Here is a typical schedule for a high school student in China: Typically they start at 7:20 am and finish at 10 pm. It will be even longer for junior year (final year of high school).
The school hours depend on the grade and the area, but, usually, kids start their days at 7:30 or 8:00 and finish at about 17:00. The school year in China typically starts in September and ends in late June or July.
Going to school in China is a tough feat. Burdened with classes 6.5 days a week, from 7:30am to 9pm, students' livelihoods are fully consumed with school, homework, and studying and have very little room for extra curricular activities and play. See my last post for closer look at the Chinese schooling system.
Taiwan had both a relatively long school day and school year and, at 1,177 hours, had the highest number of average hours of instruction per year of all of the countries reported.
A typical school day
School hours are generally from 8.45am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday. In a typical school day, there are five to eight lessons, ranging from 40 minutes to one hour. There are two breaks in the school day – a morning tea break (recess) and a lunch break, both of which are supervised by teachers.
Finland School Hours
Typically, the Finnish school day starts anywhere from 9 to 9:45 a.m., and students typically spend only about five hours a day in the classroom. What's more, Finnish students typically have little to no homework.
In China, the summer vacation typically begins around mid-July, though some schools will break up as early as late June. The vacation period lasts for about 2 months, which students can spend doing different things.
Chinese students attend classes five or six days a week from the early morning (about 7 am) to early evening (4 pm or later). On Saturdays, many schools hold required morning classes in science and math. Many students also attend 補習班 (buxiban), or cram school, in the evening and on weekends.
The tracksuits were designed – like many school uniforms – to prevent comparisons between students' appearances and to eliminate worries over clothing choice.
Students usually attend four or five classes in the morning and another two or three in the afternoon. Each class is 40 minutes long with a 10-minute break in between and the lunch break is approximately 60 to 90 minutes long, depending on the school.
China School Hours
In large cities like Shanghai, for example, Chinese students spend 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at school with an hour and a half for lunch, but in other areas, kids get to head home for nap time at lunch!
Australia. In most of Australia, the primary and secondary school year lasts about 200 days, from late January or early February to early or mid-December, and is split into four terms: Term 1 starts in late January or early February and ends in late March or early April (often in close proximity to Easter).
Hengshui High School is a strict-discipline school that its students must obey a strict set of rules and regulations. Students are all required to study more than 15 hours per day and almost 7 days per week.
Nine-Year Compulsory Education in China
The policy is funded by government, tuition is free. Schools still charge miscellaneous fees. Senior secondary school (grade 10 to 12) and college education are not compulsory and free in China.
Most undergraduate programs in China have an age limit of 18 to 25/30 years, while postgraduate programs typically set the limit at 35 years. These age limits are commonly followed by many universities, but exceptions may exist, particularly in specialized fields such as medicine or art-related programs.
Summer school holidays in Italy are some of the longest in the world, three months stretching from early June to early September, but they are not alone. Other European countries with a mega-long summer break include Latvia, Malta, Hungary, Spain and until recently, Romania.
The Chinese people usually work between 08:00 and 18:00 each day, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 14:00. However, local variations may occur due to the time difference or policy in different cities. For instance, the working day in Xinjiang usually starts from 09:00 or 10:00 due to its longitude.
Students attend school from Monday to Friday each week, with many schools having compulsory team sports events on Saturday mornings. School hours vary slightly across Australia but are generally from 8:30am to 3:30pm each school day.
The school year in Australia goes from late January until mid-December. It is divided into two half-year periods (semesters) with two terms each, the so-called High School Terms. Each term is approximately 10 weeks in duration. At the end of each term there are school holidays.
Frequently Asked Questions on Education System for International Students – Ques. Which are the hardest education systems in the world? Ans. The countries with the hardest and most difficult education systems include South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland, etc.
In Australia, Year 7 is the eighth year of compulsory education and the first year of secondary school (high school). Children entering are generally aged from 11-12, and leave around 12-13 years old.
Australia has been ranked as the world's third-best higher education system in the 2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject.
The 100th day of school is an important milestone in the school year because it roughly marks the halfway point for the academic year. At this point of the year, students can reflect on what they have learned so far, test their knowledge on their learning, and celebrate all of their hard work.