Starting School In Azerbaijan: What Time To Expect

Education is compulsory for children in Azerbaijan between the ages of six and fifteen. The school year typically runs from mid-September to mid-June, with a long summer holiday. The academic year is split into two semesters, with various holidays and half-term breaks in between. While the official language of instruction is Azerbaijani, some schools teach in Russian, and Turkish and English are often offered as additional languages. The country's education system is overseen by the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for policy development and implementation, as well as the supervision of educational institutions.

School in Azerbaijan starts in September

The Azerbaijani education system is divided into three stages: primary education (grades 1–4), basic secondary education (grades 5–9), and upper secondary (complete) education (grades 10–11, or 10–12 in some specialist or vocational schools). Education is compulsory between the ages of six and fifteen, with primary school lasting four years, followed by five years of basic secondary education.

Upon completion of upper secondary education, students have a few options. They can study for two more years at a general secondary school and obtain a certificate of complete secondary education, or they can attend a technical secondary school to specialize and receive a certificate of complete secondary specialized education.

The education system in Azerbaijan is regulated and overseen by the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for developing and implementing state policy for education. The Ministry of Education supervises various educational institutions, including kindergartens, general state education schools, specialized secondary schools, vocational training institutions, further education institutions, and universities.

Education is compulsory from ages 6 to 15

In Azerbaijan, education is compulsory for all children between the ages of six and fifteen. The school year typically starts in mid-September and ends in mid-June, with a long summer holiday. The academic year is divided into two semesters: the first semester from mid-September to the end of January, and the second semester from the start of February to mid-June.

The education system in Azerbaijan is divided into three stages: primary education, basic secondary education, and upper secondary (complete) education. Primary education covers grades 1 to 4, from ages 6 to 10. Basic secondary education covers grades 5 to 9, and upper secondary education covers grades 10 to 11, or 10 to 12 in some specialist or vocational schools.

Upon completion of compulsory education at age 15, students have a choice between two options. They can either continue their studies at a general secondary school for two more years and obtain a certificate of complete secondary education, or they can enrol in a technical secondary school to pursue specialised education and receive a certificate of complete secondary specialised education.

The Azerbaijani education system is regulated and overseen by the Ministry of Education (MOE), which is responsible for developing and implementing state policy for education. The MOE supervises various educational institutions, including general state education schools, kindergartens, specialised secondary schools, vocational training institutions, further education institutions, and universities. While the primary language of instruction in Azerbaijani schools is the country's official language, Azerbaijani, Russian is also used in many public schools due to Soviet influence. Additionally, Turkish and English are often offered as additional languages.

Primary education lasts 4 years

In Azerbaijan, primary education lasts four years, from the age of six to ten. This is the first stage of the country's three-tier education system, which is regulated by the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan.

Primary education in Azerbaijan is compulsory, as is secondary education, for all children between the ages of six and fifteen. The school year typically runs from September to June, with a long summer holiday, and half-term breaks in November, February, and March or April.

The first year of primary education is considered a pre-primary school year, where children develop their comprehension and understanding of surrounding elements. Some children also acquire reading and writing skills during this period.

The subsequent four years of primary school (Grades 1-4) are from ages six to ten, where children attend classes in schools or madrasahs (religious institutions). At the end of primary education, students take an exam to progress to "middle school", which is equivalent to the Western system's Grades 5-9.

The majority of children in Azerbaijan attend public schools for primary education, but there are also many private schools to choose from. The main language of instruction is Azerbaijani, but there are also schools that offer education in Russian. English and Turkish are often offered as additional languages.

Tuition is in Azerbaijani and/or Russian

Azerbaijan's education system is still influenced by the country's history as part of the Soviet Union. During this time, the Azerbaijani language was forbidden in schools in Transcaucasia, and the majority of ethnic Azerbaijani children received no education. Literacy rates were very low, especially among women.

Since gaining independence in 1991, one of the first laws that Azerbaijan's Parliament passed was to adopt a modified Latin alphabet to replace Cyrillic. The Azerbaijani language was re-emphasized in the curriculum, and religious education was re-established (it had been banned during the Soviet era).

Today, Azerbaijani is the main language of education in the country, and it is the official language of Azerbaijan. However, due to Soviet influence, many public schools still offer Russian as a medium of instruction. There are also many schools that offer the whole 9 years of general education, 3 years of higher education, and a bachelor's degree in Russian.

For bachelor's degrees, the choice of language gets wider. The three major languages—Azerbaijani, Russian, and English—are still offered as a medium of instruction. However, for students who plan to take regional studies courses, classes are offered in the language of the country or region of study. For example, students of Japanese studies and culture must take a Japanese language course.

Undergraduate courses tend to be taught in English, especially at newly founded or popular universities, such as ADA University, Baku Higher Oil School, and Baku Engineering University. Traditional universities, such as Baku State University and the Azerbaijan University of Languages, offer arts and humanities courses, as well as social sciences, mainly in English.

Azerbaijan has nine universities, all of which offer programs taught in English. The most prestigious of these are the Western Caspian University, Baku State University, and Baku Engineering University. These universities award degrees that are recognized in most countries and are seen as prestigious across the wider Caucasus, parts of the Middle East, and Russia.

There are international schools in Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan, education is compulsory for children between the ages of six and fifteen. The school year typically runs from September to June, with a long summer holiday and additional breaks in November, February, and March or April.

The education system in Azerbaijan is divided into three stages: primary education (grades 1-4), basic secondary education (grades 5-9), and upper secondary education (grades 10-11, or 10-12 in some specialist/vocational schools). While the majority of the population attends public schools, there are also private schools to choose from. Tuition is usually conducted in Azerbaijani and/or Russian, with Turkish and English often offered as additional languages.

For expats and locals who prefer an international curriculum, there are a small number of international schools in Azerbaijan. These schools mostly follow the British or American curriculum and offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. One notable example is the International School of Azerbaijan (TISA), a secular college-preparatory international day school in Baku. TISA offers the IB Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programmes, as well as a TISA High School Diploma. The school serves both the expatriate and local community, providing an English-medium curriculum and extracurricular activities.

Another international school in Azerbaijan is the Baku International School, which offers a different educational experience. These international schools accept applications year-round but have specific dates for entrance exams, and their schedules may differ from the standard Azerbaijani school calendar.

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