Pfff Dutch education system is known to be one of the most difficult ones to understand. Since I'm too lazy to fully explain: Primary school: 4-12 Secondary school: 12-16 (when doing the lowest level), 17 (middle level), 18 (highest level) Lower vocational school: from 16 (everybody can enter) Higher vocational school: from 17 (at least when you've done middle level at sec school or lower vocational school) University: from 18 (only when you've done highest level or at least first year of higher vocational school) I hope this makes sense. So for example I took middle level at secondary school, then I entered and finished higher vocational school and now I'm finishing off university (but because I already did the higher vocational school, I only have to do the last two years of Uni, in stead of the whole four years).
in Finland you need to graduate from Upper Secondary School (usually in age of 19) to get in university. Other option is Polytechnic, where you can get also if you've finished vocational school (which also happens at age of 19).
Well, I'm starting University in October, so I can't say where I went, but I can say where I'm going: I'm studying Languages (English, Norwegian and Swedish) at the University of The Studies in Milan (I can't wait to move abroad to work).
Oh well, it's interesting to hear about how is the educational system organized in other countries! thanks a lot!! In Spain it's less complicated, I suppose (at least for me, lol). We go to school until we're 18 and then enter university at that age and that takes about 3 to 10 years depending on the degree you're studying. (For instance, the degree on Physics takes 5 years)
As an addition, nowdadays you go to pre-school in age of 6 (it's compulsory... wasn't when I was kid) and then comprehensive school are grades 1st to 9th (from age 7 to 16) and school is "compulsory" until you turn 17. And after comprehensive school, you MUST apply to school (it's usually either vocational school or Upper Secondary School, or special ones, such as rural institute, which is basicly similar to vocational school) or then you can go to 10th grade, which means that you can try to get better grades for your final report from 9th grade and that's how to get better chances to get in the school. ETA: We have no private schools. Everyone go to same public schools.
I got my BA (with hons) in Theatre Studies from the University of Ulster, Coleraine (Northern Ireland) and my Masters degree in Film Studies from UCD (University College Dublin). I hope to get around to doing my PhD one of these days... :lol:
Interesting. I started kindegarden when I was 4. If I had been born 2 weeks later, I would have started school a year later.
Kindergarder you can start earlier... but it's not compulsory. My mom put me in Kindergarder in age of 6 because I... had extra energy. 4 kids in my village were born in end '84 and I was born on 7th Jan '85 and I could read already (without spelling) in age of 5 and so wanted to go to school with my friends and mom didn't let me (because teachers were really rude to those who went to school a year early) But they've changed the system a bit after that.