Australia

High school is a term used for secondary schools in Australia. In Victoria secondary college 1990s, however some of the adult population refer to the period as "high school". In the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania high school is 7-10, and students go to senior school for 11-12.

In some states TAFE institutes/colleges offer high school equivalent courses, usually undertaken by adult students who left school without completing/undertaking Year 12 leaving certificate requirements. There are also private commercial education facilities offering Year 12 leaving certificate courses, often to students wishing to improve on their High School results in order to obtain entry to, or better placement opportunities at, university.

The exact length of secondary schooling varies from state to state, with high schools in New South Wales and Victoria serving years 7-12, and Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory and South Australia serving years 8-12. In 2007 Northern Territory is introducing a Middle School system for years 7-9 and high school will be years 10-12.

It is compulsory to attend school until the age of fifteen in all states and territories except for South Australia and Tasmania, where attendance is compulsory until age 16. In Western Australia the age has recently been raised to 16 and will be 17 from 2008.

The matter of compulsory attendance has been complicated by various initiatives at Commonwealth and State level to ensure that young people are in school, training or employment. There are calls to replace compulsory attendance age with compulsory achievement requirements, meaning that students must complete their final year level rather than being able to leave at reaching "leaving age". There are also calls to make attendance to the end of year 12 mandatory.

Canada

Secondary schooling in Canada differs depending on the province in which one resides. High schools (sometimes called secondary schools) generally begin from grade 9 through 12 and generally have a set up similar to that in the United States. In Vancouver, Canada, high schools are from grades 8 to 12. However in Quebec, high school is from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5 (grades 7 to 11[1]). In Quebec most students follow high school by attending a CÉGEP, which is comparable to a two-year junior college and is obligatory for Quebec students wishing to go on to university in Quebec. Vocational CÉGEP is three years. Education in Canada is compulsory up to the age of 16. Students may continue to attend high school until the ages of 21 (the cut-off age for high school). In Canada, those 19 and over may attend adult school.

Originally in Canada schools were divided by religion, although most provinces abolished these. Provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, and certain cities in Saskatchewan are exceptions, publicly funded by a separate school board. Quebec has replaced the system with a French/English system in 1998. Quebecois must attend a French school up until the end of high school unless one of their parents previously attended an English-language school somewhere in Canada (immigrants from other countries cannot use this exception). High schools can also be offered in French in Ontario.

India

In India, high school as such does not exist: instead, grades IX and X form part of a formal contingent course ending in the respective board examinations, like the ICSE or CBSEor state board like SSLC. Based on these results, students select combinations of various subjects to be studied in much greater detail for their grade XII examinations, like the ISC.

In India, Grades I to X are studied in a formal school, with uniform and all After Class X, one is a Matriculate.

Classes XI and XII are normally done in a College. - Jr College After Class XII, one is an Undergraduate.

Three more years in a Sr College leads to Graduation.

Japan

Japanese high school students wearing the sailor fuku

The Japanese word for a high school is kōtōgakkō (高等学校; literally high school), or kōkō (高校) in short. High school in Japan covers grades 10 through 12, and it is not mandatory. Most Japanese pupils attend high school. High schools in Japan are referred to by MEXT as "upper secondary schools." However most English-language newspapers and sources use the term "high school". Many school boards also use "high school"; for instance the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education uses "senior high school".

Republic of Korea (South Korea)

In South Korea, students from grades 10 through 12 attend high schools. A student may choose, however, the class he or she wishes to take for liberal arts. High schools in South Korea may also have subject specialty tracks. For example, university-bound students may choose to go to an academic science or foreign language specialty high school (Hangul:인문계 고등학교;Revised:Inmun-Gyae godeung hakgyo) ; while other students may choose a vocational track high school which emphasizes agriculture, commerce, or technical trade curricula (Hangul:실업계 고등학교;Revised:'Sil-ub Gyae godeung hakgyo)

High schools are called 고등학교 (Revised: godeung hakgyo; McCune-Reischauer: kodŭng hakkyo), meaning high school.

Taiwan

The secondary education in Taiwan includes junior high school, senior high school, vocational high school, military school, and complete high school. The traditional secondary education institutions were established in "Japanese colonial time." Today, they include many features from the United States.

After six years in elementary school, the rules state that children must enter junior high school, or their parents may be fined. There are three grades in junior high. Children who achieve the third grade can choose to enter senior high school, vocational high school, or complete high school. If children want to continue their formal education, they must sit for an exam. Generally speaking, the grade to enter high school and complete high school is highest, while it is lower to go on to vocational high school and military school.

Senior high school has three grades. Graduates from senior high school often continue on to university. Vocational high school has three grades as well. Children who complete vocational high school can then enter a technological university. Complete high school is like that of American high schools, in that it has grades seven to grade twelve.

There are also international schools such as Taipei American School (TAS) and Taipei British School (TBS). These schools are from grade 1 to grade 12. English is spoken during all courses. Since the curriculum concurs with the corresponding country's curriculum, graduates from these international schools generally do not stay in Taiwan for their undergraduate degree.

South Africa

In South Africa, high school begins at Grade 8 (the eighth year of education). Students study for five years, at the end of which they write what is known as "matric" (officially the Senior Certificate to be changed to the National Senior Certificate in 2008) If enough passes are attained on the higher grade (subjects can be on either a Higher or Standard grade), they may progress on to university.

An alternative examination is possible in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) exams. They are set up by a board, representing many private schools.

United Kingdom

Main article: Education in the United Kingdom

There are many different types of secondary school in the UK and some such schools, especially in Scotland and the north-west of England, are known as high schools. However, in the UK the term high school is used only for the naming of some schools and is never used as a synonym for secondary school or secondary education. In the county of Leicestershire, the label of High School in fact applies to a small group of Middle schools accepting pupils between the ages of 10 and 14, before moving on to their final stage of secondary education.

United States

In the United States, high schools generally consist of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12, although the inclusion of grade 9 varies by school district. A student that is not initially enrolled in a pre-kindergarten class will generally graduate from high school in the year of their 18th birthday if they were born between January 1 and August 31, but this varies by state depending on the kindergarten cut-off date, which ranges from August 1 in Missouri to January 1 in Connecticut [2]. A few American schools still incorporate grades 7 through 12, but it is usually either grades 9-12 or grades 10-12. For purposes of the GPA and subject requirements used for college admission, grade 9 is usually considered the first year of high school regardless of whether the student is in the last year of a 7-9 junior high program, or the first year of a 9-12 high school program. While high school is generally defined as being grades 9-12, there are some senior high schools that cover only grades 10-12, and typically accept students from a junior high school that includes grades 7-9. Some states consider grades 7-12 to be secondary education, while others consider grades 6-12 to be secondary education.

Previous to attending a high school or senior high school, students attend a junior high school (usually grades 7-9), a middle school (usually grades 5-8. 6-8. or 7-8), or an elementary school (usually grades K-6), which may also be known as a grammar school. Individual states, counties, and school districts have considerable leeway in how they choose to divide their school levels.

About 90% of American students complete high school, however in some cities the graduation rate is much lower (such as in Santa Ana and Los Angeles, California, where less than 50% of students graduate), and in some much higher (such as Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with a graduation rate of 99%). [3] [4] A high school diploma or GED certificate is usually required for entrance into a two or four-year college or university and to other post-secondary education programs.

As a practical matter, while laws in most states mandate school attendance at least until graduation or age 16, many require attendance until age 17 or 18. (However, enforcement of truancy laws is sporadic.) Conversely, students who have failed a grade may remain in high school past the age of 18. In general, students over 18 attend alternative classes to receive a GED. State laws vary on the cut-off age for students to receive free public education services. Many states have adult high schools for people generally 19 and over.