Education in Malta is provided by state, church, and independent schools. All the three providers offer education from kindergarten to post-secondary. Attending school is compulsory from primary, age 5 up to secondary till the age of 16. State schools are free for all students. Students who attend state schools are registered under one of the Colleges across Malta or in Gozo.
Primary education lasts for six years and is co-ed in state and independent schools. After 6 years in Primary, students then move on to spend two years in middle school and their last three (3) years in secondary school. This totals to 11 years of compulsory education. The Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR), regulates the education sector.
Tertiary education is provided by the University of Malta, the main University in Malta. Complementing tertiary education is the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Malta’s leading vocational education and training as well as the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) which also provide qualifications at MQF Level 7. As it is for post-secondary education, state education at tertiary level is publicly funded and is also free. Moreover, the state offers remuneration in the form of a stipend to all students who further their studies from post-secondary till tertiary education.
