Anyone completing their high school diploma in Italy, or moving there as a family with children, will sooner or later encounter one of the central terms in the Italian education system: the Maturità. This is the name of the state final examination at the end of Italian upper secondary school, comparable to the German Abitur. Behind the name, however, lies a system with its own structure, its own school types, and a long tradition. For those who want to understand the high school diploma in Italy, the best place to start is the Maturità.
What the Maturità Is
The Maturità is formally the Esame di Stato, the state final examination at the end of the five-year upper secondary school (Scuola Secondaria di Secondo Grado). It is taken after a total of 13 school years, when students are 18 or 19 years old. Upon passing the Maturità, they receive the Diploma di Maturità, which qualifies holders for university study throughout Italy and is also recognized internationally as a higher education entrance qualification. In Germany and Austria, the Italian diploma is considered equivalent to the German or Austrian Matura. The body responsible for administering it is the Italian Ministry of Educationthe Ministero dell'Istruzione e del Merito.
The Types of Schools That Lead to the Italian Diploma
Unlike in Germany, Italy does not have a single, uniform path to the university entrance diploma. Students choose among three majortracksafter completing the three-year middle school ( Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado).
The Liceo corresponds to the classical high school and prepares students for university studies. Several tracks are available: the Liceo Classico with a focus on Latin and Ancient Greek, the Liceo Scientifico with a natural sciences profile, the Liceo Linguistico for foreign languages, the Liceo Artistico for art, the Liceo Musicale for music, the Liceo Coreutico for dance, and the Liceo delle Scienze Umane for social sciences.
The Istituto Tecnico is a technical secondary school with specializations in business, tourism, fashion, transportation, construction, or information technology. It combines general education with professional specialization.
The Istituto Professionale is a vocational school with a stronger practical orientation toward Vocations in the trades, services, hospitality, or agriculture. All three school types lead to the Italian high school diploma after five years, though with different examination content.
How the examination works
The Maturità today consists of two written examinations and an oral examination. The exact sequence and dates are set each year by the Italian Ministry of Education and apply uniformly across the country. The Ministry publishes detailed information on its page for the Esame di Stato.
The first written examination is the Prima Prova and lasts six hours. It is taken in Italian and is identical for all school types. Students choose from various types of assignments: a textual analysis of a literary work, an argumentative essay on a current or historical topic, or a free-form essay on a social or cultural subject.
The second written examination is the Seconda Prova and tests the core subject of the respective school type. At the Liceo Classico, this is typically Latin or Ancient Greek; at the Liceo Scientifico, mathematics; at the Liceo Linguistico, a modern foreign language. At technical and vocational schools, the second examination covers the core subject of the particular program. The Ministry of Education determines the exact topics several months before the examination.
The final component is the Colloquio, the oral examination. It is a comprehensive assessment in which candidates may address topics from all subjects of their final school year. The conversation traditionally begins with a source material, such as a text, a graph, an image, or a document, and develops from there into a cross-disciplinary discussion.
The grading system for the Italian high school diploma
The Maturità is graded on a scale of up to 100 points. Of these, up to 40 points come from the Credito Scolastico, the cumulative academic record from the final three school years. The two written examinations and the Colloquio contribute the remaining 60 points. A score of 60 points or more means a passing grade. The highest grade is 100 points; in exceptional cases, the distinction e Lode may also be awarded, comparable to the German "mit Auszeichnung" (with distinction).
In day-to-day schooling, ongoing grades are assigned on a scale of 0 to 10, where 6 is the minimum passing grade and 10 is the highest. This also applies to semester and annual report cards.
Special features in South Tyrol and multilingual regions
South Tyrol has a distinctive feature that reflects the Italian education system. At Italian-language schools, a third written examination is added to assess knowledge of German as a second language. At German-language schools, the reverse applies, with Italian as the second language. Further information on the special features of the Südtiroler Maturità is provided by the South Tyrolean Provincial Administration. This dual-language structure is unique in Italy and a central aspect of school life for families living in South Tyrol.
Another special feature is the EsaBac program, a bilateral agreement between Italy and France that allows students at selected schools to obtain both the Italian Maturità and the French Baccalauréat simultaneously.
What the Italian high school diploma means for families
For those who have moved to Italy with school-age children, the Italian high school diploma is more than just a final examination. It is the turning point for the path ahead in education and determines which opportunities remain open. Families considering whether their children should go through the Italian education system should be prepared for the long haul that this requires. Five years of upper secondary school is a significant commitment, and the choice of school type after eighth grade has greater implications than the comparable transition in Germany.
A general overview of the Italian school system can be found in our dedicated article on the Italian school system.
Those who go through the Maturità benefit from a system that places a strong emphasis on oral discussion and general education . The oral examination at the end of the Maturità is legendary: rather than a simple question-and-answer format, it is a genuine discussion. And that experience shapes many young Italians well beyond their school years.
Current figures, statistics, and background information on each Maturità graduating class can be found in the article by Il Mattino, which brings together data and stories surrounding the Italian school-leaving examination.
