Key takeaways
Two diplomas, and two systems. Neither is simply "better" – but they open very different doors. The Italian maturità is rigorous, deeply academic, and built around a five-year course of upper secondary school. The US high school diploma from a WASC-accredited school is structured differently, recognized by universities across America, and – through Advanced Placement (AP) credits – can give a student college-level standing before they've enrolled anywhere. If your child is living in Italy and needs to keep an American academic track, the distinction matters a lot.
- The Italian upper secondary school system (scuola secondaria di secondo grado) runs for five years; the maturità exam at the end is a national examination, not optional.
- The US diploma track at a WASC-accredited private online school is built around course credits, AP exams, and counselor-led college guidance – no single high-stakes exam determines the result.
- Students can choose to pursue both pathways in parallel, but the requirements and calendar of each are entirely separate.
- AP credits earned at Legacy are recognized by 500+ universities worldwide.
Contents
We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.
The Italian School System at a Glance
Italian compulsory education (obbligo scolastico) covers children from age 6 to 16. The first stage is primary school, then scuola secondaria di primo grado – middle school, ages 11 to 14. That’s three years. At the age of 11, children enter what most countries would call junior high or lower secondary school; in Italy it’s simply scuola media.
After scuola secondaria di primo grado, pupils move into upper secondary school. The choice they make at that point – usually at 14 – shapes the next five years. Italy has several types of high schools.
Types of High Schools in Italy
The licei are academically oriented schools. The liceo classico focuses on Latin, ancient Greek, history and philosophy, and Italian literature. Demanding. Still prestigious. The liceo scientifico adds mathematics, physics, natural sciences, and computer science while keeping a strong humanities thread. There’s also the liceo scientifico sportivo, the liceo linguistico (two foreign languages, heavy on Italian language and literature), and options covering human sciences, pedagogy, and the arts – the liceo delle scienze umane and magistrale tracks.
Beyond the licei: the technical institute (istituto tecnico) prepares students for specific sectors – technology, economics, entrepreneurial fields. The professional institute (istituto professionale) has a stronger vocational orientation, with internship components and an eye on the labour market. Both complete with the same five-year course and maturità exam.
“The final State examination verifies the knowledge and skills gained during the last year of the study path, according to the general and specific objectives of each branch of study and it assesses the student’s personal maturity, including in terms of independence and responsibility.”
— Eurydice, Assessment in general upper secondary education
The maturità – the esame di Stato at the end of the fifth year – is a national examination. All students sit it. Pass it with the highest marks and you can receive a diploma cum laude. It’s a genuine achievement. Universities in Italy require it for admission.
What a WASC-Accredited US Diploma Looks Like
A US high school diploma from a WASC-accredited private online school works on a credit system. Students earn credits per course, per year. No single national examination determines eligibility. AP courses – college-level classes a student can take while still in high school – allow learners to demonstrate university-ready ability in specific subjects. A score of 3 or higher on an AP exam is what most US colleges use as a benchmark for awarding credit.
Legacy offers 19 AP courses, delivered live by qualified teachers. Class size is capped at 15 students. The curriculum runs through FlexPoint Education Cloud – the same provider behind Florida Virtual School.
“WASC advances and validates quality ongoing school improvement by supporting its private and public elementary, secondary, and postsecondary member institutions to engage in a rigorous and relevant self-evaluation and peer review process.”
— Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
A Legacy diploma satisfies university admissions requirements at American institutions. It is not automatically equivalent to the Italian maturità for the purposes of enrolling at Italian universities – families planning that route should verify requirements with their target institution and, where relevant, with a qualified professional.
Which Diploma for Which Goal?
If your child will attend an Italian university: the maturità matters. Full stop. If the plan is an American university – or keeping academic options open across both – then a WASC-accredited diploma with AP credits is the stronger preparation tool.
Some families in Italy pursue both. The middle school and elementary school programs at Legacy let children build the American academic track from the start, well before high school becomes the question.
Case study: Marco Ferretti, a 17-year-old from Florence, attended an Italian liceo scientifico and enrolled at Legacy part-time for AP courses in Calculus, Physics, and English Language. His goal: apply to US engineering programs. He scored 4 or above on all three AP exams. Two US universities accepted transfer credit before he’d begun his first semester. His Italian school diploma remained on track – his Legacy coursework ran alongside it, not instead of it.
Here’s a different situation entirely. Sophia Müller, 12, moved to Rome with her family in 2023 when her father joined an EU institution. Her parents didn’t want the Italian scuola media – the language barrier alone made that a difficult start. They enrolled her at Legacy’s online middle school that September. Two years in: she’s on track for the US diploma, her Italian has improved naturally through daily life in Rome, and her parents haven’t had to navigate a single Italian school registration. No annual exams, no notification to the dirigente scolastico – because as a non-resident-by-choice expat family, their legal path ran through Legacy as their primary school, not through istruzione parentale.
Book a trial class – no commitment, no waitlist. Or review tuition and fees to compare what a WASC-accredited private online school costs against an international school in Italy.
Top Tips from Our Expert
Maya Robinson, College Prep Advisor at Legacy Online School
- If your child is in Italian secondary school and considering US universities, start AP courses no later than year 3 of scuola secondaria di secondo grado – colleges look at the full transcript, not just senior year.
- The maturità and the US diploma are not interchangeable for Italian university admission. Check your target institution’s requirements before assuming one substitutes for the other.
- AP subject choice matters. For STEM programs, Calculus, Physics, and Computer Science. For humanities, AP Language and Composition, AP History, AP Literature – pick courses that reflect your intended faculty.
- A WASC school code (Legacy’s is 000114, verified via College Board) makes your transcript verifiable by any admissions office in the US.
Legacy Online School is a WASC-accredited American private online school. Enrollment does not substitute Italian compulsory schooling obligations. Italian nationals pursuing istruzione parentale must comply with Legislative Decree 297/1994. Legacy does not provide legal advice.
