How are assessment and school qualifications organized in San Marino’s school system?

Scuola Elementare uses descriptive subject judgments, while Scuola Media uses subject assessment, conduct grades on a ten-point scale and the examination for the Diploma di Licenza. Scuola Superiore uses subject-specific assessment and a final examination leading to a school-leaving diploma.

Which school costs and education-support measures can families face in San Marino?

Families may pay for school meals, transport and any applicable school contribution, although the reviewed sources do not establish one general tuition rule. Support can include meal reductions, transport reductions, book contributions, study allowances, merit payments, loans and scholarships, with eligibility depending on the measure and usually on registration and actual residence in San Marino.

School in San Marino

Q: How is compulsory education structured across San Marino’s school system?

Formal schooling runs from Scuola dell’Infanzia at age three through five years of Scuola Elementare, three years of Scuola Media and five years of Scuola Superiore. Compulsory education starts at age six and lasts at least ten years, or until the student reaches sixteen.

Q: Which upper-secondary options can students choose after Scuola Media in San Marino?

Students can apply to Liceo Classico, Liceo Linguistico, Liceo Scientifico, Liceo Economico Aziendale or the two-year Istituto Tecnico Industriale biennium. The Centro di Formazione Professionale is a separate vocational option outside San Marino’s school system.

San Marino’s formal school system includes Scuola dell’Infanzia from age three, five years of Scuola Elementare from age six, three years of Scuola Media and five years of Scuola Superiore. Compulsory education begins at age six and lasts at least ten years, or until the student reaches age sixteen. After Scuola Media, students continue at Scuola Superiore or choose the Centro di Formazione Professionale as a vocational alternative outside the school system.

Tip

Treat San Marino’s school system as a local sequence, not as a set of German equivalents. For a child entering or changing school, match the child’s age and status to the correct stage, meet the online enrollment or transfer requirements, and confirm the available Scuola Media site. Compare upper-secondary choices and the Centro di Formazione Professionale separately, then check family charges and support eligibility before committing.

byMartina&Luca

San Marino uses local school stages rather than a direct copy of German school types. Nido per l’Infanzia is a social and educational early-childhood service for children under three and is not a regular school stage. Scuola dell’Infanzia provides three years of formal preschool education from the third year of life. Scuola Elementare lasts five years from age six, Scuola Media lasts three years, and Scuola Superiore lasts five years. The main pathway is publicly organized, and official sources reviewed for San Marino do not establish separate private, international or special school branches as general school types. Compulsory education starts at six and covers at least ten years of education and training, or continues until the student reaches sixteen. The first year of Scuola Elementare is compulsory when the child turns six by 31 December. Early entry is optional when the child turns six by 31 March of the following year. For the 2026/27 school year, the compulsory cohort consists of children born in 2020, with optional early entry for children born by 31 March 2021. Citizens of San Marino, residents and holders of a residence permit can access the school system. Enrollment takes place online. Students already enrolled in Scuola Elementare are automatically re-enrolled from the first through the fourth year. An external transfer normally requires the original assessment record and a nulla osta, meaning formal authorization for the transfer. At Scuola Media, families choose one of the two available sites, Fonte dell’Ovo or Serravalle; placement depends on capacity and class-formation rules. Students continuing internally from the first or second year are automatically enrolled, while external applicants for the 2026/27 school year had to submit their documents by 30 June 2026. After Scuola Media, students can enter one of the Scuola Superiore pathways available for 2026/27: Liceo Classico, Liceo Linguistico, Liceo Scientifico, Liceo Economico Aziendale or the two-year Istituto Tecnico Industriale biennium. The normal transition requires the Diploma di Licenza, the assessment record and the Certificato delle Competenze. Later admission depends on available places and may require an integrative examination and a nulla osta. The Centro di Formazione Professionale is a separate initial vocational option and belongs outside this school branch. Italian is the central language of instruction. In Scuola Elementare, English is taught for two hours per week, Educazione Motoria for two hours, and pupils take Religione Cattolica or Etica and Cultura e Società for one hour each. Scuola Media has 32 weekly modules over six days: Italiano 7, Storia-Geografia 4, Matematica 4, Scienze 2, Inglese 3, Francese 2, Arte 2, Tecnologie 3, Musica 2, Educazione Fisica 2 and Religione or Educazione Civica e Sociale 1. English and French form part of the state’s multilingual approach, with further languages available especially in Scuola Superiore. The main curriculum framework comes from Legge 21/1998, Legge 22/1998, Decreto 57/2006 and Legge 95/2019. Assessment changes by stage. Scuola Elementare uses periodic and final descriptive judgments for each subject rather than numerical grades under Decreto-Legge 135/2021. Scuola Media uses subject assessment, a conduct grade on a ten-point scale and an examination for the Diploma di Licenza; a minimum of 6/10 is required for promotion and admission to that examination. Scuola Superiore uses subject-specific assessment and a final examination under Legge 20/2019. The qualifications include Certificazioni delle Competenze at Scuola Elementare, the Diploma di Licenza di Scuola Media with the Certificato delle Competenze, and a final diploma from Scuola Superiore. The reviewed sources do not establish a single general tuition rule for all schools. Families may still pay for refezione, meaning school meals, transport and any applicable school contribution. Scuola Elementare provides a refezione reduction when at least three children from the same family are enrolled at the same time. Servizio Trasporti A.A.S.S. provides school transport. Diritto allo Studio, the public education-support scheme, can include study allowances, merit payments, book contributions, loans, scholarships and transport reductions; eligibility generally requires registration and actual residence in San Marino and is focused primarily on Scuola Superiore and university study. Students with disabilities, specific learning difficulties or social disadvantage are supported within the ordinary inclusive school pathway. Each year, the school and Servizio Minori prepare an intervention plan through the Commissione Tecnica per l’Inclusione/Integrazione. Support can involve insegnanti per l’inclusione, a school psychologist, the Equipe benessere and anti-bullying and cyberbullying procedures. The Segreteria di Stato Istruzione e Cultura, through the Dipartimento Istruzione e Cultura, coordinates schools and early-childhood services, advises on curriculum and innovation, manages school meals and supplies through the Provveditorato, administers Diritto allo Studio and provides recognition and information services. Individual school Direzioni, school bodies and parent participation handle institution-level matters.