Italy Education System Changes & Policy Tracker
Italy has a nationally regulated education system with regional responsibilities in areas such as school calendars and vocational training. Compulsory education runs from ages 6 to 16, followed by upper secondary, vocational or training pathways leading to further study or employment. The country is especially important to monitor for curriculum updates, technical and vocational reforms, State examinations, INVALSI assessments and higher education regulation.
Country Education Profile
| Official Name | Italian Republic |
|---|---|
| ISO Code | IT |
| Region | Europe |
| Subregion | Southern Europe |
| Capital / Seat | Rome |
| Compulsory Education | Education is compulsory for 10 years, generally from age 6 to 16. It covers primary education, lower secondary education and the first two years of upper secondary education or regional vocational education and training pathways. |
| School Structure | The system includes non-compulsory early childhood education, five years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school and five years of upper secondary school. Upper secondary education includes licei, technical institutes and vocational institutes, alongside regional vocational education and training routes. |
| Academic Year | The school year usually runs from September to June. Exact start and end dates, holiday periods and local adjustments are set by regions within the national framework. |
| Main Exams | Main national assessment points include the State examination at the end of lower secondary education, the upper secondary school-leaving examination known as the Esame di Maturità or Esame di Stato, and INVALSI standardized assessments at selected grades. University admission is generally managed by institutions, with national or regulated procedures for restricted-access programmes. |
| Higher Education | Higher education is governed mainly by the Ministry of University and Research. The system follows the Bologna structure, including first-cycle laurea degrees, second-cycle laurea magistrale degrees, single-cycle degrees in some regulated fields, doctoral studies, AFAM institutions and higher technical education through ITS Academy pathways. |
| Vocational Education | Vocational education is provided through state vocational institutes and regionally governed vocational education and training programmes. Technical and vocational pathways are important tracking areas because of ongoing reforms, labour-market alignment and the expansion of higher technical education. |
| Digital Education | National digital education services include the MIM Unica platform for students and families, online school services, open education data portals and digital tools supporting orientation, enrolment, payments and school information. Digital learning policy is also linked to national recovery, innovation and school infrastructure programmes. |
| Governance | School education is mainly governed by the Ministry of Education and Merit, with national rules on curriculum, qualifications, staffing and examinations. Regions have important responsibilities for school calendars, vocational education and training, and local implementation, while schools operate with institutional autonomy within the national framework. |
| International Student Note | Italy is relevant for international students through public and private universities, AFAM institutions, English-taught programmes and the Study in Italy and Universitaly admission ecosystem. Recognition of foreign qualifications and access to regulated programmes should be checked through MUR, CIMEA and individual institutions. |
| Last Verified | 2026-07-06 |
Latest Education Changes
Italy Authorizes a Five-Year Liceo Matematico Pilot (Italy, June 2026)
The Ministry of Education and Merit announced the launch of the Liceo Matematico pilot, a methodological and didactic experimentation pathway for upper-secondary schools. The pilot is linked to Ministerial Decree No. 104 of 10 June 2026 and is planned for the 2026/2027 school year.
MUR Authorizes 30,241 Places for XI Cycle TFA Sostegno (Italy, June 2026)
The Ministry of University and Research published Decree No. 926 authorizing the XI cycle of specialization courses for support teachers for academic year 2025/2026. The decree provides 30,241 available places across preschool, primary, lower-secondary, and upper-secondary levels.
Italy Publishes Law 104/2026 on Informed Consent in Schools (Italy, June 2026)
Italy published Law No. 104 of 9 June 2026 on informed consent in the school context. The law was published in the Official Gazette on 22 June 2026 and enters into force on 7 July 2026.
Italy Issues 2026/2027 National School Holiday and Exam Calendar (Italy, June 2026)
The Ministry of Education and Merit published Ministerial Ordinance No. 106 of 10 June 2026 on holidays and examinations for school year 2026/2027. The ordinance provides the national reference calendar for school closures and exam scheduling.
MUR Defines 2026/2027 Architecture Admission Test Rules (Italy, June 2026)
The Ministry of University and Research issued Decree No. 706 setting the admission-test framework for architecture programmes for academic year 2026/2027. The decree covers Italian-language and English-language courses directly aimed at training architects.
Italy Publishes 2026 Maturità Examination Commissions (Italy, June 2026)
The Ministry of Education and Merit published the 2026 State Exam commission information for the upper-secondary Maturità. The update covered 13,989 examination commissions and 527,607 students.
Monthly Change Archive
Italy Education System Statistics
This module summarizes Italy’s national education system using Ministry of Education and Merit school data, MUR higher education data, Eurydice system descriptions, OECD finance and instruction indicators, Eurostat attainment indicators, and INVALSI assessment source notes. Source years differ because school, university, finance, survey, and international datasets are collected on separate calendars.
Education System Snapshot
Values use the latest cited source year for each indicator. State school figures refer to schools under the Ministry of Education and Merit unless noted.
Education System Pathway
The route below uses the national structure described by Eurydice and Italian ministry sources. Ages are typical entry ages.
Students who pass the upper secondary State Exam receive the diploma that gives access to tertiary education. Some university programs are open-entry, while others use selective admission managed through institutions or national procedures.
Governance and Responsibility
Italy has a national school structure, with regional and local responsibilities in calendar, vocational, service, and facility areas.
School education
The Ministry of Education and Merit sets national school rules, curriculum directions, staffing systems, State Exam rules, and the main school data collections.
Higher education
The Ministry of University and Research oversees universities, AFAM, research policy areas, and higher education statistics through USTAT and related data systems.
Regional role
Regions have roles in ECEC for ages 0–3, regional vocational education and training, school calendar timing, and some service planning.
Local role
Local authorities support school premises, transport, and parts of the local school network from early childhood through upper secondary education.
Assessment
INVALSI manages national assessment data and releases open datasets by grade, year, and data type.
School autonomy
Schools prepare their three-year educational offer plan and organize teaching time, student groups, and additional learning activities within national rules.
State School Enrollment by Level
Students in Italian state schools by school level, school year 2024/25.
The chart uses MIM 2024/25 state school counts. It does not include paritaria school students because those values are reported for 2023/24 in the same MIM focus.
Chart analysis
- Upper secondary is the largest state school level, with 2,619,287 students.
- Primary education has 2,170,746 students, followed by lower secondary at 1,498,498.
- Pre-primary state school enrollment is 785,056; this excludes many non-state early childhood places.
National Education System Indicators
This table combines administrative school data, higher education data, OECD finance and instruction indicators, Eurostat/EU Monitor indicators, and Eurydice structure notes. Units and source years should be read before combining values.
| Area | Indicator | Value | Unit | Source year | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| System structure | Compulsory education starting age | 6 | Age | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | Compulsory education starts with primary education. |
| System structure | Compulsory education duration | 10 | Years | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | Covers primary, lower secondary, and the first two years of the second cycle. |
| System structure | Compulsory education ending age | 16 | Age | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | Education and training right-duty extends beyond this through at least 12 years or qualification by age 18. |
| System structure | Primary education duration | 5 | Years | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | Scuola primaria usually covers ages 6–11. |
| System structure | Lower secondary duration | 3 | Years | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | Scuola secondaria di I grado usually covers ages 11–14. |
| System structure | Upper secondary standard course length | 5 | Years | Accessed July 2026 | Eurydice Italy overview | General, technical, and vocational school routes usually last 5 years. |
| State school network | Main state school institutions | 7,600 | Institutions | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Includes CPIA. |
| State school network | CPIA adult education centers | 127 | Centers | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Provincial adult education centers. |
| State school network | State school institutions excluding CPIA | 7,473 | Institutions | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Main school institutions with head offices. |
| State school network | State school sites | 40,076 | Sites | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | School sites making up state institutions. |
| State school network | Sites for pre-primary and primary | 69% | Share of sites | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Reported as a share of state school sites. |
| Enrollment | Total state school students | 7,073,587 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State schools only. |
| Enrollment | State school classes | 362,115 | Classes | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State schools only. |
| Enrollment | State pre-primary students | 785,056 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Scuola dell’infanzia in state schools. |
| Enrollment | State primary students | 2,170,746 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Scuola primaria in state schools. |
| Enrollment | State lower secondary students | 1,498,498 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Scuola secondaria di I grado in state schools. |
| Enrollment | State upper secondary students | 2,619,287 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Scuola secondaria di II grado in state schools. |
| Inclusion | Students with disabilities | 331,124 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State schools, disability certification under national rules. |
| Student profile | Students with non-Italian citizenship | 864,425 | Students | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State schools. |
| Paritaria schools | Paritaria schools | 11,765 | Schools | School year 2023/24 | MIM school focus | Non-state schools with parity status. |
| Paritaria schools | Paritaria school students | 790,460 | Students | School year 2023/24 | MIM school focus | Reported for the prior school year in the MIM focus. |
| Teachers | Common teacher posts | 684,583 | Posts | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State school staffing posts. |
| Teachers | Support teacher posts | 205,253 | Posts | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | State school support posts. |
| Teachers | Total common and support teacher posts | 889,836 | Posts | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Sum of common and support posts as reported. |
| Upper secondary | Students in liceo routes | 51.4% | Share | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Share of state upper secondary students. |
| Upper secondary | Students in technical institutes | 31.8% | Share | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Share of state upper secondary students. |
| Upper secondary | Students in vocational institutes | 16.8% | Share | School year 2024/25 | MIM school focus | Share of state upper secondary students. |
| Higher education | University course enrollment | 2,026,774 | Students | Academic year 2024/25 | MUR USTAT | Iscritti ai corsi universitari. |
| Higher education | University graduates, first and second cycle | 415,553 | Graduates | Calendar year 2024 | MUR USTAT | Laureati I e II livello. |
| Higher education | AFAM first and second cycle enrollment | 93,539 | Students | Academic year 2024/25 | MUR USTAT | Higher arts, music, and dance system. |
| Higher education | AFAM first and second cycle diplomas | 21,271 | Diplomas | Calendar year 2024 | MUR USTAT | Diplomati AFAM I e II livello. |
| Finance | Government expenditure per FTE student, primary to postsecondary non-tertiary | 12,666 | USD PPP | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Expenditure on educational institutions. |
| Finance | Government expenditure per tertiary student | 8,992 | USD PPP | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Tertiary level includes R&D in the OECD note. |
| Finance | Education investment, primary to tertiary | 3.9% | Share of GDP | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Primary to tertiary education. |
| Finance | Education share of public budgets | 6.7% | Share | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Compared with 7.1% in 2015 in the OECD note. |
| Finance | Government funding for primary, secondary, and postsecondary non-tertiary | 94.2% | Share | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Before transfers to the private sector. |
| Finance | Public source share of pre-primary funding | 82.7% | Share | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | After transfers. |
| Finance | Public source share of tertiary funding | 73.6% | Share | 2022 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Before transfers. |
| School organization | Primary compulsory instruction time | 917 | Hours per year | 2025 publication | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Compulsory instruction hours. |
| School organization | Lower secondary compulsory instruction time | 990 | Hours per year | 2025 publication | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Compulsory instruction hours. |
| School organization | Primary average class size | 17.9 | Students per class | 2023 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Primary level. |
| School organization | Primary school holidays | 13.8 | Weeks per year | 2025 publication | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | All breaks combined. |
| Attainment | Early leavers from education and training | 9.8% | Age 18–24 share | 2024 | Eurostat / EU Education and Training Monitor | Labour Force Survey indicator. |
| Attainment | Tertiary educational attainment | 31.6% | Age 25–34 share | 2024 | Eurostat / EU Education and Training Monitor | ISCED 5–8. |
| Attainment | Women with tertiary educational attainment | 38.5% | Age 25–34 share | 2024 | Eurostat / EU Education and Training Monitor | ISCED 5–8. |
| Attainment | Men with tertiary educational attainment | 25.0% | Age 25–34 share | 2024 | Eurostat / EU Education and Training Monitor | ISCED 5–8. |
| Attainment | Young adults without upper secondary attainment | 19% | Age 25–34 share | 2024 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD country note. |
| Attainment | Young adults with master’s or equivalent | 17% | Age 25–34 share | 2024 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Master’s or equivalent qualification. |
| Higher education progression | Bachelor’s completion within theoretical duration | 37% | Completion rate | 2023 data | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | New entrants whose program was expected to end in 2020. |
| Higher education progression | Bachelor’s completion one year after theoretical duration | 51% | Completion rate | 2023 data | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Same cohort basis as OECD table. |
| Higher education progression | Bachelor’s completion three years after theoretical duration | 56% | Completion rate | 2023 data | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | Same cohort basis as OECD table. |
| Higher education mobility | International or foreign students in tertiary education | 4.8% | Share | 2023 | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD definition; national citizenship-based counts can use different definitions. |
Upper Secondary Route Mix
Italy’s upper secondary system separates liceo, technical, and vocational institute routes. Values below are shares of state upper secondary students in 2024/25.
State Upper Secondary Students by Route
Route shares reported by MIM for school year 2024/25.
The shares describe the state upper secondary sector. Regional IeFP routes are a separate vocational route and are not included in this three-part MIM split.
Chart analysis
- Liceo routes account for just over half of state upper secondary students.
- Technical institutes make up nearly one third of state upper secondary enrollment.
- Vocational institutes account for 16.8% of the state upper secondary total.
Education Levels and Routes
Level names use English descriptions with Italian terms where they help identify the national route.
| Level | Typical age | Years or route | ISCED note | Authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early childhood services | 0–3 | Nursery and early childhood services | Early childhood development | Regions within national rules | Part of the integrated ECEC system; not compulsory. |
| Pre-primary education | 3–6 | Scuola dell’infanzia | ISCED 0 alignment | MIM for the 3–6 offer | Not compulsory, but part of the education system. |
| Primary education | 6–11 | 5 years | ISCED 1 | MIM | Starts compulsory education. |
| Lower secondary education | 11–14 | 3 years | ISCED 2 | MIM | Ends with a first-cycle final exam. |
| Upper secondary general route | 14–19 | Liceo, usually 5 years | ISCED 3 | MIM | Leads to the upper secondary State Exam. |
| Upper secondary technical route | 14–19 | Technical institute, usually 5 years | ISCED 3 | MIM | Combines general and technical subjects. |
| Upper secondary vocational school route | 14–19 | Vocational institute, usually 5 years | ISCED 3 | MIM | Separate from regional IeFP routes. |
| Regional IeFP route | 14+ | 3-year qualification or 4-year diploma | ISCED 3 / EQF 3–4 | Regions | Can satisfy the compulsory second-cycle years. |
| IFTS postsecondary technical route | After upper secondary | Usually 1 year | Postsecondary non-tertiary | Regional and national cooperation | Leads to a higher technical specialisation certificate. |
| ITS Academy | After upper secondary | 2- or 3-year tertiary non-academic programs | ISCED 5 or 6 depending on route | MIM and ITS Academy system | Post-diploma applied technology route. |
| University bachelor’s or equivalent | After upper secondary | First-cycle degree route | ISCED 6 | MUR and institutions | Most first-time tertiary entrants begin in bachelor’s or equivalent programs. |
| Master’s or equivalent | After first cycle or integrated route | Second-cycle or long-cycle route | ISCED 7 | MUR and institutions | OECD reports 17% of Italy’s 25–34 age group with master’s or equivalent in 2024. |
| Doctoral or equivalent | After second cycle | Research doctorate route | ISCED 8 | MUR and universities | Institution-based doctoral provision under national higher education rules. |
| AFAM | After upper secondary | Fine arts, music, and dance higher education | Tertiary | MUR | USTAT reports 93,539 AFAM first and second cycle students in 2024/25. |
Exams and Transitions
Italy uses cycle-ending exams, national assessment data, institutional admissions, and selective national procedures for some tertiary programs.
| Transition | Exam or process | Typical stage | Managing authority | Purpose | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary to lower secondary | Progression without a separate national exam | End of primary | MIM and schools | Move into the lower secondary stage of the first cycle | Eurydice overview. |
| Lower secondary completion | First-cycle final exam | End of grade 8 equivalent | MIM rules and school examination boards | Complete first cycle and progress to the second cycle | Eurydice lower secondary assessment page. |
| Second-cycle entry | Choice among liceo, technical, vocational, or IeFP routes | Around age 14 | MIM, regions, and schools | Select upper secondary or regional vocational pathway | Eurydice overview. |
| Upper secondary completion | State Exam / Maturità | End of upper secondary | MIM | Award diploma and access to tertiary education | MIM reported 524,415 candidates for the 2025 exam. |
| Upper secondary exam format | Two written tests and an interview | Final year | MIM and examination boards | Assess final upper secondary completion | Eurydice upper secondary assessment page, updated 2026. |
| National learning assessment | INVALSI assessments | Grades 2, 5, 8, 10, and 13 datasets | INVALSI | Measure Italian, mathematics, and English competencies by grade and dataset | INVALSI open data archives include 2024/25 datasets. |
| University access | Institution application or selective procedure | After upper secondary diploma | Universities, MUR, and Universitaly for some routes | Admission to higher education programs | OECD notes that admission is open for some programs and selective for others. |
| Medical, dentistry, and veterinary routes | Changed access process from 2025/26 | First year tertiary entry | MUR and institutions | Selection is moved into the first-year process for those fields | EU Education and Training Monitor 2025 country report. |
| ITS Academy completion | Final verification for applied technology diploma | End of ITS Academy route | ITS Academy system under national rules | Award applied technology qualification | MIM ITS Academy source pages and Cedefop VET in Europe. |
| Adult education | CPIA programs and qualifications | Adult learners | MIM and CPIA | Adult learning, completion, and progression routes | MIM 2024/25 focus reports 127 CPIA. |
Finance and Public Funding Indicators
OECD finance indicators use 2022 data and equivalent USD converted using purchasing power parities where stated. They should not be merged with school-year enrollment counts without a method.
Government Expenditure per Student by Level Group
OECD 2022 values in equivalent USD using PPPs.
The tertiary value includes R&D in the OECD note. Expenditure per student and enrollment counts use different source systems and calendars.
Chart analysis
- The OECD 2022 per-student value is higher for primary to postsecondary non-tertiary than for tertiary education in Italy.
- Government funding covers 94.2% of primary, secondary, and postsecondary non-tertiary funding before transfers to the private sector.
- Public funding shares differ by level: 82.7% for pre-primary after transfers and 73.6% for tertiary before transfers.
Higher Education and Postsecondary Routes
Italy’s tertiary education sector includes universities, AFAM institutions, and ITS Academies. National university counts and AFAM values below use MUR USTAT headline data.
University system
2,026,774 students were enrolled in university courses in academic year 2024/25, and 415,553 first and second cycle graduates were reported for calendar year 2024.
AFAM system
93,539 students were enrolled in AFAM first and second cycle programs in academic year 2024/25, with 21,271 first and second cycle diplomas in 2024.
ITS Academy route
ITS Academies provide post-diploma applied technology programs, with 2-year and 3-year routes described by Eurydice and Cedefop.
International mobility definition
OECD reports international or foreign students as 4.8% of tertiary enrollment in 2023. National citizenship-based counts may not use the same definition.
Source-Year Crosswalk
The module uses separate collection calendars. This crosswalk identifies which source year supports each data group.
| Data group | Source | Collection type | Source year | Coverage | Use in module |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State school enrollment | MIM school focus | Administrative school-year data | 2024/25 | State schools | Snapshot, enrollment chart, main indicator table. |
| State school staffing posts | MIM school focus | Administrative staffing data | 2024/25 | State schools | Teacher post indicators. |
| Paritaria school counts | MIM school focus | School survey / administrative collection | 2023/24 | Paritaria schools | Paritaria school and student indicators. |
| System structure | Eurydice Italy overview | System description | Accessed July 2026 | National system with regional roles | Pathway, levels table, governance notes. |
| Higher education | MUR USTAT | Higher education statistics | 2024/25 and 2024 | Universities and AFAM headline indicators | Higher education cards and indicators. |
| Finance | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | International finance indicators | 2022 | Primary to tertiary indicators with OECD definitions | Finance chart and table rows. |
| Instruction time and class size | OECD Education at a Glance 2025 | International school organization indicators | 2023 or 2025 publication, depending on row | OECD-defined levels | School organization rows. |
| Attainment and early leavers | Eurostat / EU Education and Training Monitor | Survey-based indicators | 2024 | Age-group indicators | Attainment rows. |
| National assessment data | INVALSI | Assessment datasets | 2024/25 releases | Grade-specific datasets and open data | Assessment source notes and exams table. |
| Upper secondary State Exam | MIM State Exam release and Eurydice assessment pages | Exam administration and system description | 2025 and accessed July 2026 | Upper secondary completion | Snapshot and exams table. |
Data Interpretation Notes
These notes define the limits of the statistics in this module.
State and paritaria years differ
MIM state school values in this module use 2024/25. Paritaria school values in the same source are reported for 2023/24, so the two groups are not merged into one current total.
Administrative and survey data differ
Enrollment counts are administrative school-year values. Early leavers and attainment rates are survey-based age-group values and should not be treated as school census totals.
Finance units differ
OECD finance values use 2022 international methods, including PPP conversions for per-student spending. They are not direct budget-line values from the Italian national budget.
Routes use different authorities
National school routes are under MIM, regional IeFP is region-led, universities and AFAM are under MUR, and ITS Academy routes have post-diploma technical governance rules.
Sources and Methodology
Ministero dell’Istruzione e del Merito
Supports state school enrollment, classes, school sites, teacher posts, student profile counts, upper secondary route shares, and paritaria school counts.
Portale Unico dei Dati della Scuola
Supports the availability and metadata of downloadable school datasets by school year, sector, grade, student profile, and school type.
Eurydice Italy
Supports compulsory education ages, first-cycle and second-cycle route descriptions, ECEC roles, school autonomy notes, and transition structure.
OECD Education at a Glance 2025
Supports education finance, instruction time, class size, tertiary completion, international student share, and attainment-related OECD indicators.
MUR USTAT
Supports university enrollment, university graduates, AFAM enrollment, and AFAM diploma values for the latest headline higher education figures.
INVALSI Statistical Service
Supports assessment data availability and the use of open datasets by grade and school year.
EU Education and Training Monitor 2025
Supports Eurostat-based early leavers and tertiary attainment indicators for Italy, including 2024 age-group values.
Cedefop VET in Europe
Supports regional IeFP, IFTS, and ITS Academy route descriptions, including EQF and route-length notes.
MIM Calendar and State Exam Pages
Supports school calendar authority notes and the 2025 upper secondary State Exam candidate count.
Method: Values were grouped by source system and source year. Administrative school-year values were not summed with paritaria values from a different school year. OECD finance values were kept in OECD units and source year. Survey-based age-group indicators were labeled separately from school census counts. Percentages were kept as reported unless a chart readout required only a same-source display. Rounded values may not sum exactly.
Indicators from different school years, academic years, fiscal years, survey years, sectors, and source systems should not be merged into one performance judgment without a stated method and compatible definitions.