Primary ( orelementary
) education consists of the first five to seven years of formal,
structured education. In general, primary education consists of six to eight years of schooling
starting at the age of five or six, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries.
Primary schools are often subdivided into infant schools and junior school.
In most contemporary educational systems of the world,
secondary education comprises
the formal education that occurs during adolescence. It is characterized by transition from the
typically compulsory, comprehensive primary education for minors, to the optional, selective
tertiary, "postsecondary", or "higher" education (e.g. university, vocational school) for adults.
Depending on the system, schools for this period, or a part of it, may be called secondary or high
schools, gymnasiums, lyceums, middle schools, colleges, or vocational schools.
Higher education , also called tertiary, third stage, or postsecondary education, is the
non-compulsory educational level that follows the completion of a school such as a high school
or secondary school. Tertiary education is normally taken to include undergraduate and
postgraduate education, as well as vocational education and training. Colleges and universities
mainly provide tertiary education. Collectively, these are sometimes known as tertiary
institutions. Individuals who complete tertiary education generally receive certificates, diplomas,
or academic degrees.
University education includes teaching, research, and social services activities, and it
includes both the undergraduate level (sometimes referred to as tertiary education) and the
graduate (or postgraduate) level (sometimes referred to as graduate school). Universities are
generally composed of several colleges.
Vocational education is a form of education focused on direct and practical training for
a specific trade or craft. Vocational education may come in the form of an apprenticeship or
internship as well as institutions teaching courses such as
