Italy has both a public and a private education system. All children living in the country can be schooled for free. Public nursery schools are also free but these and pre-schools aren’t mandatory. Every child is entitled to education, but it’s not necessary until the age of six, where primary school starts. The age of six is when it becomes mandatory for a child to attend school. Primary school is followed by secondary school which lasts until the age of fourteen. Children in schools receive instructions on a wide range of subjects, such as history, geography, mathematics and language courses. Religious courses at schools are only optional. After primary school comes middle school, which is broken down to two parts and lasts for eight years. The second part is a more formal type of education with both oral and written examinations. It also includes courses like music, arts and craft and sports. The examinations at the end of the final year are very crucial for earning a degree and pursuing higher studies. There is little difference between state and private schools regarding curriculum, although expats seem to prefer private schools because of the language instructions. English is taught as a second language and all other things are handled in Italian. Another benefit of private schooling is the smaller classroom sizes. This way every student gets more attention, which is very crucial for expats. Most schools follow the same curriculum, although education standards are at a higher level in the northern area, compared to the south and rural areas. Enrolment should not be an issue for any expat as the law in Italy states that all children under the age of 18 have a right for education and they should be accepted if the necessary documentation can be provided within a specific timeframe. The documentation needed is not very different from other countries. In addition to a birth certificate, ID card, family status certificate etc. parents have to present proof of immunization against various diseases and a translation of the curriculum from the home country. Most schools in Italy are open from Monday to Friday or Saturday. They shut for summer holidays, for the Christmas Season, for Easter and all public holidays. While the level of education is very high in Italian public and private schools, there is a limited scale of extracurricular activities. Students who would like to participate in competitive sports need to do this outside of school hours by joining private associations. Music lessons are also mostly held by tutors or require enrolment at a private music school. Italy offers various international and state universities for higher education, most of which function under the direction of the country’s Ministry of Education. If you are thinking about relocating, please contact one of your local services.