Duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium
Belgium: Duration of compulsory education in years was 13 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
13
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 73 countries
All-time high
13
in 2021
All-time low
12
in 1998
Years of data
28
1998–2025
Duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium, 1998–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 13 for duration of compulsory education in years in 2025. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium peaked at 13 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12, in 1998.
Belgium ranks 1st of 73 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 12 | — |
| 1999 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 2022 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 13 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 13 | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 13 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.5, 1.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 13 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 2 |
| 2000s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| 2010s | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.83 | 12 | 13 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More education data for Belgium
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.32 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.34 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 137,795 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 17,384 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 221,494 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,503 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium?
- Duration of compulsory education in years in Belgium was 13 in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education in years recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 13 in 2021.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education in years recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 12 in 1998.
- How does Belgium rank for duration of compulsory education in years?
- Belgium ranks 1st out of 73 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education in years rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Duration of compulsory education in years. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).