Education System in Lebanon

Primary	Elementary	1–6	6–12	6	Education at Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary school is provided free of cost by the government
Middle	Intermediate School	7–9	12–15	3	Certificate/Diploma awarded: Intermediate Certification Lebanese Brevet
Secondary	General Secondary School	11–12	15–18	3	Certificate/Diploma awarded: Baccalauréat Libanais (modified to Lebanese General Secondary Certificate)
Vocational	Technical Secondary School	10–12	15–18	3	Certificate/Diploma awarded: Baccalauréat Technique
Tertiary	University first stage			4–5	Some Institutions offer short courses (two to three years) leading to professional qualifications. Where longer studies are involved, the first stage leads, after three to five years study, to the Licence, Bachelor's Degree or Diploma, depending on the Institution attended.
Tertiary	University second stage			1–4	The second stage involves more specialized work and leads, after one or two years' study beyond the first Degree, to the Maîtrise in Scientific subjects, the Master's Degree at the American University, the Magistère, the Diplôme d'Etudes supérieures, and the Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies. In Medicine, the Midical Doctorat (MD) is awarded after seven years' study. It is a professional qualification. Other Health specialties are organized within the Lebanese Laws as Next: - Dentistry: Minimum 5 years - Physiotherapy: Minimum 4 years - Pharmacy: Minimum 5 years To be Engineer, the study in Lebanon is of 5 years to obtain Diplome d’Ingenieur or Master of Engineering.
Tertiary	Doctor (Doctorat)			2–5	The third stage involves the writing of a thesis and leads to the award of a Doctorate. In French-speaking universities, a Doctorate is awarded after three years of study beyond the Diplôme d'Etudes approfondies which is equivalent to a PhD is awarded in the American system.

Primary Education

At between age 3 and 4 Lebanese children enter primary school for 6 years. This time is divided equally between elementary and more advanced cycles 1 and 2. Gross enrolment is around 95% for both sexes.

Middle Education

The following three years are spent at intermediate level equivalent to middle school. By this time more that 10% of primary pupils will have dropped out.

Secondary Education

During their 3 levels at secondary school head teachers decide whether students follow humanities or technical education streams. If successful, they obtain either Shahaadat Al-Bakaalouriya al Lubnaaniya l’il-ta ‘liim al-Thaanawi secondary education certificates, or Al-Bakaalouriya al-Finniya technical baccalaureates.

Vocational Education

After secondary school students with technical baccalaureates may proceed to technical or vocational institutes. Alternatively, they are already qualified to enter employment, and perhaps attend several shorter training courses later on too.

Tertiary Education

Lebanese tertiary education institutions comprise universities, university colleges and university institutes where gross enrollment approaches 50% of potential. The only public facility is the Lebanese University.

Academic standards are high although local job opportunities are relatively few. For this reason Lebanon continues to lose many of its brightest children. The American University of Beirut is Lebanon's oldest, founded in 1866.

Resources:

Republic of Lebanon Ministry of Education & Higher Education