Secondary school system (középiskolai oktatás)
What
The next step in the educational system after primary school. Mostly for 14-18 years old students but there can be some differences in special cases.
Who
Education in Hungary is compulsory for children until 16 years so almost every child participates in secondary education.
How
Students have to choose secondary school, submit the application and take the entrance exam. There are different types of secondary schools:
- Gymnasium: give high level of general knowledge, mostly for students who wish to continue their studies in higher education. Students have to take entrance exam. Apart from few special programmes, gymnasium lasts for 4 years.
Students have the opportunity enrol into gymnasium after the 4th or the 6th grade of primary school if they fulfil the requirements on the entrance exam.
In case of gymnasium programmes that last five years, the student enrols gymnasium after the 8th grade (the first year is mostly dedicated to learning foreign languages and basics from other school subjects.) - Vocational high schools: Last for 4 years. The students learn profession but they gain basic knowledge as well. In this case they have the opportunity to pass the mature exam (érettségi vizsga) and continue in higher education.
- Vocational schools: lasts for 4 years. In the first two years students gain basic knowledge, while the last two years are dedicated to learning specific profession. At the end there is no mature exam, but vocational exam and you cannot continue to higher education programmes.
When
The application process starts at the final year of primary school. See “Secondary school” – “Admission” (http://hu.danubecompass.org/archives/situations/admission-to-secondary-school).
Good to know
In Hungary, the education system doesn’t make a difference between girls and boys. Every child needs to attend secondary school at least until he or she turns 16 years of age.
Student and parents should be aware that in Hungarian secondary school system a student can change a school, but in usually cannot change a program selected at the enrolment into secondary school. You can find more information about schools in Hungary (in English): https://www.justlanded.com/english/Hungary/Hungary-Guide/Education/Schools-in-Hungary
Here, at the bottom of this page you can find a comprehensive description about the Hungarian educational system that was designed by the Menedék, Hungarian Association for Migrants (in Hungarian, English, French, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic and Farsi): http://menedek.hu/en/node/653
Where
You can find the list of the local secondary educational institutions mostly on every municipality’s webpage.