Details

School, start of next year's enrolment: timing and rules. Here's why you don't need to hurry

1.3 million pupils will go into first grade next year. Enrolment will last one month

by Rome Editorial Staff

13 January 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

How to register
It's not a click day
How schools handle overbooking
From kindergarten to high school: details
Some news

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

School enrolment has started. From today until 14 February, Italian families will be able to choose their children's school for next year. There are 1.3 million boys and girls who will go to the first class in 2026/27.

How to Register

To do so, after recognising yourself online via Spid, Cie, Cns or Eidas, you will need to register online via the unique platformof the Ministry of Education and Merit, taking advantage of the dedicated "window" provided by a circular issued before Christmas.

This is not a click day

Each family may submit only one application for each pupil. Parents will, however, also be allowed to indicate a second or third choice to which the application should be addressed in the event that the school identified as the first has no available places. The order of arrival of applications will not count: the schools will set the preferential criteria.

How schools handle overbooking

This is laid down by the ministry, according to which the choices must be made by the schools, by resolution of the school board, and must conform to "principles of reasonableness", such as that of proximity to the school, as is the case, for example, at the Righi in Rome. In others, such as the Alessandro Volta or the Leonardo da Vinci in Milan, examinations and curriculum evaluation are envisaged, despite the fact that MIM suggests "avoiding the outcome of any evaluation tests".

From kindergarten to high school: details

Both hours and age groups are fixed for each school. For infancy, where applications will remain on paper, children between the ages of three and five can be accepted; the operating hours are 40 hours, which can be reduced to 25 or increased to 50.

At the primary school, pupils will be able to enrol if they turn six years of age by 31 December 2026 (or by 30 April 2027). The weekly timetable will be 24 hours, 27 hours, up to 30 hours, 40 hours (full-time), subject to the presence of staff and services.

In the middle school, the weekly timetable will be 30 hours, or 36 hours that can be increased to 40 hours (extended time), again in the presence of suitable services and facilities to allow compulsory teaching activities in the afternoon.

At the high school one will be able to choose between high schools, technical institutes (under reform) and vocational institutes, including the 'Made in Italy' high school and the technological-professional branch mentioned earlier.

Some new features

There are some novelties. For secondary schools, it will be possible to automatically acquire, through the computer system, the final secondary school qualification (i.e. the middle school leaving certificate) of the pupils for whom registration is requested.

In addition, as a result of the Maturity Decree (D 127/2025), students in the first two years of high school will be able to request by 31 January to change their previously chosen address, option or articulation. At that point, it will be up to the school of destination to adopt supplementary educational measures aimed at fostering the educational success of pupils who have switched from another address. Without the examination obligation that remains only for transitions from the third year onwards.

Remaining at the high school level, in the school year 2026/27, the 'Made in Italy' high school will become an educational offer that can be activated autonomously and no longer only as a transformation of other pre-existing courses, more precisely of the economic-social option of the human sciences high school. At the same time, the four-year technical and vocational education courses envisaged within the 4+2 chain will become ordinary and, therefore, the possibility of activating four-year courses in an experimental form will remain limited to high schools.