Up to 15 Victorian schools will next year be trialling a proposed new thesis subject for Year 12 VCE students.

There are fears that some Victorian schools may have to axe the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) option for Year 11 and 12 students.

Schools across Australia are set for change as a result of the current Review of Funding for Schooling, the first comprehensive review that the nation has undergone since 1973.

Almost all schools use Years 7 to 10 to give their students a solid grounding in the most important areas of learning and a chance to find out what they like and are good at before they specialise.

Not all school leavers go on to university-level courses. Entry to apprenticeships, or certificate-level courses in a multitude of fields, from apparel manufacture to secretarial studies, does not require an ATAR.

You can get an overall picture of any school by reading its profile. Each school's profile includes details of its main characteristics.

While most scholarships are open to all students, the most likely recipients are generally students who demonstrate outstanding academic merit or financial need.

Parents of high school children in non-government schools are always asked to pay fees and often to contribute to building or development funds.