Privatschulen#

Private Schools, schools which may be established by any citizen, territorial corporation, other corporation under public law and especially by churches and religious communities recognized by law on condition that certain requirements (stipulated by law since 1850, Private School Act of 1962) are met. As a rule, the name of the private school must indicate the individual or institution responsible for it. Private schools under Public Law may issue certificates which have the same legal effect as the corresponding public school.

Private schools have been very important for the development of the Austrian educational system. It is mainly due to private initiatives that the vocational school system was set up and appropriate educational opportunities for girls ( Vocational Schools for Women) were established during the 19th  century. Now 7 % of all Austrian schools are private, especially those established by the Roman Catholic church and its orders (1993/1994: 314 schools with 63,499 pupils). Since 1972, the public authorities have, by way of subsidies, assumed responsibility for the payment of salaries for all regular teachers in denominational schools (from 1962 subsidies had accounted for 60% of teachers´ salaries).