Walk past a Maltese school at 8:30 in the morning and you see blue, green or grey uniforms, a lot of parents, and a lot of English. Schools in Malta teach in both English and Maltese, which makes the transition easier than in most countries and harder in one specific way: the Maltese language is not optional in state schools.
How is the Maltese school system organised?
School is compulsory from 5 to 16. You can choose among three kinds of school:
- State schools, free for children of EU, EEA and Swiss nationals. They are grouped into ten colleges (school networks) in Malta and one in Gozo, and the school of your locality is the main criterion for a place.
- Church schools, which are Catholic, charge no tuition fees because the State subsidises them, and admit pupils through a central ballot managed by the Secretariat for Catholic Education.
- Independent schools, which are paid and often taught in English. Malta also has a Lycée Français Bilingue International, in Pembroke.
After compulsory school, pupils go to Sixth Form, MCAST or a Junior College up to 18. The school year runs from late September to late June, with short breaks in November, around two weeks at Christmas, two days for carnival and a week at Easter. The exact 2026-2027 dates should be confirmed with the ministry. Primary state hours are 8:30 to 14:30 in winter and 8:30 to 12:15 in summer hours.
How do you enrol your child in a state school?
- Kindergarten: entry is in October or February. Ask the head of the college of your locality for the deadlines.
- Primary: enrol directly at the primary school of your locality (EU citizen).
- Secondary: go through the college head's office, which guides you to the middle school (years 7 and 8) or secondary school (years 9 to 11).
- Non-EU parents, or pre-registration through the International Learners' Directorate: fill in the pre-registration form received by email. You must be in Malta so that the documents can be checked.
The documents for pre-registration are: the birth certificate with an English translation, your Identità document (residence card or certificate), your lease or property deed, a marriage certificate and custody papers if relevant, the vaccination record with an English translation, and school and medical records if useful. Our eResidence card guide explains the Identità document.
What should you know about schools in Malta before you arrive?
Three practical points shape the first term. First, timing: kindergarten entry is in October or February, and each college sets its own deadlines, so write to the college office as soon as you know your address. Second, documents: the International Learners' Directorate asks for translated certificates and your residence document, and your presence in Malta is needed so that originals can be checked, which means pre-registration is not something you can finish entirely from abroad. Third, services: transport, morning club and after-school care exist, but they are separate applications.
Parents often ask whether they can choose a state school outside their locality. The main criterion for a place is the locality of residence, which is why the choice of neighbourhood and the choice of school go together; our guide to the best places to live in Malta explains how to weigh them. Ask the college director's office what is possible in your case.
What about the Maltese language?
This is the point parents miss. In state schools, no pupil is exempt from learning Maltese, however short the stay. English and Maltese are both used for teaching. A child who speaks neither can follow an induction programme for one school year, in schools in Malta and Gozo and at the Naxxar Induction Hub for secondary level, before joining a normal class.
Maltese is a language in its own right, an official language of the EU and a point of national pride. It is written in the Latin alphabet and has many English and Italian loanwords. If your child will attend a state school, a few words like bonġu (good morning) and grazzi (thank you) make a good start.
What do schools in Malta cost?
State school tuition is free up to 16 for EU, EEA and Swiss children, and textbooks are lent free for the year. You pay for the uniform, bag, stationery and small contributions to trips. Church schools charge no tuition either; ask the school about voluntary contributions. Independent schools charge fees, which you can deduct from taxable income up to €6,500 per child at secondary level, €4,600 at primary and €3,500 at an approved private kindergarten (Income Tax Act, article 14B, limits from the 2026 assessment year), provided the school passes the payment to the tax authority.
Services help working parents: free school transport, the Breakfast Club (morning care) and Klabb 3-16 (after-school and holiday care). The Free Childcare Scheme covers approved childcare centres for the children of parents who work or study, until the child enters kindergarten; you apply to the chosen centre with payslips and an employer's certificate (or your last tax return if you are self-employed). If you work for yourself, being registered with Jobsplus matters here; see working in Malta.
Which of the schools in Malta should you choose?
Think about three things. First, language: if your child will stay a few years and then leave, an independent or French school may keep continuity; if you are settling for good, the state system helps with integration. Second, location: the catchment rule means your address affects your options, so look at schools before you choose a town to live in. Third, timing: Church school ballots are organised well in advance, so contact the Secretariat for Catholic Education as soon as you plan to come.
For the French school, the French embassy lists it as a private fee-paying school; its official homologation by the French ministry is not confirmed by the pages we consulted, so check the AEFE website if continuity with the French system matters to you.
What about teenagers and recognition of qualifications?
For older pupils, the path after 16 runs through Sixth Form, MCAST (the vocational college) or a Junior College until 18. Parents who bring a teenager mid-programme should ask the college which year and subjects will match the child's previous school. Adults who studied abroad can have their degrees assessed by the MQRIC, which is part of the same ministry's one-stop shop: the fee is €15 if the course is already in its database, €30 for a new Maltese course and €65 for a new foreign course, and the application is online. The one-stop shop, called Servizz.gov EDU, in Floriana, also deals with school transport.
What are the common mistakes?
- Assuming English is enough. Maltese is taught at state school.
- Arriving without translations. Birth certificate and vaccination record need English translations.
- Waiting for September for kindergarten. Entry is in October or February, with deadlines set by each college.
- Packing any snack. Schools follow a healthy-eating policy: no overly fatty, sugary or salty food.
- Religion. Catholicism is taught at school; you can ask for the ethics course instead.
- Gozo. State schools there form the Gozo College network, and the induction programme is offered too; see living in Gozo.
What changes if you are British or from outside the EU?
Free state schooling is granted to children whose parent holds a single work permit issued in Malta; otherwise fees may be due, with a possible exemption request depending on your residence status. All procedures go through the International Learners' Directorate. See moving to Malta from the UK. Degrees obtained abroad can be assessed by the MQRIC, the qualifications recognition centre.