Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) by country
Number of grades (years) in upper secondary education.
Countries reporting
209
Highest
5 years
Brunei
Lowest
2 years
British Virgin Islands
Median
3 years
Years covered
51
1970–2020
Data points
10,366
What the numbers show
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) is currently reported for 209 countries. The highest value is 5 years in Brunei; the lowest is 2 years in British Virgin Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 3 years, and the mean is 3 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.
Over the past decade 11 countries rose and 5 fell. The largest increase was in Malta (up 100.0%), and the largest decrease in Marshall Islands (down 50.0%).
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brunei | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Italy | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | San Marino | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Samoa | 5 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Austria | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Belgium | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Bangladesh | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Bermuda | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Bolivia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Switzerland | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Chile | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Curacao | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Czechia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 5 | Eritrea | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Micronesia (country) | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Ghana | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Croatia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Haiti | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Hungary | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | India | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Iran | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Iceland | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Kenya | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Kiribati | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Sri Lanka | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Luxembourg | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | North Macedonia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Malta | 4 years | 2020 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 5 | Montenegro | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Mauritius | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Nepal | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Pakistan | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Palau | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Papua New Guinea | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Romania | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Solomon Islands | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Sierra Leone | 4 years | 2020 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 5 | Somalia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Serbia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | South Sudan | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Slovakia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Slovenia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Seychelles | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Tunisia | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Turkey | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 5 | Zimbabwe | 4 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 52 | Aruba | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Afghanistan | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Angola | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Albania | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 52 | United Arab Emirates | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Argentina | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Armenia | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 52 | Azerbaijan | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 52 | Burundi | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Benin | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Burkina Faso | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Bahrain | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Bahamas | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Brazil | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Central African Republic | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Canada | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 52 | China | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Cote d'Ivoire | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Cameroon | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Congo | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Comoros | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Cape Verde | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Cuba | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Cayman Islands | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Cyprus | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Germany | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Djibouti | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Denmark | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Algeria | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Ecuador | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Egypt | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Spain | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 52 | Estonia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Finland | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Fiji | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | France | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Gabon | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Georgia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Guinea | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Gambia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Guinea-Bissau | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 52 | Greece | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Hong Kong | 3 years | 2020 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 52 | Indonesia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Iraq | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Israel | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Japan | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Cambodia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | South Korea | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Kuwait | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 52 | Laos | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | flat |
| 52 | Lebanon | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Liberia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Libya | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Liechtenstein | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Latvia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Macao | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Morocco | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Monaco | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Madagascar | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Mexico | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Mali | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Mongolia | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 52 | Mauritania | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Malaysia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | New Caledonia | 3 years | 2020 | — | flat |
| 52 | Niger | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Nigeria | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Netherlands | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Norway | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | New Zealand | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Panama | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Poland | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 52 | Puerto Rico | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | North Korea | 3 years | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Portugal | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Paraguay | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Palestine | 3 years | 2019 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 52 | French Polynesia | 3 years | 2020 | — | flat |
| 52 | Qatar | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Rwanda | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Saudi Arabia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Sudan | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Senegal | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | El Salvador | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Sao Tome and Principe | 3 years | 2020 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 52 | Suriname | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 52 | Sweden | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Syria | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Chad | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Togo | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Thailand | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | East Timor | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Tuvalu | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Uruguay | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | United States | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Uzbekistan | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | United States Virgin Islands | 3 years | 2020 | — | flat |
| 52 | Vietnam | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Vanuatu | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Yemen | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | South Africa | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Zambia | 3 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Andorra | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | American Samoa | 2 years | 2020 | — | flat |
| 156 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Australia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Belarus | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Belize | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Barbados | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Bhutan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Botswana | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Colombia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Costa Rica | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Dominica | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Ethiopia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Gibraltar | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Equatorial Guinea | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Grenada | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Guatemala | 2 years | 2020 | down 33.3% | flat |
| 156 | Guyana | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Honduras | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | rising |
| 156 | Ireland | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Jamaica | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Jordan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Kazakhstan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Kyrgyzstan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Saint Lucia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Lesotho | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Lithuania | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Moldova | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Maldives | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Marshall Islands | 2 years | 2020 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 156 | Myanmar | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Mozambique | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Malawi | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Namibia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Nicaragua | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Nauru | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Oman | 2 years | 2020 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 156 | Peru | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Philippines | 2 years | 2020 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 156 | Russia | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Singapore | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Eswatini | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Tajikistan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Turkmenistan | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Tonga | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | falling |
| 156 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Tanzania | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Uganda | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Ukraine | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | Venezuela | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
| 156 | British Virgin Islands | 2 years | 2020 | unchanged | flat |
About this data
Number of grades (years) in upper secondary education.