Education

The Maltese education system operates under the responsibility and supervision of the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation.

The Migrant Learners’ Unit seeks to promote the inclusion of newly arrived learners into the education system. The Unit provides guidance and information about the Maltese educational system to assist non-Maltese students. For more information, please visit the official website here.

  • Children of asylum seekers and asylum seekers who are children shall have access to the education system under similar conditions as Maltese nationals.
  • Asylum seekers must be allowed access to vocational training irrespective of whether they have access to the labour market.
  • Asylum seekers in Malta may apply for exemptions from fees payable at state educational institutions. For more information on exemptions from tuition fees at state educational institutions, please see here.
  • Persons with refugee status may access compulsory school and higher education in Maltese state educational institutions and apply for an exemption from fees at state educational institutions (covering compulsory education, vocational studies e.g. MCAST, tertiary studies e.g. University of Malta, and adult learning e.g. Lifelong Learning courses). Please find the application form here.
  • Persons granted Temporary Protection, need to fill in this form to enrol their child in a Maltese State School. You may submit this form to your local school if you are not filling it in online.

How does the education system work in Malta?

Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 years.

According to age, school education in Malta is structured as below:

  • Childcare services (3 months to 3 years)
  • Kindergarten (3 to 4 years)
  • Primary school (5 to 11 years)
  • Secondary school (12 to 16)

The town where you reside will be the principal criterion determining the school for your child. All state primary and secondary schools host mixed-gender students.

  • For a child to have access to Maltese schools, they need to be fully vaccinated against diseases according to the current Malta National Schedule of Vaccination. In the absence of a vaccination card, the Maltese Health Authorities will administer all the required vaccines free of charge to children who have been granted temporary protection. People who apply for Temporary Protection will be referred for medical appointments by the International Protection Agency.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is not mandatory.

What is the Induction Programme?

The Induction Course is offered in various schools in Malta and Gozo by the Migrant Learners’ Unit to persons who cannot communicate in Maltese and/or in English. The duration of the course is one year, and the curriculum includes subjects in Mathematics, Arts, Crafts, Maltese, and English.

The goal is for the student to gain confidence and communicate effectively in Malta’s official languages. Regular assessments aim at following up on the student’s progress, whilst, at the end of the induction period, the educational staff will decide whether the student will be admitted into mainstream education.


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