Schoolies is a year-end party for secondary school students across Australia.  It's a time for the grad class to get together and celebrate in their sudden independence as well as the completion of twelve years of high-school. 

Tribe Travel being one of the leading Schoolies booking agents in Australia, one of the most frequent questions we get is, can you drink at Schoolies? Understanding the laws in each Australian state or internationally is essential for your trip.  

At the age of 18, a person can legally purchase alcohol in Australia. This means that establishments like night clubs and bars must enforce a strict ban on anyone under the age of 18 from buying or consuming alcoholic beverages. If they are with a parent or guardian, however, and are drinking in a private setting like their home, this rule does not usually apply.

The Schoolies drinking age is the same across Australia, including at famous Schoolies party spots like the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, and Airlie Beach. It's worth noting that many bars and clubs in these locations have a no-underage-serving or entry policy, even if the underage person is joined by an adult during Schoolies week.

When considering an international destination for Schoolies, Fiji has an age of 18 as the legal drinking boundary. In other words, it's against the law for anyone under 18 to buy or drink alcohol in a public location. 

The drinking age in Bali and Thailand, two other favorite Schoolies destinations, is 21. Alcohol cannot be purchased or consumed in public by anyone under the age of 21. It's important to be aware of the potential risks connected with underage drinking, even if enforcement of this rule may be laxer than in Australia or Fiji.

Furthermore, it is still against the law for minors to purchase alcohol, regardless of whether the legal drinking age in their destination is lower than 18 or 21. There are health and safety dangers associated with underage drinking that go beyond the law, such as alcohol poisoning, accidents, and poor judgement.  Underage drinking and excessive drinking are both major safety risks that should be avoided at all costs during Schoolies.