Primary and Secondary Schools in Bolivia

In Bolivia, primary and secondary schooling is part of the "regular education" subsystem of the Plurinational Education System, set out in the Education Law 070 (Ley Avelino Siñani – Elizardo Pérez), passed in 2010 and regulated in 2011. Schools can be run by the state (fiscal schools), by religious non-profit bodies under an agreement with the state (convenio schools) or privately, and all of them are regulated by the Ministry of Education. The Constitution states that everyone has the right to education at all levels that is universal, free, comprehensive and intercultural.

The system is large for a country of 11,365,333 people (2024 census): according to the Ministry of Education's Institutional Report 2024, as cited by UNESCO's SITEAL education observatory, 2,939,279 students were enrolled in state, private and convenio schools. Education is meant to be intracultural, intercultural and plurilingual, so alongside Spanish the curriculum gives a place to the languages of the indigenous peoples.

How schooling is organised

Regular education has three levels:

• educación inicial en familia comunitaria: a non-school stage for children aged 1 to 3 and a school stage for children aged 4 and 5; the second stage is compulsory
• educación primaria comunitaria vocacional: six compulsory years for children aged 6 to 11
• educación secundaria comunitaria productiva: compulsory schooling for adolescents aged 12 to 17, combining general and technical education

Secondary school ends with the title of bachiller técnico humanístico and, gradually, also with a técnico medio qualification. A national base curriculum applies to all schools and is complemented by regional curricula that reflect the languages and cultures of the indigenous peoples.

The state school year runs within the calendar year, with a mid-year winter break (descanso pedagógico), and the rules require 200 working days of classes. In 2025, classes ended on 5 December in eight departments and on 9 December in Santa Cruz, according to the Ministry of Education.

International and private schools

Families who move to Bolivia for work often choose a private international school, where teaching is often in English and the school year may start in August. An example is the Santa Cruz Cooperative School (SCCS) in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It began as the Calvert School on 10 April 1959, took its current name in 1973 and describes itself as a private, coeducational day school. Teaching is in English, students also take Spanish, and the school has 697 students, 85% of them Bolivian.

SCCS states that it is accredited by Cognia and recognised by the Bolivian Ministry of Education, so its students work towards two diplomas: an American high school diploma and the Bolivian Bachillerato en Humanidades, which the school describes as required for entry into a Bolivian or other Latin American university. It also offers Advanced Placement (AP) courses and is a test centre for the SAT.

Admission for international students

Private schools set their own admission process. At SCCS, for example, applications for the school year that starts in August are evaluated from March. Applicants take an admission test that covers English, reading comprehension, mathematics and writing, and there is a non-refundable application fee of $50 and an exam fee of $50.

Students who transfer from a school abroad need their academic records to be recognised. SCCS asks for records acknowledged by the Bolivian embassy in the country where the student studied, so families should arrange this before they move.

Foreign children who come to Bolivia to study need a student visa (Visa de Estudiante), which Bolivia's consulates issue for studies at primary and secondary level as well as in higher education. According to the Consulate General of Bolivia in Madrid, the visa is valid for up to 60 days and allows the student to apply for a one-year temporary stay with the Dirección General de Migración (DIGEMIG), renewable until the end of the studies. Requirements depend on the applicant's nationality, so check them with the consulate for your place of residence (checked October 2026).

Costs

State schools are free, in line with the constitutional right to free education. Private and international schools charge fees that vary by school and grade; at SCCS, for example, each family agrees a payment schedule with the school's business office once the child has been accepted.

How to choose a school

• Language of instruction: Spanish in state schools; English at international schools such as SCCS
• Diploma: the Bolivian bachiller title gives access to Bolivian universities; a dual diploma also prepares students for universities abroad
• Calendar: state schools follow the calendar year; international schools may start in August
• Recognition: check that a private school is recognised by the Ministry of Education and, if relevant, by a foreign accreditation body
• Admission: entry tests, documents and the recognition of previous studies take time, so start early

Frequently asked questions

Is school compulsory in Bolivia?

Yes. The second stage of early-years education (ages 4 and 5), six years of primary school (ages 6 to 11) and secondary school (ages 12 to 17) are compulsory.

Are state schools in Bolivia free?

Yes. The Constitution guarantees free education, so state schools do not charge tuition. Private and international schools charge fees.

Are there English-speaking schools in Bolivia?

Yes, private international schools teach in English. The Santa Cruz Cooperative School in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, for example, teaches in English and offers both an American and a Bolivian diploma.

Does a foreign child need a visa to attend school in Bolivia?

Yes, students who come to Bolivia to study at primary or secondary level need a student visa, which then allows them to apply for a one-year temporary stay that can be renewed until the end of their studies.