Duration of compulsory education by country
The number of years of compulsory education is based on students starting at the earliest entrance age, studying full-time, and advancing without grade repetition or skipping.
Countries reporting
200
Highest
17 years
Venezuela
Lowest
5 years
Myanmar
Median
10 years
Years covered
51
1975–2025
Data points
5,383
What the numbers show
Duration of compulsory education is currently reported for 200 countries. The highest value is 17 years in Venezuela; the lowest is 5 years in Myanmar.
The median across all reporting countries is 10 years, and the mean is 10.18 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 3.
Over the past decade 23 countries rose and 2 fell. The largest increase was in Laos (up 80.0%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 10.0%).
Duration of compulsory education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuela | 17 years | 2025 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 2 | Guatemala | 16 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Dominican Republic | 15 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Ecuador | 15 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Israel | 15 years | 2025 | up 15.4% | rising |
| 3 | El Salvador | 15 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Tonga | 15 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Argentina | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Bolivia | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Brazil | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Curacao | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Mexico | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Nauru | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Peru | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 8 | Uruguay | 14 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Aruba | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Austria | 13 years | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 17 | Belgium | 13 years | 2025 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 17 | Bermuda | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Costa Rica | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Germany | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | France | 13 years | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 17 | Gibraltar | 13 years | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 17 | Hungary | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Marshall Islands | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | North Macedonia | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Netherlands | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Philippines | 13 years | 2025 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 17 | Puerto Rico | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 17 | Paraguay | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 17 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 13 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | United Arab Emirates | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Armenia | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Bulgaria | 12 years | 2025 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 33 | Bahamas | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Chile | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Colombia | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Cayman Islands | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Dominica | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Egypt | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Finland | 12 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 33 | Grenada | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Honduras | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Italy | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Kenya | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Luxembourg | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Maldives | 12 years | 2025 | up 71.4% | rising |
| 33 | Mongolia | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Mauritius | 12 years | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 33 | Pakistan | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Palau | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | North Korea | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Portugal | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Qatar | 12 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 33 | Turkmenistan | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Turkey | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | United States | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | British Virgin Islands | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Anguilla | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Cook Islands | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Montserrat | 12 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 65 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Australia | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Belarus | 11 years | 2025 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 65 | Barbados | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Switzerland | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | United Kingdom | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Ghana | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 65 | Sri Lanka | 11 years | 2025 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 65 | Lithuania | 11 years | 2025 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 65 | Latvia | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Monaco | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Malta | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Panama | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Russia | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 65 | Senegal | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 65 | Slovakia | 11 years | 2025 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 65 | Seychelles | 11 years | 2025 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 65 | Ukraine | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 65 | Uzbekistan | 11 years | 2025 | down 8.3% | rising |
| 65 | Niue | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Tokelau | 11 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Angola | 10 years | 2025 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 86 | Andorra | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Burkina Faso | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Central African Republic | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Canada | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Cote d'Ivoire | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Congo | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Cape Verde | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Cyprus | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Czechia | 10 years | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 86 | Djibouti | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Denmark | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Algeria | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Spain | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Gabon | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Greece | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Ireland | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Iceland | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Jordan | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Kyrgyzstan | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Lebanon | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Saint Lucia | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Macao | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Moldova | 10 years | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 86 | Norway | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | New Zealand | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Oman | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Palestine | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Romania | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | San Marino | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Sweden | 10 years | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 86 | Chad | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 86 | Togo | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Vietnam | 10 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Afghanistan | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Albania | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Azerbaijan | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Bahrain | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Brunei | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | China | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Cuba | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Estonia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Georgia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Gambia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Hong Kong | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Indonesia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Iran | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Japan | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Kazakhstan | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Kiribati | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | South Korea | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Kuwait | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Laos | 9 years | 2025 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 120 | Libya | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Liechtenstein | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Morocco | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Mali | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Montenegro | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Mauritania | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Nigeria | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Nepal | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Poland | 9 years | 2025 | down 10.0% | flat |
| 120 | Saudi Arabia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Sierra Leone | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Slovenia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Syria | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Thailand | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Tajikistan | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | East Timor | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | Tunisia | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Tuvalu | 9 years | 2025 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 120 | Yemen | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | South Africa | 9 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Belize | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Eritrea | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Ethiopia | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Micronesia (country) | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Croatia | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | India | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Malawi | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Sudan | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 161 | Somalia | 8 years | 2025 | — | flat |
| 161 | Serbia | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | South Sudan | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 161 | Samoa | 8 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Lesotho | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Namibia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Nicaragua | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 173 | Eswatini | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 173 | Tanzania | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Uganda | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Zambia | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 173 | Zimbabwe | 7 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Benin | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Cameroon | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Comoros | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Guinea | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Equatorial Guinea | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 182 | Guyana | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Haiti | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Iraq | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Jamaica | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Liberia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Malaysia | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Rwanda | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Singapore | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Suriname | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 198 | Bangladesh | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 198 | Madagascar | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 198 | Myanmar | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
About this data
The number of years of compulsory education is based on students starting at the earliest entrance age, studying full-time, and advancing without grade repetition or skipping.