Education Structure of Chile,Grading System and Academic Year in Chile
Education in Chile starts with
school education, and then tertiary/higher education. School education in Chile comprises of preschool, primary and secondary schools. Primary and secondary education in Chile is compulsory to attend. Preschool is for children up to 5 years old. Primary education lasts for 8 years and secondary education lasts for 4 years.
Structure of Chilean Education
Pre-higher Education
Period of Compulsory Education
- Duration: 13 years
- Entry Age: 6
- Exit Age: 17
Preschool Education
Level: Sala cuna
- Ages: 85 days days old to 2 years old
Level: Nivel medio
Level: Transicion
Primary Education/Basic Education
- Duration: 8 years
- Grades: 1 to 8
- Ages: 6 to 13
- Certificate awarded: Diploma of basic education (Licencia de Educacion Basica)
Secondary Education
- Duration: 4 years
- Grades: 9 to 12
- Ages: 13 to 17
- Certificate awarded: Diploma of secondary education (Licenciado en Ensenanza Media) and for secondary vocational studies- tecnico de nivel medio is awarded.
Higher Education
Level: Bachelor degree
- Duration: 4 to 6 years (Depending on the field of study)
Level: Master’s degree (Magister)
Level: Doctorate/PhD (Doctorado)
Grading System
The 7-point grading scale is used, where 1 is the lowest grade and 7 is the highest grade on scale. The minimum passing grade is 4.
| GPA | % Achievement | Grade description | Honours |
| 6.0-7.0 | 90-100 | Outstanding | Highest honours |
| 5.0-5.9 | 80-89 | Good | Honours |
| 4.0-4.9 | 70-79 | Sufficient | Passed |
| 1.0-3.9 | 0-69 | Deficient | Failed |
Academic Year
The academic year in Chile is divided into two semesters:
- Semester 1: Commences in early March and ends in July
- Semester 2: Commences in August and ends in December
Holidays:
- Period of summer holidays: Starts in December and goes on until February
- Period of winter holidays: Mid-July (2-week break)
- Easter: 1 week in April
- Independence commemoration: 1-2 weeks in September
The exact dates are determined by the Ministry of Education of Chile.
Language of Instruction
The language of instruction in Chile is Spanish.
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