Schools in Malta: state, church or independent?

Malta has three school systems running side by side, and the one most locals rate highly is decided partly by a live-streamed ballot.

The short version

School is compulsory from 5 to 16. About half of Maltese kids go to state schools, about 36% to church schools and about 14% to independent schools [1].
State schools are free for EU citizens and for non-EU parents holding a Maltese single work permit. Others can apply for a fee exemption [2].
Church schools charge no tuition, but places at the main entry years are allocated by ballot, with fixed application windows months ahead [1][3].
Independent and international schools charge fees. Verdala International School teaches the IB in English [4].
The school year runs from late September to late June, so a move home lands mid-year in Australian terms [5].

The three sectors at a glance

Maltese families talk about schools in three buckets: state (government), church (Catholic, run by religious orders and the Archdiocese) and independent (private). Here's how they compare for a family arriving from Australia.

	State schools	Church schools	Independent and international
Share of pupils	About 50% [1]	About 36% [1]	About 14% [1]
Tuition	Free for EU citizens and single-permit holders; exemption possible for others [2]	No tuition fees; the state subsidises them [1]	Fees; parents can claim tax rebates [1]
How you get in	Enrol at the school serving your locality [2]	Application window, then a ballot at key entry years [3]	Direct application to the school
Languages	Maltese and English both compulsory [2]	Maltese and English core subjects [1]	Mostly English-medium
Best for	Kids staying long-term, families keen on Maltese	Families planning years in Malta with a long lead time	Short stays, IB or British pathways, moving on again

What Maltese kids actually study

Primary runs six years, from age 5 to 11. Middle school covers 11 to 13 and secondary 13 to 16, finishing with SEC exams at the end of Year 11 [1]. Year 6 includes a national end-of-primary benchmark, and kids pick a first foreign language that they keep until Year 11 [1]. After 16, students head to sixth form or Junior College for the Matriculation Certificate, or to vocational courses [1].

The language point is the big cultural shift. Maltese and English are core subjects through all 11 compulsory years [1], and the Migrant Learners' Unit is blunt: no student in a state school is exempt from learning both, no matter how short the stay [2].

State schools: free, local and bilingual

State schools are organised into colleges by area. Valletta families fall under the local primary in the capital or nearby Floriana, with middle and secondary schools assigned within the college.

Who pays

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens get free schooling up to 16. So do non-EU families where a parent holds a single work permit issued in Malta. Everyone else can apply for a fee exemption, decided on residence status through the education ministry [2]. Textbooks are lent free; you pay for the uniform, bag, stationery, copybooks and small charges for outings [2].

If your kids hold Maltese citizenship by descent, they're EU citizens and get in on the same terms as local children. See our guide to Maltese citizenship by descent if you haven't sorted theirs yet.

The induction year

Kids who arrive without Maltese, or without much English, can start with an induction programme that usually lasts one school year. It covers maths, art and crafts alongside intensive Maltese and English, and staff assess at the end whether the child moves into mainstream classes [2]. Ask the Head of School about it at enrolment.

Enrolling, step by step

Get your address sorted. You'll need a residential property agreement, so register your lease first. Our renting in Valletta guide explains registration.
Collect documents. Birth certificate with an English translation, Identità paperwork, marriage certificate, custody documents and vaccination records in English [2].
Ask for the pre-registration form. The Migrant Learners' Unit can email it [2].
Go in person. A parent or guardian must be in Malta to present and verify the documents [2].
Primary: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens register at the primary school in their town [2]. Secondary: contact the College Principal's office, which directs you to the right middle or senior school [2].
Kindergarten: entry is possible in October and February [2].

Church schools and the ballot

Church schools are popular because they're free and well regarded. The catch is getting in. In Malta, entry happens at a handful of points: the first and second years of kindergarten, Year 1 and the first year of secondary. Gozo has fewer entry points [3]. For 2025–2026 there were 1,817 vacancies across Malta and Gozo [3].

For the 2025–2026 Year 1 intake (children born in 2020), the timeline looked like this [6]:

Stage	2025–2026 Year 1 intake
Priority applications (siblings, staff children, transfers)	21–28 November 2024
Other applicants	4–13 February 2025
Participation ballot	8 April 2025
Choice of school ballot	15 April 2025
Registration	May 2025

Siblings and children of church-school staff get places first. Everyone else goes into a participation ballot, which is streamed live and certified by a notary, and then a second ballot sets the order in which families choose a school [6]. The application fee was €25 (late €30), plus €50 on registration [6].

Two things matter for Australians. First, the regulations don't set a nationality rule, and foreigners without a Maltese ID card can apply with passport details [6]. Second, some schools ask for a Catholic or Christian baptism certificate [6], so check each school's criteria. If you arrive in August expecting a church place in September, you've usually missed the boat. Outside the ballot years, schools publish vacancies for "non-ballot years" when they have them.

Independent and international schools

Independent schools charge fees and set their own admissions. They suit families on shorter contracts or kids who will move on to another country. Verdala International School in Pembroke offers the IB Diploma, the IB Middle Years Programme and the IB Career-related Programme, all taught in English [4]. Other independent schools follow British-style curricula or the Maltese system with private-school class sizes.

We know of no school in Malta teaching the Australian curriculum. The IB transfers well to Australian universities, and it's the usual choice for families who want a smooth path home at Year 11 or 12. Fees vary widely and change each year, so ask schools directly for the current schedule and what's charged on top for buses, uniforms and enrolment. Parents can claim a tax rebate on independent school fees [1].

Childcare and the Free Childcare Scheme

Malta pays for childcare for working and studying parents, which can feel like a small miracle after Australian day-care bills. The Free Childcare Scheme covers registered centres for children before kindergarten (centres take babies from three months [1]).

Eligibility, according to Jobsplus [7]:

Parents who are employed and paying Maltese social security contributions, including single parents.
Parents studying a recognised course, with a statement of attendance.
Some third-country permit holders are excluded: student-permit holders unless they also have an employment licence, and family members under Identità's family members policy.

You apply through your chosen centre, which forwards the form. Changes start on the first of the month, with centre deadlines around the middle of the previous month [7]. Centres fill up, so get on lists early.

Mapping Maltese years to Australian ones

The Maltese year starts in late September and ends in late June. In 2025–2026, De La Salle College ran from 24 September 2025 to 23 June 2026, with Christmas, Easter and two short mid-term breaks [5]. Australia's year starts in late January or early February.

Maltese Year 1 takes children who turn 5 in that calendar year (the 2025–2026 Year 1 intake was children born in 2020) [6]. That makes Maltese Year 1 roughly equal to Australia's first year of school (Prep, Foundation, Kindergarten or Reception, depending on your state).

Age at start of Maltese year	Malta	Roughly in Australia
4–5	Year 1	Foundation year
10–11	Year 6 (benchmark)	Year 5
11–12	Year 7, middle school	Year 6, or Year 7 where it's secondary
15–16	Year 11, SEC exams	Year 10
16–18	Sixth form, Matriculation	Years 11–12

State cut-off dates differ, so check yours before booking flights. The cleanest time to move home is at the end of the Maltese year in June, with kids starting Term 3 in July. Bring school reports, ideally translated if they're in Maltese. Our guide to schooling Australian kids abroad and coming home covers enrolment back home in detail.

Want to know what other Aussie parents chose? Ask in Cooee Malta, our Facebook group for Australians in Malta. It's the fastest way to hear about vacancies and induction classes.

Schools in Malta: state, church or independent for Aussie kids?