Education Structure in Mauritius

Academic stream
The academic stream is the standard stream of education, allowing progression from primary school to secondary school to tertiary institutions. Students who aim to seek admission in higher education or foreign institutions generally follow the academic stream.

Academic Formal Education Structure

Stage Age Status Pre-requisites Class Exams

Pre-Primary	3 - 5 Years	Compulsory	None	Year I Year II Year III
Primary	5 - 11 Years	Compulsory	Pre-Primary Education	Standard I Standard II Standard III Standard IV Standard V Standard VI	Certificate of Primary Education
Lower Secondary	12 - 16 Years	Compulsory	Certificate of Primary Education	Form I Form II Form III	Form III Certificate
Upper Secondary	17 - 20 Years	Optional	Form III Certificate for School Certificate School Certificate for Higher School Certificate	Form IV Form V Lower VI Upper VI	School Certificate (O Level) Higher School Certificate (A Level)
Tertiary	18+ Years	Optional	Higher School Certificate		Leads to Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, and other academic degrees

Vocational stream
Those who wish to obtain career and technical qualifications, as well as those who fail to complete any stage or obtain any qualification of the academic stream from the Certificate of Primary Education onward, may enter into the vocational stream, which provides technical and vocational training and education (TVET) in life skills and job skills for employment and independent living. The vocational stream offers options outside of the academic stream for students to complete the compulsory stages of education, and to continue their formal education beyond the compulsory years, in vocational programmes of study. Those who successfully complete the Higher National Diploma (HND), a post-secondary qualification, may then progress to the Bachelor's degree with advanced standing, and thus re-enter into the academic stream of formal education, with the option to progress onto postgraduate studies in higher education.

Vocational Formal Education Structure

Qualification Pre-requisites Class Progression

Pre-vocational Certificate	Standard VI of Primary Education	Form I Form II Form III Form IV	National Trade Certificate Foundation
National Trade Certificate Foundation	Form III Certificate or Pre-vocational Certificate	Year I Year II Year III	National Trade Certificate II
National Trade Certificate II	National Trade Certificate Foundation	Year I Year II Year III	National Trade Certificate III
National Trade Certificate III	National Trade Certificate II	Year I Year II Year III	Post-secondary qualifications