School education in Italy is free and available to children of all nationalities living in Italy. Public education is considered to be at the same level or higher than private education, and Italian parents usually send their children to private schools only for religious reasons or to get extra help that is not available in public school.
State system of school education School education in Italy is free and available to children of all nationalities living in Italy. School education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 and is divided into:
primary school (scuola primaria or scuola elementare);
incomplete high school (scuola secondaria di primo grado or scuola media inferiore);
upper secondary school (scuola secondaria di secondo grado or scuola media superiore).
Formal, compulsory education in primary school begins at the age of 6 and lasts for 5 years.
At the age of eleven, they begin to acquire secondary education. All children between the ages of eleven and fourteen must attend the Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado (First Degree Secondary School). Students must attend at least thirty hours of formal classes per week, although many schools offer extra activities in the afternoon such as computer studies, music lessons and sports activities.
At the end of the third year of study, students take a written exam in Italian, mathematics, natural sciences and a foreign language. In other subjects, an oral survey is conducted. Successful students receive the Licenza di Scuola Media (Media License). They then proceed to the Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado (Secondary Secondary School).
Information for Ukrainians 2022
Italian law provides that all children and adolescents, regardless of their status, have the right to education and are required to attend school until the age of 16. This means that all children between the ages of 6 and 16 who are in Italy must be registered and attend school regularly. The application for admission to schools of all levels must be filled out online on the website of the Ministry of Education. In the event that the family does not have access to the Internet and/or a computer, the school to which the child is applying can, upon request, provide assistance in registering the application. More detailed information can be found on the Refugee.info website.
Information for refugees from Ukraine in Italy: https://help.unhcr.org/italy/uk/asylum-italy/rights.
How to choose a school?
The school enrollment process is known as "Iscrizone". Students must register for the next academic year from January to February. This may vary from school to school, but for exact details in your area, you should contact your local school and they will explain their enrollment program. Unlike other parts of the European Union, where students must attend school in their local area, you can enroll your children in any school you like, regardless of where you live. If you apply to the school and there are places available, your child will be accepted, but if places are limited, students who live closer to the school will have priority over those who live further away.
List of documents
According to the law, Italian schools must accept all children under the age of 18, even if the required documents are not presented. In this case, the admission is considered "temporary" until the guardian provides the necessary documents. The following documents are mandatory: (All documents must be translated into Italian) Birth certificate Residence permit (Permesso di Soggiorno) (for non-EU citizens) Immunization requirements: Evidence of immunization against poliomyelitis, DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) and hepatitis B. These must include the student's name and date of birth, the vaccine administered and the date of each immunization. Proof of identity: this can be a passport or ID card Passport size photos Marital status certificate
Features of private schools
In Italy, there are a number of private schools (scuole paritarie), which are mostly Catholic, and international schools. All schools must comply with the requirements of the Italian national system. Private schools must follow the same curricula as public schools, with the difference that tuition is paid. Public education is considered to be at the same level or higher than private education, and Italian parents usually send their children to private schools only for religious reasons or to get extra help that is not available in public school. Most international schools in Italy follow curricula modeled after systems in the US, UK or France, and most offer International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes. International schools in Italy are taught in either English or French, so they provide an easy transition for newcomers whose mother tongue is one of these two languages. The number of places is limited, for admission it is necessary to pass an entrance exam. Some schools have boarding schools, but most only offer day classes. Tuition fees range from €18,000 to €28,500 per year.
Language of instruction, availability of integration classes
Italian
In recent years, Italian public schools have made great efforts to integrate foreign children and provide intensive Italian language lessons, extra classes and cultural activities.
Visa, visa issues
In connection with Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, the governments of the EU, Georgia, Canada and the USA provide Ukrainians with war protection programs. Ukrainians seeking refuge from the war on the territory of these countries will receive residence and employment permits, and their children will be given the opportunity to continue their education in local schools.
If you intend to go to Italy outside of the war protection program, then you need a student visa to study. More details at the link: https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/en/visa
Important links