Korean School System Explained: Grades, Ages and the Academic Year
Korean School System Explained: Grades, Ages and the Academic Year A clear guide to elementary, middle and high school in South Korea, including grade levels, typical ages, semesters and school culture. A typical Korean classroom provides the setting for the country's six-three-three school structure. Photo: National Institute of Korean Language , CC BY-SA 2.0 KR . Korea's school structure looks familiar on paper: six years of elementary school, three years of middle school and three years of high school. The details feel different because the academic year begins in March and age is not always the best way to identify a student's grade. Children normally enter elementary school in the calendar year after they turn six under the international age system, but birthdays, early entry and individual circumstances can create exceptions. The short answer South Korea generally follows a 6-3-3-4 structure: six elementary years, three middle-...