The school is a registered charity, with about a third of its income provided by the Australian Government, about a third by tuition fees, and the rest via philanthropy, corporate support and box office.[1] It is one of eight "national elite training organisations" funded by the Office for the Arts as part of its or ARTS8 (Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence) group of colleges.[2][1]
Education
The Australian Ballet School is a registered training organisation.[1] The Australian Ballet company draws 95% of its dancers from the school, and many graduates dance as principals and soloists around the world.
Offered are:
an eight-year course for talented students.
After School Program (Levels 1–3), for students generally between 10 and 13 years of age. Classes take place after school hours and on Saturdays.
Interstate/International Training Program (Levels 1–4), for students generally between 8 and 14 years of age who are gifted in dance but live interstate or internationally. There are limited spots in Level four for talented students that are not yet ready to leave home.
Full-Time Program (Levels 4–8), for students generally between 13 and 19 years of age. Level 4 is taken in conjunction with academic year 9 at the nearby Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS). For the younger students, approximately half the day consists of dance classes and the other half consists of academic classes, Monday to Friday with half a day of dance classes on Saturday.
Audition process
Prospective students must audition for entry to the school.