Official entrance age to compulsory education (years) by country
Official age when students should enter compulsory education assuming they start at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, study full-time throughout and progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade. The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is...
Countries reporting
194
Highest
7 years
Afghanistan
Lowest
0 years
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Median
6 years
Years covered
46
1975–2020
Data points
4,083
What the numbers show
Official entrance age to compulsory education (years) is currently reported for 194 countries. The highest value is 7 years in Afghanistan; the lowest is 0 years in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of).
The median across all reporting countries is 6 years, and the mean is 5.6 years.
Official entrance age to compulsory education: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Estonia | 7 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ethiopia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Faroe Islands | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Guinea | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Gambia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Equatorial Guinea | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Croatia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Indonesia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lithuania | 7 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Republic of Moldova | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mali | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Namibia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Romania | 7 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Russian Federation | 7 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Rwanda | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Serbia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Suriname | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tajikistan | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | United Republic of Tanzania | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 7 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Africa | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Zambia | 7 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Angola | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Albania | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Andorra | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | United Arab Emirates | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Armenia | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Australia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Belgium | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Benin | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Burkina Faso | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Bangladesh | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Bahrain | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Belarus | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Brunei Darussalam | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Central African Republic | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Canada | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Chile | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | China | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Côte d'Ivoire | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Cameroon | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Congo | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Comoros | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Cabo Verde | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Cuba | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Czechia | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Germany | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Djibouti | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Denmark | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Algeria | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Egypt | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Eritrea | 6 years | 2019 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Spain | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Finland | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Gabon | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Georgia | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Guinea-Bissau | 6 years | 2019 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Greenland | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Guyana | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Hong Kong (China) | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Haiti | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | India | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Ireland | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Iraq | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Iceland | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Italy | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Jamaica | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Jordan | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Japan | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Kazakhstan | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | flat |
| 24 | Kenya | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Kyrgyzstan | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Kiribati | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Republic of Korea | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Kuwait | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Lebanon | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Liberia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Libya | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Liechtenstein | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Lesotho | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Morocco | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Monaco | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Madagascar | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Maldives | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | North Macedonia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Montenegro | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Mongolia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Mauritania | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Malawi | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Malaysia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Nigeria | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Norway | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | New Zealand | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Oman | 6 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 24 | Palau | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Poland | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 24 | Portugal | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | State of Palestine | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Qatar | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Saudi Arabia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Sudan | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Senegal | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Singapore | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Sierra Leone | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | San Marino | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | South Sudan | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Sao Tome and Principe | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | Slovakia | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Slovenia | 6 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Sweden | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Eswatini | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Seychelles | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Syrian Arab Republic | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Chad | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Togo | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Thailand | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Turkmenistan | 6 years | 2020 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Timor-Leste | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Tunisia | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Republic of Türkiye | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Tuvalu | 6 years | 2019 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 24 | Uganda | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Ukraine | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 24 | United States of America | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Yemen | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 24 | Zimbabwe | 6 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Austria | 5 years | 2020 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Azerbaijan | 5 years | 2020 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Bulgaria | 5 years | 2019 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 133 | Bahamas | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Belize | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Bermuda | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Barbados | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Switzerland | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Colombia | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Cyprus | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 133 | Dominica | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Gibraltar | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Greece | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 133 | Grenada | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 133 | Honduras | 5 years | 2019 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Saint Lucia | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Sri Lanka | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Latvia | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Macau, China | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Marshall Islands | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Malta | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Myanmar | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Mauritius | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Nicaragua | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 133 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Pakistan | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Philippines | 5 years | 2019 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Puerto Rico | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Paraguay | 5 years | 2019 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5 years | 2019 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | British Virgin Islands | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 133 | Viet Nam | 5 years | 2019 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 133 | Samoa | 5 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Aruba | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Argentina | 4 years | 2019 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 170 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 170 | Brazil | 4 years | 2019 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 170 | Costa Rica | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Curaçao | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 170 | Cayman Islands | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Ghana | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 170 | Hungary | 4 years | 2020 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 170 | Luxembourg | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Mexico | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 170 | Nauru | 4 years | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 170 | Panama | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Sint Maarten | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 170 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Tonga | 4 years | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 170 | Uruguay | 4 years | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 187 | Dominican Republic | 3 years | 2019 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 187 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2019 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 187 | France | 3 years | 2020 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 187 | Israel | 3 years | 2019 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 187 | Nepal | 3 years | 2019 | — | flat |
| 187 | Peru | 3 years | 2019 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 193 | El Salvador | 1 years | 2019 | down 85.7% | volatile |
| 194 | Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 0 years | 2019 | down 100.0% | falling |
About this data
Official age when students should enter compulsory education assuming they start at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, study full-time throughout and progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade. The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is typically, but not always, the most common entrance age.