Education in Jordan
The Education System in Jordan
Six stages, two examination gates, and one decision most families underestimate: the choice made at the end of grade 10.
In short
The Jordanian system is organised as early childhood provision, ten years of basic education (grades 1–10), two years of secondary education (grades 11–12) examined by the Tawjihi, and then higher education — community colleges, university colleges and universities. The two decision points that matter most are the choice of secondary stream at the end of grade 10, and the Tawjihi result at the end of grade 12, because together they constrain which higher-education programmes are available.
The stages
Early childhood
Approx. ages 3–6
Kindergarten and pre-school provision, largely private but increasingly part of the formal landscape. Not compulsory; availability and cost vary by governorate.
Basic education
Grades 1–10
Ten years of basic education, described as free and compulsory. Ends at grade 10 with a transition decision: continue to academic secondary, or move to an applied/vocational route.
Secondary education
Grades 11–12
Two years, streamed. Academic streams (scientific and literary) and applied/vocational streams lead to different qualifications and different higher-education options.
Tawjihi
End of grade 12
The General Secondary Education Certificate Examination — the national gate to higher education for Jordanian students. Results, stream and the grade profile determine which programmes and which public-university places are realistically available.
Higher education
From age ~18
Community colleges and university colleges (intermediate/diploma), then universities awarding bachelor’s degrees. Regulated by the Ministry of Higher Education, with programme-level accreditation handled separately.
Postgraduate
After a bachelor’s
Higher diplomas, master’s degrees and doctorates, plus professional higher specialisation in medicine and dentistry.
Where the gates are
Two mechanisms, not one, control progression. The first is the secondary-stream choice at the end of grade 10: academic streams (scientific and literary) preserve the widest higher-education options, while applied and vocational streams lead to qualifications valued in the labour market but with a narrower university route. The second is the Tawjihi examination at the end of grade 12, whose stream and result profile determine eligibility and competitiveness for specific university programmes.
The mistake to avoid
Well-intentioned advice often treats the Tawjihi as the only decision point. In practice families who understand the grade-10 stream choice — and its consequences for university eligibility — before making it keep materially more options open.
Streams and what they lead to
| Route | Where it sits | Leads to |
|---|---|---|
| Academic — scientific | Grades 11–12 | University programmes in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, science and technology; the widest set of options. |
| Academic — literary | Grades 11–12 | University programmes in law, business, arts, languages, education and social sciences. |
| Applied / vocational | Grades 11–12 and technical schools | Technical, vocational and applied qualifications; employment-focused, with defined routes into technical higher education. |
| International / foreign curricula | Parallel to the national system | IGCSE, A-Level, IB, American diploma and similar; admission handled against the institution’s own rules, and equivalency assessed by the Recognition Directorate. |
Language
Arabic is the language of instruction in the national school system, with English taught as a core subject from the early grades. In higher education the picture is mixed: medicine, engineering and much of science and business are taught substantially in English, while law, arts, education and Arabic literature are taught in Arabic. Programmes advertised as ‘English-medium’ vary considerably in how much English is actually used, so confirm this for the specific programme you are considering — and for each year of it.
Regulators
| Authority | Responsibility | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| Ministry of Education | Schools: basic and secondary education, curricula and the Tawjihi examination. | https://moe.gov.jo/ |
| Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research | Higher-education policy, institution recognition and the official lists of universities. | https://mohe.gov.jo/EN/ |
| Accreditation & Quality Assurance Commission (HEAC) | Programme and institution accreditation in higher education. | https://www.heac.org.jo/ |
| Recognition & Certificates Equivalency Directorate | Equivalency of non-Jordanian qualifications. | https://rce.mohe.gov.jo/en/ |
| Unified Admission Unit | Admission of Jordanian Tawjihi holders to public universities (admhec.gov.jo). | https://admhec.gov.jo/ |
| Study in Jordan portal | The national information and application gateway for international students. | https://studyinjordan.jo/ |
Frequently asked questions from this page
What is the structure of education in Jordan?
Jordan's education system runs through early childhood education, basic education, secondary education (academic and vocational/technical pathways), and higher education. University-level study is offered through public universities, private universities, university colleges, community colleges and specialised institutions. It is more useful to read the system as a pathway — early years → basic → secondary → university or college → vocational or professional training → postgraduate — than as a list of institutions.
How many years does basic education cover in Jordan?
Basic education generally covers ten school years, followed by secondary education. The precise attendance, age and enrolment rules should be confirmed with the Ministry of Education for the relevant school year, since administrative rules are set for specific years.
Is education compulsory in Jordan?
Basic education is the principal compulsory school stage. Exact attendance and enrolment requirements, including age thresholds, are set administratively and should be confirmed with the Ministry of Education for the current school year.
Sources & verification
Priority order: official Jordanian government authorities → official institution websites → accreditation organisations → official ranking organisations → Visit Jordan → other reliable sources. Claims that could not be verified from these are marked as unverified rather than presented as fact.
- Jordan Ministry of Education https://moe.gov.jo/
- Jordan Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research https://mohe.gov.jo/EN/
- Higher Education Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission https://www.heac.org.jo/
- Study in Jordan (national higher-education portal) https://studyinjordan.jo/
- Unified Admission Unit — admhec.gov.jo https://admhec.gov.jo/
Editorial note — how this page is written
This page describes structure, which is comparatively stable. Timings, stream rules and examination arrangements are set by the Ministry of Education and do change — verify against the Ministry before acting on any specific rule.