School and kindergarten for children

• Kindergarten (kopsht)

  Pre-school education for children aged 3 to 6. Not compulsory. Nurseries (çerdhe) for younger children are run by municipalities.

• Primary school (grades 1–5)

  Part of basic education (arsimi bazë). Children start first grade at 6.

• Lower secondary (grades 6–9)

  The second part of basic education. After grade 9, pupils sit national exams.

• Upper secondary (grades 10–12)

  A general high school (gjimnaz) or a vocational school. Ends with the State Matura (Matura Shtetërore).

• Article 5 of Law № 69/2012 «On the Pre-University Education System» guarantees the right to education without discrimination, including on grounds of citizenship and language. In state schools, compulsory and upper secondary education are free.
• The law explicitly makes basic education (ages 6 to 16) compulsory for Albanian citizens. For foreign children, the right to education applies. If you live in Albania permanently, a child who isn’t in school will end up without any education records, so choose an Albanian school, a Ukrainian online school or both.
• Textbooks are chosen by teachers from a list certified by the ministry. Ask the school before the year starts what exactly to buy and whether it provides textbooks for free.

1. 1Get a residence permit and register your address: the address determines which school your child is assigned to, and the residence permit number gives you access to e-Albania.
2. 2First grade: on e-Albania choose the service «Regjistrimi në klasë të parë», fill in the form and submit it. The school replies within 10 days. For 2026/2027, enrolment ran from 6 to 31 July; the ministry announces the dates for the following year in spring or early summer.
3. 3A child who has already studied in Ukraine must first go through the document recognition procedure (see below). Once the equivalence decision is made, they are placed in the corresponding grade.
4. 4If you can’t apply online (for example, you don’t have an e-Albania account yet), take your documents to the chosen school or to the local education office (ZVAP) and ask them to accept the application.
5. 5Bring the vaccination record. Kindergartens and schools check a child’s vaccinations before enrolment, so it’s best to have the medical record with a translation.

• A school report for a grade and the certificate of basic secondary education (grade 9): the application is submitted via e-Albania to the local education office (ZVAP). The decision is made by the school report recognition commission — amendments to the instruction of 21.01.2025.
• The certificate of complete general secondary education (grade 11–12): application via e-Albania into the SMIP system, reviewed by the Centre for Educational Services (QSHA) — procedure on the QSHA website.
• Processing takes 30 days. If documents are missing, you get 15 days to upload them to e-Albania. Miss that and the application is rejected and you have to apply again.
• The decision can also be appealed via e-Albania.

What to prepare

• School report / certificate with apostille
• Sworn translation into Albanian
• Child’s passport
• Birth certificate
• Parents’ residence permits

• Younger children usually start understanding the language within a few months; it’s harder for teenagers in upper grades. If possible, start Albanian lessons before the school year begins.
• Ask the class teacher for an individual approach in the first months: oral assessment, extra explanations, help from classmates.
• English is taught as a foreign language in Albanian schools, so a child who speaks English will find common ground with teachers and classmates faster at first.
• Ask the Embassy of Ukraine in Albania whether there is a Ukrainian Saturday school or community classes in Ukrainian for children near you.

• Private institutions are licensed by the National Licensing Centre (QKL). Schools teaching in a foreign language or awarding a foreign diploma are opened by decision of the Council of Ministers (Article 42 of Law № 69/2012).
• Even in these schools, Albanian language and literature and the history and geography of Albania are taught in Albanian — the law requires it.
• A licensed private upper secondary school may award a foreign institution’s diploma, for example under the IB or Cambridge programme. For admission to Albanian universities, such a diploma is then recognised separately.
• Before signing a contract, check the school’s licence, language of instruction, costs (tuition, meals, transport, uniform) and refund terms.
• A private school doesn’t exempt you from recognising Ukrainian documents: the child is still placed in a grade based on previous schooling.

• Kindergarten is for children aged 3 to 6. From age 5, a child can attend a preparatory class at a school (Article 21 of Law № 69/2012).
• In Tirana, enrolment in municipal nurseries and kindergartens is online on the municipality’s platform, usually in June: parents create an account and choose a facility near home. Check this year’s dates on the Tirana Municipality website.
• In other cities (Durrës, Vlorë, Sarandë), ask about enrolment at the municipality (bashkia) or directly at the nearest kindergarten. They usually ask for the child’s birth certificate, the parents’ documents and proof of address.
• Meal fees and discount conditions differ in each municipality. Check with the bashkia.
• There are many private kindergartens, some with English. Check the licence and contract just as for a private school.
• Playgrounds, nurseries and things to do with kids in Durrës — Durrës with children.

• Start of the school year14.09.2026
• Winter holidays24.12.2026 – 04.01.2027
• Spring holidays (grades 1–9)29.03 – 02.04.2027
• Last day for grade 12 graduates04.06.2027
• State Matura07–28.06.2027
• End of the school year18.06.2027
• National exams after grade 921–30.06.2027

Dates — according to the announcement by the state agency ACP. Public holidays when schools are closed are in the 2026 holiday calendar.

• Ukrainian studies component

  A shortened programme for children attending a local school: Ukrainian language and literature, history and geography of Ukraine, law, and «Defence of Ukraine». Other subjects are credited from the foreign school.

• Remote class with the full programme

  For children who don’t attend school in Albania and study only at a Ukrainian school.

• Family (home) education

  Parents organise the learning, and the school where the child is enrolled carries out assessments and issues documents.

• External studies (eksternat)

  The child masters the programme independently and takes the annual assessment at a Ukrainian school. External studies for children abroad are offered, among others, by the state lyceum «International Ukrainian School».