Notes on secondary school in Italy
Secondary education in Italy is split into two main stages covering ages 11 to 19.
1. Lower Secondary School (Scuola secondaria di primo grado / Scuola media)
• Duration: 3 years (ages 11 to 14).
• Overview: This is middle school, which completes the first cycle of compulsory education. It ends with a state exam (esame di stato) to earn the Diploma di scuola secondaria di primo grado.
2. Upper Secondary School (Scuola secondaria di secondo grado / Scuola superiore)
• Duration: 5 years (ages 14 to 19; compulsory until age 16).
• Overview: Students choose a specific track at age 14 based on their academic or career goals. The main paths include:
• Licei (Lyceums): Heavy academic focus designed to prepare students for university. Types include liceo classico (classical studies with Latin and Greek), liceo scientifico (sciences and math), liceo linguistico (modern languages), liceo artistico (arts), liceo musicale e coreutico (music and dance), and liceo delle scienze umane (human sciences).
• Istituti Tecnici (Technical Institutes): A mix of theoretical and practical training geared toward both technical professions and higher education.
• Istituti Professionali (Vocational Institutes): Specialized practical instruction leading directly into specific trades or the workforce.
• Graduation: Upper secondary school concludes with a national final exam (esame di maturità) resulting in an official state diploma (diploma di liceo, istituto tecnico, or istituto professionale) that grants access to universities.
Alternative Options
• Private and International Schools: Families can opt for private institutions (paritarie) or international schools (such as the American School of Milan or Rome International School) which often offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) or British/American curricula.
1. Lower Secondary School (Scuola secondaria di primo grado / Scuola media)
• Duration: 3 years (ages 11 to 14).
• Overview: This is middle school, which completes the first cycle of compulsory education. It ends with a state exam (esame di stato) to earn the Diploma di scuola secondaria di primo grado.
2. Upper Secondary School (Scuola secondaria di secondo grado / Scuola superiore)
• Duration: 5 years (ages 14 to 19; compulsory until age 16).
• Overview: Students choose a specific track at age 14 based on their academic or career goals. The main paths include:
• Licei (Lyceums): Heavy academic focus designed to prepare students for university. Types include liceo classico (classical studies with Latin and Greek), liceo scientifico (sciences and math), liceo linguistico (modern languages), liceo artistico (arts), liceo musicale e coreutico (music and dance), and liceo delle scienze umane (human sciences).
• Istituti Tecnici (Technical Institutes): A mix of theoretical and practical training geared toward both technical professions and higher education.
• Istituti Professionali (Vocational Institutes): Specialized practical instruction leading directly into specific trades or the workforce.
• Graduation: Upper secondary school concludes with a national final exam (esame di maturità) resulting in an official state diploma (diploma di liceo, istituto tecnico, or istituto professionale) that grants access to universities.
Alternative Options
• Private and International Schools: Families can opt for private institutions (paritarie) or international schools (such as the American School of Milan or Rome International School) which often offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) or British/American curricula.
31-35, F