Mexico education system

Finding out how the Mexican education system works is essential if you want to relocate to Mexico with kids. In this article, you will find a high-level overview of the system’s framework and other helpful details, such as the academic year, grading scale, and vacations.

Understanding the basics of the education system in Mexico can go a long way toward helping parents make informed decisions about their child’s schooling.

For more information on this topic, parents may seek educational resources that offer insight into the nuances of the Mexican education system.

How is the education system in Mexico

Education is a constitutional right in Mexico. The Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) of the United Mexican States provides secular, obligatory, free, and high-quality education to the public. Private schools provide religious, linguistic, and international education.

Elementary, upper secondary, and higher education are the school grades. Mexico’s obligatory school age is 3–18.

Elementary and Secondary Schools in Mexico

Basic and secondary education are free and mandatory. Students pay minimal tuition for public higher education, which is voluntary.

Mexico’s school-age structure is below:

1. Pre-primary education: Three sessions for 3–5-year-olds.
2. Primary education: Grades 1-6 for 6–12-year-olds.
3. Education beyond elementary school (Educación Secundaria): grades 7-9 (twelve to fifteen-year-olds).

Middle and High School

High School (Educación Media Superior):

Students between the ages of 15 and 18 attend three years of high school (bachillerato or preparatoria), which consists of grades 10 through 12. The level’s three choices are as follows:

Upper Secondary Education (Bachillerato o preparatoria general):

1. It provides a solid foundation in the sciences, the arts, and the humanities in preparation for further study.

Bachelor of Technology: (Bachillerato tecnológico):

This program equips students with the foundational skills and knowledge necessary to pursue further study or employment in the technology field.

Students who complete this bachillerato are prepared to join the workforce or continue their education.

Training for Professions in the Field of Technology:

Students get the education and training necessary to enter the technical workforce as competent professionals.

Facts about Education in Mexico

Here are a few quick facts about schooling in Mexico.

1. Spanish is used as a medium of instruction in public institutions.
2. High school graduation (age 18) is the cutoff for compulsory education.
3. In Mexico, children must attend a publicly funded, secular school for free.
4. The academic year runs from the last week of August to the first week of July.
5. Private institutions are able to meet the needs of those who want religious instruction or instruction in languages other than Spanish.

Mexico’s School System: Schedules, Holidays, and Grading

In Mexico, the academic year begins in early September and ends in early July.

Private and public schools have somewhat different schedules, although most classes run from:

7:30 or 8:00 in the morning until 13:30 or 14:30.

Some institutions also provide classes in the afternoon (sesión vespertina) from:

About 13:00 until 18:00.

Important Mexican school vacations include:

Summer break is from the end of August to the beginning of July.

The winter break lasts for two weeks and a half, starting with the week of Christmas.

Breaks in the spring: the first two weeks of April.

Public vs. Private Schools

Consider the distinctions between Mexican public and private schools before choosing a school for your children.

Public education is free and secular.

Most classes in public schools are taught in Spanish.

Private schools can be bilingual or religious.

Enrolling children who don’t speak Spanish in an international school is a good option.

International schools offer education in languages such as English, German, French, and Japanese.

These schools prioritize a second language and provide American, British, German, French, or Japanese education.

Foreign Student Schools in Mexico

In Mexico, the education system offers a diverse range of international schools that provide nursery through high school lessons in all major cities. These schools incorporate several instructional techniques to cater to their students’ needs.

The more prominent metropolitan centers have British and American schools, while other schools offer Spanish, German, French, Japanese, and Italian language instructions. International schools in Mexico also provide Montessori, Catholic, and Jewish education, apart from language instruction, to impart a diverse learning experience to their students.

List of the international schools in Mexico

This is a list of the international schools in Mexico:

American and Canadian schools

The American School Foundation

Puebla American School Foundation

Maple Bear Canadian School

Westhill Institute

British Schools in Mexico

The Edron Academy

Greengates School

Instituto Bilingüe Victoria

The Winpenny School

French Schools

Lycée Franco-Mexicain

Japanese Schools

The Japanese School of Mexico

German and Swiss schools

Colegio Suizo de México

Colegio Alemán Alexander Von Humboldt

Colegio Humboldt

Colegio Alemán de Guadalajara

Montessori Schools

Peterson School

The Montessori American School

The Universities in Mexico

Want to attend a renowned Mexican university? Mexico has world-class universities. The inexpensive cost of life and education allows students to study in a historical and multicultural setting.

Educación Superior (Higher Education):

1. Higher education in Mexico includes Bachelor’s degree, which usually takes four years to complete.
2. A Master’s degree is a two-year program that focuses on specialized knowledge.
3. A doctoral degree is the highest level of education offered by universities, and it involves three-to-four years of research.

But not every institution of higher learning is a university. There are traditional universities, specialized universities, institutes, polytechnic universities, and colleges that prepare teachers as part of the public system. In Mexico, private universities dominate.

Top Mexican Universities for Foreign Students

Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM)

Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM)

National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC)

University of the State of Hidalgo (UAEH)

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Source: InterNation

The caption of the cover image above is in Guadalajara, Mexico. Photo by Joseph Pérez on Unsplash.