The eight-part mockumentary, about life in a secondary school, stars comedian Chris Lilley in a number of role.
Among his characters are drama teacher Mr G, more obsessed with showing off his own talents than teaching children, privileged schoolgirl Ja'mie King, and troublemaking bully Jonah Takalua,.
Summer Heights High has already been bought by the US cable network HBO, and will be shown in the UK later this year.
Lucy Lumsden, the BBC's controller of comedy commissioning, said: ‘Summer Heights High is a fantastic addition to the BBC3 comedy lineup for 2008 - with a truly brilliant central performance from Chris Lilley.’
Courtney Gibson, from Australian’s ABC Television said: ‘We're over the moon that HBO and the BBC3 have picked up Summer Heights High.
‘Mr G, Ja'mie and Jonah have been welcomed into the home of such immortals as Tony Soprano and Deadwood's Al Swearengen in the US, and the home of groundbreaking comedy in the UK. In terms of transatlantic TV sales, it just doesn't get any classier than this.’
Summer Heights High, which is shot in Melbourne, broke DVD sales records down under, taking less than five months to become the biggest-selling TV series DVD in Australian history.
Here’s a clip:
