Italian School system:

The Italian education system is regulated by Ministry of education and according to the legal form we have state schools or public schools, private schools and officially recognized schools while the professional education is regulated by the Regions. In the state schools or public schools there are tuition fees to pay every year. On the contrary, academic fees are quite onerous specially for private universities.

PRESCHOOL  PRIMARY SCHOOL  SECONDARY SCHOOL (I and II degree) UNIVERSITY

Preschool: The cycle begins with the educational preschool for children aged 2.5 to 6 years that is not mandatory and can freely last three years. After this, it starts the compulsory education that includes: primary and secondary education (level I and II).

Primary school: The duration of primary school (once called elementary school) is 5 years for children aged 6-7 years. Till the last year the education was planned through a didactic form with some teachers interchanging in the 3 or 4 classrooms while with the new reform of Elementary School we can find one teacher per class too, and with no final examination (leaving certificate) to pass in the secondary school.

SECONDARY SCHOOL I LEVEL The secondary school last long 8 years so subdivided: 3 years in the first degree and 5 years in the second. The first degree corresponds to the old “Middle School” Typically school time ranges from 29 to 33 hours for week. The subjects usually are: Italian, History, Geography, Mathematics, Science, Technology, English language, Art, Music, Physical education and Catholic Religion (optional).  At the end of the three years the students need a school leaving certificate to attend the second degree.

SECONDARY SCHOOL II LEVEL The years in the second degree are five (usually from 14-15 to 18-19 years). The first two years are mandatory or until the sixteenth year of the student. From 6 to 16 years or from primary school to second year of secondary school, the mandatory is governed by a special law and local institutions (welfare office or local police) parents must compel the students to let the compulsory education to be completed. The second degree of the secondary school is divided in four  educational typology, according to the education the students want to attend: Lyceum (high school), Polytechnic school, Tertiary or arts school. In the Tertiary school (professional education)  after the first two years the students must do a final qualifying examination that let them to stop the education (getting a professional certificate) or go on till the high school with qualifications getting a Diploma as the students in Lyceum or Technical school. In the Lyceum the education has the purpose to form the students for the academic field and differently from the Technical or vocational schools.

UNIVERSITY: The cycle study for students that attend University is so articulated: A Bachelor’s degree lasting long 3 years (called it “short Degree”)that end it with the graduation thesis. Others 2 years for a Master’s Degree, for post-graduate studies others 2-5 years, according to the subject. Master’s degree end also with the graduation thesis.