to explain why 5(x + 2) = 35 gives x = 5. They can show five equal groups and solve by division; then check whether they can express that reasoning in German. A language gap is not automatically a mathematical gap.
The school’s lawful placement decision and learning-support plan should be coordinated, with review after admission. An informal equivalence chart should not replace authorised procedures.
A four-week readiness and study plan
Week 1 — verify the route. Record school year, institution type, current programme, language and future intended qualification. Obtain any entry rules, reports and timetables. Check literacy and number meaning.
Week 2 — repair one prerequisite. If algebra fails because fraction meaning is weak, rebuild fractions using models. If German academic language blocks science explanations, use short content-rich readings and vocabulary in context. Avoid indiscriminate practice.
Week 3 — test transfer. Move the principle into a new application. A percentage learned in a classroom budget should work when pricing materials; an equation method should work with different symbols and wording.
Week 4 — review the student and the paperwork. Compare new work with the first diagnostic, then check admissions, school progression and qualification regulations. A learning assessment supports a decision but does not replace a formal school result.
Frequent misconceptions about Austrian schools
“Compulsory education ends entirely at age fifteen.” Nine years of school attendance end around that age, but the education or training obligation to eighteen is separate.
“Mittelschule and AHS are identical institutions.” They are different lower-secondary routes with different features and admissions arrangements.
“Year 9 is always the first year of an academic Gymnasium.” A pupil may attend PTS or an upper academic or vocational programme.
“BMS and BHS award the same diploma.” No. Their duration and recognised completion outcomes differ.
“Berufsschule is a full-time five-year high school.” No. It usually forms part of a dual apprenticeship with workplace training.
“Matura is the final exam for every Austrian student.” No. Apprenticeships and other vocational programmes may lead to different credentials.
“Choosing a vocational route means no later study is possible.” Later opportunities exist subject to additional qualifications and admissions requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How many years is primary school in Austria?
What happens after primary school?
What is the ninth compulsory school year?
Is attendance compulsory until age eighteen?
What is a Gymnasium?
What is a BHS?
What is an HTL?
What is a HAK?
What is a Berufsschule?
Can a vocational graduate attend university?
Where to go next in the school series
For the entire education system, read Understanding the Education System of Austria. To contrast the Austrian early branching with a predominantly common Foundation-to-Year-12 structure, see Schools of Australia.
Other country comparisons include Schools of Armenia and Schools of Argentina. The eduKate education hub provides wider guides about school transitions, study methods and qualifications.
Sources and editorial verification
- Austrian Government, compulsory school education, updated 16 July 2026 — nine school years, age rules and school types.
- Austrian Government, AusBildung bis 18, updated January 2026 — separate education/training obligation.
- OeAD: Austria education-system map — full institution and pathway chart.
- OeAD: Volksschule — primary school and progression.
- OeAD: Mittelschule — Years 5–8 and performance levels.
- OeAD: AHS lower cycle and AHS upper cycle — academic programme and Matura.
- OeAD: PTS — ninth-year orientation.
- OeAD: BMS and BHS — vocational school differences.
- OeAD: Berufsschule and apprenticeship — dual route.
- AusBildung bis 18 official FAQ — why compulsory training is not compulsory full-time school.
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026. This school-type guide distinguishes compulsory attendance from continued training, academic from vocational institutions, Matura from vocational completion, and approximate ages from individual admission rules. For an actual pupil, current official conditions and the specific institution’s written advice govern.
Related world education guides: World Education and Tutor Systems Country Crosswalk · World Tuition Master Hub. Country education guides do not certify local tutoring services or imply eduKate operates teaching centres overseas.