Educational stage

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Educational stages are subdivisions of

for school children in the same year.

Organization

Education during childhood and early adulthood is typically provided through either a two- or three-stage system of childhood school, followed by additional stages of higher education or vocational education for those who continue their formal education:

• Early childhood education at preschool, nursery school, or kindergarten (outside the U.S. and Canada)
• Primary education at primary school or elementary school, and sometimes in the early years of middle school
• Secondary education at
  high school
  , and sometimes in the latter years of middle school
• Higher education or vocational education

The following table introduces the main concepts, although terms and ages may vary in different places:

Age	Educational stage	2-stage system	3-stage system	ISCED
3–4	Early childhood education	Preschool	Preschool	0
4–5
5–6	Primary education	Primary school	Elementary school	1
6–7
7–8
8–9
9–10
10–11			Middle school	2
11–12
12–13	Secondary education	Secondary school
13–14
14–15
15–16
16–17			High school	3
17–18

For additional ISCED stages of education, see

.

Sudbury schools do not use formal grade levels or educational stages. Instead, students ages 3 through 18 are intermingled in a democratic educational system, relying on a series of certifications to use equipment that may require specialized knowledge or safety procedures. These certifications are not typically restricted by age, but rather by demonstrated ability.^[2]

By country

Australia

In Australia, children undergo thirteen years of formal education (plus non-compulsory preschool or kindergarten), usually starting at age 4, 5 or 6, and finishing at age 17, 18 or 19. The years are numbered from "Kindergarten" to 12.

In

primary school is Kindergarten (NSW)/Pre-primary (WA)/Reception (SA)/Prep (VIC, QLD & TAS) and Years 1–6, and secondary school, Years 7–12 (see table below).

Year	Ages	School
Kindergarten	3–5	Preschool
Kindergarten/Pre-primary/Reception/Prep	5–6 (sometimes 4–5)	Primary
Grade or Year 1	6–7 (sometimes 5–6)
Grade or Year 2	7–8 (sometimes 6–7)
Grade or Year 3	8–9 (sometimes 7–8)
Grade or Year 4	9–10 (sometimes 8–9)
Grade or Year 5	10–11 (sometimes 9–10)
Grade or Year 6	11–12 (sometimes 10–11)
Grade or Year 7	12–13 (sometimes 11–12)	Secondary
Grade or Year 8	13–14 (sometimes 12–13)
Grade or Year 9	14–15 (sometimes 13–14)
Grade or Year 10	15–16 (sometimes 14–15)
Grade or Year 11	16–17 (sometimes 15–16)
Grade or Year 12	17–18 (sometimes 16–17)

In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), primary school is Kindergarten/years 1–6, high school is years 7–10, and college or Senior Secondary is years 11 & 12 & 13 (see table below).

Year	Ages	School
Preschool	3–5	Preschool
Kindergarten	5–6	Primary
Grade or Year 1	6–7
Grade or Year 2	7–8
Grade or Year 3	8–9
Grade or Year 4	9–10
Grade or Year 5	10–11
Grade or Year 6	11–12
Grade or Year 7	12–13	Secondary (High School)
Grade or Year 8	13–14
Grade or Year 9	14–15
Grade or Year 10	15–16
Grade or Year 11	16–17	Senior Secondary (College)
Grade or Year 12	17–18

In the Northern Territory (NT),^[3] primary school is Transition/years 1–6, middle school is years 7–9, and high school or Senior Secondary is years 10–12 (see table below).

Year	Ages	School
Kindergarten	3–5	Preschool
Transition	5–6	Primary
Grade or Year 1	6–7
Grade or Year 2	7–8
Grade or Year 3	8–9
Grade or Year 4	9–10
Grade or Year 5	10–11
Grade or Year 6	11–12
Grade or Year 7	12–13	Secondary (Middle School)
Grade or Year 8	13–14
Grade or Year 9	14–15
Grade or Year 10	15–16	Senior Secondary (High School)
Grade or Year 11	16–17
Grade or Year 12	17–18
Grade of Year 13	18–19

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Grade	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
P1	3–4	Preschool
P2	4–5	Pre-kindergarten

Azerbaijan Grade	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
P3	5–6	Kindergarten
P4	6–7	First grade
P5	7–8	Second grade
P6	8–9	Third grade
P7	9–10	Fourth grade
P8	10–11	Fifth grade

Azerbaijan Grade	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
M1	11–12	Sixth grade
M2	12–13	Seventh grade
M3	13–14	Eighth grade

Azerbaijan Grade	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
M4	14–15	Ninth grade/Freshmen
M5	15–16	Tenth grade/Sophomore
DP1	16–17	Eleventh grade/Junior
DP2	17–18	Twelfth grade/Senior

Belarus

In Belarus, education is guaranteed for everyone. Primary school lasts for 4 years, but some psycho-physically challenged children study for 5 years according to a special standard. Forms 1 to 9 are considered compulsory. After completing general basic school a person can study in a special establishment to get a job. To enter a higher educational establishment a person must complete general secondary school (all 11 forms) and pass three centralized tests.^[4]

Year	Ages	School
Ясли (nursery)	1–2	Early
Детский сад (kindergarten)	3–5(6)
Form 1	6–7	Primary
Form 2	7–8
Form 3	8–9
Form 4	9–10
Form 5	10–11	General basic (secondary)
Form 6	11–12
Form 7	12–13
Form 8	13–14
Form 9	14–15
Form 10	15–16	General secondary (high)
Form 11	16–17

Brazil

In Brazil, there are three levels of basic education: "Educação Infantil" (preschool), "Ensino Fundamental" (primary school) and "Ensino Médio" (high school), which are generally completed by age eighteen. Basic education is designed to provide the necessary minimum knowledge for the exercise of citizenship. It also serves to develop consciousness for choosing future professions. In Brazil, after the name of the grade one may use the names "série" (series) or "ano" (year). The educational stages in Brazil are divided as follows:

Escola Infantil (Brazil Grade)	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
Berçário	0–1	Nursery 1
Pré-maternal/Creche	1–2	Nursery 2
Maternal/Creche	2–3	Nursery 3
1o período (Primeiro Período)	3–4	Kindergarten 1
2o período (Segundo Período)	4–5	Kindergarten 2
3o período (Terceiro Período)	5–6	Kindergarten 3

Ensino Fundamental (Brazil Grade)	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
1o ano (Primeiro Ano)	6–7	first grade
2o ano (Segundo Ano)	7–8	second grade
3o ano (Terceiro Ano)	8–9	third grade
4o ano (Quarto Ano)	9–10	fourth grade
5o ano (Quinto Ano)	10–11	fifth grade
6o ano (Sexto Ano)	11–12	sixth grade
7o ano (Sétimo Ano)	12–13	seventh grade
8o ano (Oitavo Ano)	13–14	eighth grade
9o ano (Nono Ano)	14–15	ninth grade

Ensino Médio (Brazil Grade)	Ages	Correspondent in the U.S
1o ano (Primeiro Ano)	15–16	tenth grade
2o ano (Segundo Ano)	16–17	eleventh grade
3o ano (Terceiro Ano)	17–18	twelfth grade

Canada

In Canada, schooling officially begins at Kindergarten (or Maternelle in Quebec), followed by grades, with some variations for certain levels in certain provinces/territories. When referred to as a grade, school years are usually referred to by their cardinal number ("Grade Three").

At the post-secondary level in (Anglophone) Canada, a student is usually referred to by the year of study they are in (i.e. First Year, Second Year, etc.). If they are pursuing something higher than an undergraduate degree, the designation usually refers to what year of study they are in since entering Graduate studies (i.e. First Year Graduate Student, etc.). Any student who has completed their first year of undergraduate studies is considered to be an Upper Year Student.

Each province and territory has its own autonomous education system. As such, the name of each level of education and what year each level begins at will vary across the country (as will the curriculum itself).

Grade structure by province/territory

The following table shows how grades are organized in various provinces. Often, there will be exceptions within each province, both with terminology for groups, and which grades apply to each group.

Alberta[5]		Elementary							Junior high			Senior high
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
British Columbia[6]		Elementary								Secondary
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Manitoba[7]		Early years					Middle years				Senior years
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
New Brunswick[8]		Elementary						Middle school			High school
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Newfoundland and Labrador[9]			Primary			Elementary			Junior high			Senior high
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Level I	Level II	Level III
Northwest Territories[10]		Primary				Intermediate			Junior secondary			Senior secondary
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Nova Scotia[11]		Elementary							Junior high			Senior high
		Primary	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Ontario[12]	Elementary								Intermediate		Secondary
	Junior kindergarten	Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
PEI[13]			Elementary						Intermediate school			Senior high
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Quebec[citation needed]			Primary school						Secondary school					College ( CÉGEP )
	Garderie	Maternelle	1	2	3	4	5	6	Sec I	Sec II	Sec III	Sec IV	Sec V	first	second	third
Saskatchewan[14]			Elementary level					Middle level				Secondary level
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Yukon[15]		Elementary								Secondary
		Kindergarten	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12

China

In the

(高等教育) at universities.

Year	Ages	Stage
1st grade	6–7	Elementary
2nd grade	7–8
3rd grade	8–9
4th grade	9–10
5th grade	10–11
6th grade	11–12
7th grade	12–13	Middle school
8th grade	13–14
9th grade	14–15
10th grade	15–16	High school
11th grade	16–17
12th grade	17–18

France

Education is compulsory from age 3 to age 16, and then compulsory training until the age of 18. This law was passed during the

exam. It is possible in France to fail a year, and need to repeat (redoubler).

Age	School	Class	Cycle
From age 3	Nursery school	TPS: Kindergarten
3–4		PS: Preschool class	Cycle I : First learnings
4–5		MS: Second preschool class
5–6		GS: Pupil in Year 1
6–7	Grammar school	CP: Pupil in Year 2	Cycle II : Fundamental learnings
7–8		CE1: Pupil in Year 3
8–9		CE2: Pupil in Year 4
9–10		CM1: Pupil in Year 5	Cycle III : Consolidation
10–11		CM2: Pupil in Year 6
11–12	Junior High school	Sixième (Pupil in Year 7)
12–13		Cinquième (Pupil in Year 8)	Cycle IV : Deepening
13–14		Quatrième (Pupil in Year 9)
14–15		Troisième (Pupil in Year 10)
15–16	Comprehensive school	Seconde (Pupil in Year 11)	(Cycle V : Senior years)
16–17		Première (Pupil in Year 12)
17–18		Terminale (Pupil in Year 13)

Greece

Education is compulsory from age 4 to age 15. Education is provided in public and private schools, except Higher Education which is provided only by public universities.

Greece framework
Grade	Age	Greek designation	Educational stage
Pre-kindergarten	4–5	Pre-kindergarten	Preschool
Kindergarten	5–6	Kindergarten
First grade	6–7	1st grade	Primary School
Second grade	7–8	2nd grade
Third grade	8–9	3rd grade
Fourth grade	9–10	4th grade
Fifth grade	10–11	5th grade
Sixth grade	11–12	6th grade
Seventh grade	12–13	1st grade	Gymnasium (Lower secondary school) (US equivalent: Middle school)
Eighth grade	13–14	2nd grade
Ninth grade	14–15	3rd grade
Tenth grade	15–16	1st grade	Lyceum (Upper secondary school) (US equivalent: High school)
Eleventh grade	16–17	2nd grade
Twelfth grade	17–18	3rd grade

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong system was based on the United Kingdom system, with zero to three optional years at kindergarten, six years of primary school (小學) and six years of secondary school (中學), followed by four years at university. Primary 1–6 (小一 – 小六) corresponds to Years 1–6 in the UK, and Forms 1 – 6 (中一 – 中六) correspond to Years 7–12. Usually students begin Primary 1 at age 5 or 6 and complete Form 6 at age 17 or 18.

In Hong Kong, international schools follow the system of the country they are based upon, for example the

conversations.

Year	Ages	Stage
Primary 1	6–7	Primary
Primary 2	7–8
Primary 3	8–9
Primary 4	9–10
Primary 5	10–11
Primary 6	11–12
Secondary 1	12–13	Secondary
Secondary 2	13–14
Secondary 3	14–15
Secondary 4	15–16
Secondary 5	16–17
Secondary 6	17–18

Iceland

India

The central and most state boards uniformly follow the "10+2+3" pattern of education. In this pattern, study of 10 years is done in schools and 2 years in Junior colleges, and then 3 years of graduation for a bachelor's degree. The first 10 years is further subdivided into 4 years of primary education, 6 years of High School followed by 2 years of Junior colleges. This pattern originated from the recommendation of the Education Commission of 1964–66.

Pre-Primary education

• Play group (pre-nursery): At play schools, children are exposed to a lot of basic learning activities that help them to get independent faster and develop their self-help qualities like eating food themselves, dressing up, and maintaining cleanliness. The age limit for admission into pre-nursery is 2 to 3 years
• Nursery: Nursery level activities help children unfold their talents, thus enabling them to sharpen their mental and physical abilities. The age limit for admission in nursery is 3 to 4 years.
• LKG: It is also called the Junior Kindergarten (Jr. kg) stage. The age limit for admission in LKG is 4 to 5 years.
• UKG: It is also called the Senior Kindergarten (Sr. kg) stage. The age limit for admission in UKG is 5 to 6 years.

Primary education

The Indian government lays emphasis on primary education, also referred to as elementary education, to children aged 6 to 14 years old. Because education laws are given by the states, duration of primary school visit alters between the Indian states. The Indian government has also banned child labour in order to ensure that the children do not enter unsafe working conditions. However, both free education and the ban on child labour are difficult to enforce due to economic disparity and social conditions. 80% of all recognised schools at the elementary stage are government run or supported, making it the largest provider of education in the country.

Secondary education

Secondary education covers children aged 12 to 18, a group comprising 8.85

. The final two years of secondary is often called Higher Secondary (HS), Senior Secondary, or simply the "+2" stage. The two halves of secondary education are each an important stage for which a pass certificate is needed, and thus are affiliated by central boards of education under HRD ministry, before one can pursue higher education, including college or professional courses.

UGC, NCERT, CBSE and CISCE directives state qualifying ages for candidates who wish to take board exams. Those at least 15 years old by 30 May for a given academic year are eligible to appear for Secondary board exams, and those 17 by the same date are eligible to appear for Higher Secondary certificate board exams. It further states that upon successful completion of Higher Secondary, one can apply to higher education under UGC control such as Engineering, Medical, and Business Administration.

New education policy 2020

India in 29 July approved a new education policy in order to replace the previous education system to an advanced education system. The new policy aims for universalisation of education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030 and aims to raise GER in higher education to 50 per cent by 2025.

Key points:
The policy also proposes phasing out of all institutions offering single streams and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040.

• Grade division and structure

Introducing 3 years of pre-schooling, the National Education Policy 2020 has taken a similar approach like Cambridge and IB, which also offer dedicated Primary Year Programs.

Dismantling the age-old 10+2 concept, the policy pitches for a "

" design corresponding to the age groups 3–8 years (foundational stage), 8–11 (preparatory), 11–14 (middle), and 14–18 (secondary). This brings early childhood education (also known as pre-school education for children of ages 3 to 5) under the umbrella of formal schooling.

• School curriculum and pedagogy

According to the National Education Policy 2020, the school curriculum and pedagogy will aim for the holistic development of learners by equipping them with the key 21st-century skills. Additionally, it also aims for reduction in the syllabus to enhance essential learning and critical thinking.

• Languages

The policy advocates for mother-tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction at least till grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.

Sanskrit will now be offered at all levels of school and higher education as an option for students including the 3-language formula. Other classical languages and literature of India also to be available as options. In non-Hindi states of India, students will be served as a Hindi alternative, students will have to choose between Hindi and Sanskrit. Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Punjabi, etc. languages will also be emphasized under NEP2020.

Foreign languages will also be offered to students. Languages like Japanese, Korean, Russian, etc. will be introduced to them in their secondary school. They can opt for any language they want to learn. The step has been taken to embrace global culture and emphasize a multilingualism approach.

• Others

The NEP proposes sweeping changes including opening up of Indian higher education to foreign universities, dismantling of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), introduction of a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme with multiple exit options, and discontinuation of the M Phil programme.

In school education, the policy focuses on overhauling the curriculum, "easier" Board exams, a reduction in the syllabus to retain "core essentials" and thrust on "experiential learning and critical thinking".

The policy also proposes phasing out of all institutions offering single streams and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, children spend 12 years of formal education, but some children attend nursery playgroup (called Kelompok Belajar in 2 years) and attend kindergarten (Called Taman Kanak-Kanak in 2 years).

Age	Stage	School	Year
2–3	Pre-school	Kelompok Belajar (KB) (Nursery Playgroup)	KB-A/KBJ
3–4			KB-B/KBS
4–5		Taman Kanak-kanak (TK) (Kindergarten)	TK-A
5–6			TK-B
6–7	Primary School	Sekolah Dasar (SD) (Elementary School)	Kelas 1
7–8			Kelas 2
8–9			Kelas 3
9–10			Kelas 4
10–11			Kelas 5
11–12			Kelas 6
12–13	Secondary School	Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP) (Junior High School)	Kelas 7
13–14			Kelas 8
14–15			Kelas 9
15–16		Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) (Senior High School)	Kelas 10
16–17			Kelas 11
17–18			Kelas 12

Iran

The Iranian system has experienced several changes in the last seven to eight decades. Prior to 1940–1950, the education system had consisted of three levels, called in order: an optional year in kindergarten, six years of primary school, finally followed by six years of secondary school ending up with a diploma. After some improvements during Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the system was changed to four consecutive periods: two optional years in kindergarten and pre-primary school, primary school consisting of 5 years, 3 years in middle school, and finally four years in high school. The system ended up by honoring a diploma in certain majors, e.g. math and physics.

Around 1996–1997, one year was reduced from the entire education system and one was honored with a diploma after three years in high school. However, if one would have liked to continue her/his education towards university degrees, one would have been required to take the last year, so called pre-university year. This year had been a requirement to participate in the Iranian University Entrance Exam for high school students. Again, around 2012, the system turned back to its previous system, consisting of two 6-year periods.

There are two formal stages of education in Iran: primary school (دبستان, Dabestãn) and high school (دبیرستان, Dabirestãn). The high school itself is broken into 2 parts: A and B.^{[further explanation needed]} Preschool educations are informal, therefore Grade 1 is the first year. In Grade 1 (پایه‌ی 1, Paye 1) also known as the 1st class (کلاس اوّل, Klãs Avval), children learn the basics of reading and writing.

Stage	School	Age
Preschool	Kindergarten	3–6
Primary school	Grade 1	7
	Grade 2	7–8
	Grade 3	8–9
	Grade 4	9–10
	Grade 5	10–11
	Grade 6	11–12
High school first term	Grade 7	12–13
	Grade 8	13–14
	Grade 9	14–15
High school second term	Grade 10	15–16
	Grade 11	16–17
	Grade 12	17–18

Ireland

In the Republic of Ireland, there are two levels of compulsory education; primary school (ca.4–12 years of age) and secondary school (ca.12–18 years). The names of each class are as follows:

• Junior Infants (4–5 years)
• Senior Infants (5–6 years)
• First Class (6–7 years)
• Second Class (7–8 years)
• Third Class (8–9 years)
• Fourth Class (9–10 years)
• Fifth Class (10–11 years)
• Sixth Class (11–12 years)

After Sixth Class, students move to secondary school, entering;

• First Year (12–13 years)
• Second Year (13–14 years)
• Third Year (14–15 years) –
  Junior Certificate
• Fourth Year [or Transition Year] (15–16 years)
• Fifth Year (15–17 years)
• Sixth Year [or Final Year] (16–18 years) –
  Leaving Certificate

In some schools, Transition Year is compulsory, in others it is optional.

Italy

In Italy, education is compulsory from the age of 6 to the age of 16. On parents' demand, children can start the Scuola primaria (see below) one year earlier.

Educazione Infantile:

• Asilo nido: 3 months – 3 years
• Scuola d'infanzia: 3 years – 5 years

Scuola primaria (informally: Scuola Elementare):

• I elementare: 6–7
• II elementare: 7–8
• III elementare: 8–9
• IV elementare: 9–10
• V elementare: 10–11

Scuola secondaria di primo grado (informally: Scuola Media):

• I media – 11–12
• II media – 12–13
• III media – 13–14

Scuola secondaria di secondo grado (informally: Scuola Superiore):

• biennio
  • I superiore – 14–15
  • II superiore – 15–16
• triennio
  • III superiore – 16–17
  • IV superiore – 17–18
  • V superiore – 18–19

Japan

In

at universities (大学, daigaku).

Year	Ages	Stage
Year 1	6–7	Elementary
Year 2	7–8
Year 3	8–9
Year 4	9–10
Year 5	10–11
Year 6	11–12
Year 1	12–13	Lower secondary
Year 2	13–14
Year 3	14–15
Year 1	15–16	Higher secondary
Year 2	16–17
Year 3	17–18

Macau

Typical age	Grade/Level	Curriculum Stages		Schools
3-4	N/A	Infant Education 幼兒教育 Pré-escolar		Kindergarten 幼稚園 Jardim de infância
4-5
5-6
6—7	Primary 1	Primary Education 小學教育 Ensino primário		Primary School 小學 Escola primária
7—8	Primary 2
8—9	Primary 3
9—10	Primary 4
10—11	Primary 5
11—12	Primary 6
12—13	Form 1	Junior Secondary Education 初中教育 Ensino secundário-geral		Junior Secondary School 初中 Escola secundária geral
13—14	Form 2
14—15	Form 3
15—16	Form 4	Senior Secondary Education 高中教育 Ensino secundário-complementar	Vocational and Technical Education 職業技術教育 Ensino técnico-profissional	Senior Secondary School 高中 Escola secundária complementar	Vocational School 職業技術學校 Escola técnico-profissional
16—17	Form 5
17—18	Form 6

Malaysia

Compulsory education in Malaysia spans a period of 11 years and comprises both primary and secondary education. Kindergarten is optional.

Malaysian primary school consists of six years of education, referred to as Year 1 to Year 6 (formerly Standard 1 to Standard 6). Year 1–3 are classified as Level One (Tahap Satu in Malay) while Year 4–6 make up Level Two (Tahap Dua). Primary schooling usually begins at the age of 7 and ends at 12. Students take their first national examination, the

, towards the end of the Year 6 school year. Performance in the UPSR has no effect on their resuming schooling; all students continue with their secondary education after leaving primary school.

Secondary schooling usually begins at age 13. Secondary schools offer education for a total of five years, starting with Form 1 and finishing at Form 5. Forms 1–3 are grouped together into the "Lower Form" and Forms 4 and 5 are considered the "Upper Form". Students in Form 3 will have to sit for their second national exam, the PT3. They are then streamed into sciences or humanities classes for the Upper Form according to their performance in this exam. At age 17 students in Form 5 sit for the final level of national examinations, the SPM (Malaysian Certificate of Education). Achieving a passing grade in the Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language) portion of the exams is compulsory; failure results in an automatic failing grade for all subjects taken in the examination and the student is held back to repeat Form 5. Completion of the examination signifies that the student has completed formal education in Malaysia; an SPM certificate remains the base requirement to secure most jobs in Malaysia.

After the SPM, students have a choice of either continuing with Form 6 (which comprises 2 years, Lower and Upper Six) or entering matriculation (pre-university programs). If they opt for Form 6, they will be required to take the

examination. Although generally taken by those desiring to attend public universities in Malaysia, an STPM certification is internationally recognized and may also be used, though rarely required, to enter private local universities for undergraduate courses.

Educational stages in Malaysia

Year	Ages	School
Kindergarten (optional)	4–6	Preschool
Tahun 1 (Year 1)	6–7	Tahap Satu (Level One or Lower Primary)
Tahun 2 (Year 2)	7–8
Tahun 3 (Year 3)	8–9
Tahun 4 (Year 4)	9–10	Tahap Dua (Level Two or Higher Primary)
Tahun 5 (Year 5)	10–11
Tahun 6 (Year 6)	11–12
Tingkatan 1 (Form 1)	12–13	Menengah Rendah (Lower Secondary)
Tingkatan 2 (Form 2)	13–14
Tingkatan 3 (Form 3)	14–15
Tingkatan 4 (Form 4)	15–16	Menengah Atas (Upper Secondary)
Tingkatan 5 (Form 5)	16–17
Tingkatan 6 (Form 6) (optional)	17–18	Pre-university programme

Mexico

In Mexico, grades 1 through 12 can be divided into two stages: Educación Básica, and Educación Media Superior.^[16] Educación Básica covers pre-primary education to the equivalent of ninth grade.^[17] Educación Media Superior covers tenth through twelfth grade, and students' levels are identified by their current semester, not by their grade.^[18]

	Year	Ages	School
Educación Básica		3 – 5/6	Preescolar / Kinder
	Primer grado (1o)	6/7	Primaria
	Segundo grado (2o)	7/8
	Tercer grado (3o)	8/9
	Cuarto grado (4o)	9/10
	Quinto grado (5o)	10/11
	Sexto grado (6o)	11/12
	Primero de secundaria	12/13	Secundaria
	Segundo de secundaria	13/14
	Tercero de secundaria	14/15
Educación Media Superior	Primer semestre, and Segundo semestre	15/16	Bachillerato / Preparatoria
	Tercer semestre, and Cuarto semestre	16/17
	Quinto semestre, and Sexto semestre	17/18

Nepal

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