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Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)
This degree prepares teachers for the years before school and the first years of primary school.

- How long it takes
- 4 years
- full time
- Entry ATAR
- From 56.4
- Lowest offered at Western Sydney University, 2023
- How you can study
- Online or on campus
- Includes a work placement
- Leads on to
- Early Childhood Teacher
- $99,100 median pay, In demand
- Taught by
- 7 providers
- NSW, QLD
Is this course right for you?
What the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- a genuine interest in how young children learn and grow
- patience and a calm approach to everyday challenges
- good communication skills with children, families and colleagues
- a willingness to reflect on your own practice and keep learning
Before you start
Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.
Where this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it

Early Childhood Teacher
Early childhood teachers plan and run play-based learning programs for children from birth to about five, in the years before formal school starts.
What else you need
Choose an ACECQA-approved early-childhood-teacher qualification for the intended age range and jurisdiction. Complete placements, screening and applicable teacher-registration requirements; educator certificates and diplomas are different routes. This catalogue groups awards: verify the chosen provider, programme and intake; the family-level link is not confirmation that every offering is approved.
Median pay$99,100
In demand
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list.
Where you can study this course
There are 7 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Website for Western Sydney University (opens in a new tab)

Western Sydney University
Campbelltown, NSW
4.2from 1,872 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 56.4 lowest
- (65.45 median, 2023)
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
What students like
- Staff are friendly and supportive
- Good academic experience and learning
What to weigh up
- Admin can be slow to respond
- Course page for Macquarie University (opens in a new tab)
Macquarie University
North Ryde, NSW
4.4from 1,202 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
What students like
- Lecturers care and help students understand
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Student support can be hard to reach
- Website for University of Southern Queensland (opens in a new tab)
University of Southern Queensland
Springfield, Toowoomba, QLD
4.1from 504 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Feb 2027
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Website for The University of Sydney (opens in a new tab)
The University of Sydney
Camperdown/Darlington, NSW
4.5from 2,084 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 66.8 lowest
- (77.05 median, 2024)
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
- Website for Queensland University of Technology (opens in a new tab)

Queensland University of Technology
Kelvin Grove/ Online, QLD
4.5from 896 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 70.35 lowest
- (74.35 median, 2026)
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Feb 2027
- Fee
- $6,160 a year
- (Government-supported place)
What students like
- Students are friendly and approachable
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Some find staff less helpful
- Website for CQUniversity (opens in a new tab)
CQUniversity
4 campuses, QLD
4.1from 999 Google reviews
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Jul 2027
What students like
- Staff are friendly and supportive
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Enquiries can go unanswered
- Website for University of the Sunshine Coast (opens in a new tab)

University of the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, QLD
4.5from 591 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
- Next intake
- Jul 2027
- Fee
- $4,736 a year
- (Government-supported place)
What you’ll learn
The main topics covered in the Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
- Child development
- Play based teaching
- Literacy, maths and science
- The arts in education
- Health and wellbeing
- Professional practice placements
Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?