Unterrichtspflicht#

Compulsory Education (compulsory school attendance): In Austria the school attendance requirement can also be met by home tutoring or attendance of private schools, provided that the instruction is of the same standard as that provided by public schools. Demands for the introduction of compulsory education on a regional basis were already made in the 16th  century; the Allgemeine Schulordnung of 1774 made education compulsory for 6 years; the Reichsvolksschulgesetz of 1869 extended this period to 8 years and the School Legislation of 1962 to 9 years. All children who permanently stay in Austria are required to follow compulsory education, starting with the 1st  of September following completion of their 6th year. Children born between September 1 and December 31 are allowed to attend school before they have reached school age on the application of the persons having parental power, subject to their meeting certain school maturity requirements. All persons who serve their vocational apprenticeship (in Vorarlberg also girls who neither are apprentices nor attend schools of higher education) are obliged to attend a Berufsschule (compulsory attendance at professional training schools). The parents or other persons having parental power are responsible for compliance with the compulsory education requirement, and non-compliance is punishable as an administrative offence.