Understanding Italy’s Education System: Public vs. Private Schools for Expat Families

Moving to Italy as an expat family comes with many exciting opportunities and challenges, including choosing the right school for your child. From early childhood to higher education, the system is structured to ensure quality at every stage. Therefore, I will talk about Italy’s education system in detail in this guide.

Key Takeaways

1. Italy’s education system is well-structured, offering free public schooling from kindergarten through secondary education, even for expat families.
2. Public schools provide cultural immersion and affordability, while private schools often offer bilingual or international programs at higher costs.
3. Secondary education is diverse, with tracks like lyceums, technical institutes, artistic programs, and vocational training to suit varied career goals.
4. Expats can also avail of many scholarships to pursue their higher education in reputable universities.

Kindergarten (Scuola dell’infanzia)

Age Range: For children aged 3 to 6, not mandatory.

Public kindergarten is free and accessible to all families, including expats. While it’s not mandatory, most families enroll their children to prepare them for primary school. The curriculum focuses on play-based learning, socialization, and developing basic skills.

Classes are conducted entirely in Italian, which can help young children adapt quickly to the language. On the other hand, private kindergartens, including Montessori schools, come with smaller class sizes and sometimes bilingual education.

These schools often follow innovative teaching methods and provide more personalized attention. While tuition fees can be a significant expense, it usually depends on what region you move to.

Generally, the northern region has more expensive nursery schools than the southern side.

If you need more guidance on schools in the Northern region, especially in Veneto, we highly recommend checking out this guide: International Schools in Veneto: A Comprehensive Guide

Primary (Scuola Primaria)

Age Range: For children aged 6 to 11

This is where education becomes compulsory, even for foreigners, in Italy. Once again, public schools are free for everyone. You will only need to purchase the books or other supplies for your kids. The curriculum includes core subjects like Italian, math, science, and history, while English is compulsory.

Schools also introduce art, music, and physical education to promote the mental and creative side of the kids. Plus, they get to learn and practice Italian with other classmates. As for private primary schools, they often offer bilingual or international programs alongside the standard curriculum set by the Ministry of Education (MIUR).

Class sizes are smaller, and the schools generally provide better resources. These schools might follow alternative teaching methods, such as Montessori or religious affiliations.

Lower Secondary (Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado)

Age Range: For children aged 11 to 14

This stage builds on primary education with a more structured curriculum, adding subjects like technology, foreign languages, and civic education. Public schools remain free, but students may need to purchase additional materials. Generally, public schools are considered better at this level, with 90% of the children enrolled in public schools.

Since Italian is the medium of instruction, expats may require extra support. Additionally, at this level, the focus is more on memorization and less on creative learning. While the private options cost more, they also emphasize more on extracurricular activities and advanced language training.

For expats who are earning well, there are many international schools that are a bit pricey but provide great learning opportunities.

Upper Secondary (Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado)

Age Range: For teens aged 14 to 19

Public schools include different tracks such as lyceums (classical, scientific, linguistic), technical institutes, and vocational schools. The curriculum depends on the chosen track, and from the third year, families pay small mandatory fees for the Maturità state exam.

Although public schools are excellent for cultural immersion, they may lack extensive language support for non-Italian speakers. Private schools at this level often cater to international students, offering curricula like the International Baccalaureate (IB) or bilingual programs.

You can also enroll your kids in Italy’s regional vocational training system (Istruzione e Formazione Professionale), which focuses on career-oriented education. The good thing is it is available in both public and private formats. For detailed insights, you can go through the following table about the secondary education in Italy:

University (Università)

Age Range: 19+ years old

Public universities in Italy are highly regarded and offer affordable tuition, even for expats. Programs are typically in Italian, but many institutions now offer courses in English, especially at the graduate level. Degrees are structured into bachelor’s (3 years), also known as Laurea triennale, master’s (2 years), and doctoral programs.

Additionally, Italy is a famous destination for international students due to its scholarship programs. As an expat, we highly recommend checking the study route to settle down as it is an affordable and respectable way.

Those who are already settled can also choose private universities, which provide English-language programs, and more personalized support, but again, tuition fees are significantly higher.

Final Words: Public vs.Private Schools in Italy

As we’ve seen in this article, Italy’s education system has clear segmentation where public schools are preffered due to their affordability. If you ask us, we would also recommend you to either go for public schools or maybe find a good scholarship for your children. Trust us, there are many good universities that will be more than happy to take you in.