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The Education System in Mexico


Figure A-12. Levels of education in Mexico, by age and year of schooling: 2013

Levels of education in Mexico, by age and year of schooling: 2013

NOTE: Education levels are defined according to the 1997 International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED97). Ages represent the typical age at the beginning of the school year.
Numbers in bold print indicate ages of universal enrollment (i.e., an enrollment rate of over 90 percent). Numbers highlighted represent the age at which compulsory enrollment begins through the age at which compulsory enrollment ends. No meaning should be inferred from width of subdivisions. Duration of first university degree program is generally 4 to 5 years in Mexico.
SOURCE: Classbase (2012). Education Database: Education System in Mexico. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from http://www.classbase.com/Countries/Mexico/Education-System; Rolwing, K. (2006). Education in Mexico. New York: World Education Services. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from http://www.wes.org/ewenr/PF/06jun/pfpractical.htm; Santibanez, L., Vernez G., Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. Santa Monica: RAND. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from http://www.worldfund.org/assets/files/RAND_Education%20in%20Mexico.pdf.

Preprimary:

  • Common name: Educación preescolar, educación básica
  • Ages of attendance: 3 through 5
  • Number of years: 3
  • Start of universal enrollment: Age 4
  • Compulsory: Yes, begins at age 4

Primary:

  • Common name: Escuela primaria, educación básica
  • Ages of attendance: 6 through 11
  • Number of years: 6
  • Universal enrollment: Yes
  • Compulsory: Yes

Lower secondary:

  • Common name: Secundaria, educación básica
  • Ages of attendance: 12 through 14
  • Number of years: 3
  • Universal enrollment: Yes
  • Compulsory: Yes
  • Entrance/exit criteria: Lower secondary school is made up of three grades. An official certificate of completion is needed to enter upper secondary school.

Upper secondary:

  • Common name: Educación media superior, preparatoria, bachillerato, colegio
    • Bachillerato general: Generally a 3-year high school pro-gram, although there are also 2- and 4-year programs.
    • Bachillerato tecnológico: Generally a 3-year vocational training program in technical, technological, commercial, agricultural, and other fields, although in exceptional cases, some programs are 2, 4, or even 5 years.
    • Profesional técnico: 3-year professional high school.
  • Ages of attendance: 15 through 17
  • Number of years: 3
  • Universal enrollment: No
  • Compulsory: No
  • Entrance/exit criteria: The corresponding certifi ate at the end of high school is required to enter tertiary education.

NOTE: Professional technical education is intended to train students for technical employment and therefore is a terminal degree. In bachillerato technológico, students have the option to take general subjects in addition to their vocational training.

Postsecondary and tertiary:

  • Common name: Educación superior
  • Ages of attendance: Varies
  • Number of years: Varies according to degree program
  • Universal enrollment: No
  • Entrance criteria: Completion of an academic or technical upper secondary program is ordinarily required for admission to tertiary-level institutions. Certain departments require applicants to have completed an upper secondary program in a track relevant to their prospective major field of study. Selection processes at institutions differ greatly, though institutional entrance examinations and high school grade point averages have traditionally been used to select incoming students.

Common degree programs:

  • Técnico Superior (Higher Technician): 2 or 3-year degree that trains technically skilled professionals to work in a specific discipline
  • Licenciatura: 4- to 5-year bachelor's degree from techno-logical institutes, universities, and teacher's colleges.
  • Posgrado (Especialidad, Maestria, Doctorado): Requires a bachelor's degree and is subclassified into specialization studies, master's degree studies, and doctoral degree studies. Generally, specialization studies require 1 year to complete, although in some cases they can be completed in 6 months. Master's degree studies require at least 1 year, and the length of doctoral degree studies depends on the institution that hosts the program.

Sources:

Classbase. (2012). Education Database: Education System in Mexico. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from http://www.classbase.com/Countries/Mexico/Education-System.

Rolwing, K. (2006). Education in Mexico. New York: World Education Services. Retrieved April 4, 2013, from http://www.wes.org/ewenr/PF/06jun/pfpractical.htm.

Santibanez, L., Vernez, G., and Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. Santa Monica: RAND. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB480.html.

Secretariat of Public Education. (2012). Educational System of the United States of Mexico, Main Figures, Schooling Year 2011–2012. Retrieved July 8, 2013, from http://www.sep.gob.mx/wb/sep1/sep1_Estadisticas.

Secretariat of Public Education. (2014). Principales Cifras del Sistema Educativo Nacional 2013–2014. Retrieved March 30, 2015 from http://fs.planeacion.sep.gob.mx/estadistica_e_indicadores/principales_cifras/principales_cifras_2013_2014.pdf.

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