Gymnasium (school)

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This article is about the type of school. For the indoor sports facility, see Gym.
Stiftsgymnasium Melk, oldest Austrian school

A gymnasium (pronounced with a [hard g] in several languages) is a type of school with a strong emphasis on academic learning, and providing advanced secondary education in some parts of Europe and the CIS, comparable to British grammar schools, sixth form colleges and U.S. preparatory high schools. In its current meaning, it usually refers to secondary schools focused on preparing students to enter a university for advanced academic study.

Historically, the German Gymnasium also included in its overall accelerated curriculum post secondary education at college level and the degree awarded substituted for the bachelor's degree (Baccalaureat)[1] previously awarded by a college or university so that universities in Germany exclusively became graduate schools. In the US, the German Gymnasium curriculum was used at some rather reputable universities such as the University of Michigan as a model for their undergraduate college programs.[2] The word γυμνάσιον (gymnasion) was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men (see gymnasium (ancient Greece)). The latter meaning of a place of intellectual education persisted in German and other languages, whereas in English the meaning of a place for physical education was retained, more familiarly in the shortened form gym.


School structure[edit]





Today, a number of other areas of specialization exist, such as gymnasiums specializing in economics, technology or domestic sciences. In some countries, there is a notion of progymnasium, which is equivalent to beginning classes of the full gymnasium, with the rights to continue education in a gymnasium. Here, the prefix "pro" indicates that this curriculum precedes normal gymnasium studies.




By country[edit]



North European countries[edit]

In Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden gymnasium consists of three years, usually starting at age 16 after nine or ten years of primary school. In Iceland and Lithuania the gymnasium usually consists of four years of schooling starting at the age of 16, the last year roughly corresponding to the first year of college.


In Denmark, there are four kinds of gymnasiums: stx (Regular Examination Programme), hhx (Higher Business Examination Programme), htx (Higher Technical Examination Programme) and hf (Higher Preparatory Examination Programme). To attend hf, it is a prerequisite that students add a voluntary tenth year to their primary school education. Hf then lasts only two years, instead of the three required for stx, hhx, and htx. All four type of gymnasiums theoretically gives the same eligibility for university. However because of different subjects offered, students may be better qualified in an area of further study. ex. HHX students have subjects that make them practically more eligible, for studies such as business studies or economy at university.

In the Faroe Islands, there are also four kinds of gymnasiums, which are equivalents to the Danish educations: Studentaskúli (equivalent to stx), Handilsskúli (hhx), Tekniski skúli (htx) and HF (hf). Studentaskúli and HF are usually located at the same institutions as can be seen in the name of the institute in Eysturoy: Studentaskúlin og HF-skeiðið í Eysturoy.

In Greenland, there is introduced one kind of gymnasiums, "Den Gymnasiale Uddannelse" (Ilinniarnertuunngorniarneq), this replace the current Greenlandic Secondary Education Programme (GU), the Greenland Higher Commercial Examination Programme (HHX) and the Greenland education to Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX). This shape allows a more flexible Greenland gymnasium, where students based on a common foundation course can choose between different fields of study that meets the individual student's abilities and interests. The course is offered in Aasiaat, Nuuk, Sisimiut and Qaqortoq. (Ilulissat from 2015 latest 2016 if approved by Inatsisartut)

In Finland, the admissions to gymnasiums are competitive, the accepted people comprising 51% of the age group.[5] The gymnasiums concludes with the matriculation exam (Abitur), an exam whose grades are the main criteria for college admissions.

Former Yugoslavia[edit]

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia, a gymnasium education takes four years following a compulsory eight or nine-year elementary education and ending with a final aptitude test called Matura. In Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Macedonia, the final test is standardized at the state level and serves as an entrance qualification for universities.


The subjects taught are mathematics, the native language, one to three foreign languages, history, geography, informatics, the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), history of art, music, philosophy, logic, physical education and the social sciences (sociology, ethics, psychology, politics and economy). Religious studies are optional. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia Latin is also an obligatory subject in all gymnasiums, just as Ancient Greek is in a certain type of gymnasiums called Classical Gymnasiums (klasična gimnazija).



Evangelical Seminaries of Maulbronn and Blaubeuren – picture showing church and courtyard
Chemistry lesson, Bonn, 1988

German Gymnasiums are selective schools. They offer the most academically promising youngsters a quality education [6] that is free in all state-run schools (and generally not above 50 €/month cost in Church-run schools, though there are some expensive private schools). Gymnasiums may expel students who academically underperform their classmates or behave in a way that is seen as unacceptable. Pupils study subjects like German, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, biology, arts, music, physical education, religion, history and civics/citizenship/social sciences[7] and computer science. Recently, a very basic form of computer science is being added. They are also required to study at least two foreign languages. The usual combinations are English and French or English and Latin, although many schools make it possible to combine English with another language, most often Spanish, Ancient Greek, or Russian. Religious education classes are a part of the curricula of all German schools, yet not compulsory; a student or their parents or guardians can conscientously object taking them, in which case they (along with the confessionless pupils and those whose religion is not being taught in the school) can either elect to take an RE course of another confession or is taught ethics. In state schools, a student who is not baptised into either the Catholic or the Protestant faith is allowed to choose which of these classes to take.[8] The only exception to this is the state of Berlin in which the subject ethics is mandatory for all students and classes and (Christian) religious studies can only be chosen additionally. A similar situation is to be found in Brandenburg where the subject life skills, ethics, and religious education (Lebensgestaltung, Ethik, Religionskunde – LER) is the primary subject but parents/guardians or students older than 13 can choose to replace it with (Christian) religious studies or take both. The intention behind LER is that students should get an objective insight on questions of personal development and ethics as well as on the major world religions.[9]

For younger students nearly the entire curriculum of a Gymnasium is compulsory; in higher grades elective subjects are available and some of the formerly compulsory subjects can be dropped, but the choice is not as wide as in, for example, a US high school.



The vast majority of Gymnasiums are public (i.e., state-funded) and do not charge tuition fees. Most private Gymnasiums have low tuition fees (generally not higher than €50/month) and/or offer scholarships. There are few expensive private schools.




In the Netherlands, gymnasium is the highest variant of secondary education, offering the academically most promising youngsters a quality education that is in most cases free (and in other cases at low cost). It consists of six years, after 8 years (including kindergarten) of primary school, in which pupils study the same subjects as their German counterparts, with the addition of compulsory Ancient Greek, Latin and Klassieke Culturele Vorming, Classical Cultural Education, history of the Ancient Greek and Roman culture and literature. The equivalent without classical languages is called Atheneum, and gives access to the same university studies (although some extra classes are needed when starting a degree in classical languages or theology). All are government-funded. See VWO for the full article on Dutch "preparatory scientific education".

Czech Republic[edit]


Slovak Republic (Slovakia)[edit]

In the Slovak Republic, gymnázium is one type of schools that provide secondary education. There are two types of gymnázium distinguished by the length of study: eight-year and four-year types (more common). Other types are bilingual (usually Slovak/French or Slovak/English) and private gymnasiums. All of them lead to the maturita exam.

Countries with gymnasium schools[edit]

  • Albania Gjimnaz 3 Years, after 9 years of primary (4) and "medium" (5) education, ends with Matura Shtetërore at the age of 18.
  • Argentina: Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, 6 years; Rafael Hernández National College of La Plata, 5 years (formerly 6 years), after 7 years of primary school; and Gymnasium Universidad Nacional de Tucumán 61 years.
  • Belarus
  • Bulgaria 5 years, after 7 years of primary school. Currently graduation after passing at least two Matura's.
  • Canada Generally called a private school.
  • Faroe Islands 3 years, usually starting after 9 or 10 years of primary school. The system is similar to the Danish system. A gymnasium level education is also available in an intensive 2 year programme leading to Hægri fyrireikingarpróvtøka ("Higher Preparatory Exam").
  • In France:, called a lycée.(3 years, after 4 years of primary school and 4 years of secondary school, age 15/18). The last year (terminale), you pass the baccalauréat to enter université (also called faculté)
  • Iceland (usually 4 years, starting at age 15/16 after 10 years of elementary school, though 3 years can also be chosen. If chosen, students at Menntaskólinn Hraðbraut finish the school in 2 years.)
  • Italy, ginnasio is the name of the two first years of Liceo Classico
  • Liechtenstein (ends with Matura)
  • Lithuania (gimnazija - ususally 4 years: 2 years of basic school after 4 years of basic school and 2 years of secondary school, sometimes 8 years: 6 of basic school and 2 of secondary school, 12 yrars in rural areas or in art/music gymnasiums)
  • Norway – the traditional but now discontinued gymnasium led to the completion of examen artium. This has now been succeeded by a 2, 3, or 4 year program ("videregående skole"), depending on course path taken, starting at the age of 15/16, culminating with an exam that qualifies for university matriculation ("studiekompetanse")
  • Russia
    • Russian Federation: 6 or 7 years, after primary school. Nowadays Russian Gymnasiums specialize in a certain subject (or several subjects), especially in the humanities (example)
  • Serbia (4 years, starting at age 14/15 after 8 years in elementary/primary school. There are 3 types of gymnasiums: most commonly 1)general gymnasium (општа гимназија) which offers broad education in either 2) natural science (природно-математички смер) or 3) social studies (друштвени смер), available all over Serbia, and a few specialised ones, i.e. science and mathematics (природно-математичка гимназија) -- only one in all of Serbia, in Belgrade; sports (спортска гиманзија) -- just two in Serbia; and language gymnasiums (филолошка гимназија) -- a total of four in Serbia. In the end, everyone has a final exam – Matura. A technical high school (including business/admin. assistant, i.e. економска школа), or a musical high school is a prerequisite for enrollment into a university. English and another foreign language (in addition to the mother tongue, and in case of minorities also Serbian, of course) are compulsory throughout.
  • United States

Final degree[edit]


Relationship with other education facilities[edit]



See also[edit]


  1. ^ section 'Geschichte' ('History') accessed 3/14/2012
  2. ^ John Seiler Brubacher, Willis Rudy, "Higher education in transition: a history of American colleges and universities", 4th Edition, 1997 New Brunswick, NJ, page 157/158; see Google Books
  5. ^
  6. ^ PISA 2003 – Der Bildungsstand der Jugendlichen in Deutschland – Ergebnisse des 2. internationalen VergleichesEhmke et al., 2004, In: PISA-Konsortium Deutschland (Hrsg.): PISA 2003 – Der Bildungsstand der Jugendlichen in Deutschland – Ergebnisse des 2. internationalen Vergleiches, Münster/NewYork: Waxmann, S. 244
  7. ^ This subject has different names in the different States of Germany; see de:Gemeinschaftskunde
  8. ^ Die ersten Schritte am Gymnasium
  10. ^ "General upper secondary education". Retrieved 2011-10-31. 
  11. ^