Enrolling your child in school in Alghero: the window, the portal, and what to do if you arrive mid-year
School is the single decision that most shapes whether a family settles or leaves. It is also one where the Italian system is both more generous and more rigid than newcomers expect: free, open to every child, and run on a fixed calendar that does not bend for people who arrive in March. This is how it works, what to prepare, and what to do when the timing is wrong.
The levels, by age
| Age | Level | Italian name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 | Nursery | asilo nido | Municipal or private; fees by income; places limited — apply early |
| 3–6 | Pre-school | scuola dell'infanzia | Free state option; not compulsory but nearly universal |
| 6–11 | Primary | scuola primaria | Compulsory; five years |
| 11–14 | Middle | scuola secondaria di primo grado | Three years, ends with a state exam |
| 14–19 | High school | scuola secondaria di secondo grado | Choice of track: liceo, technical, vocational |
Compulsory education runs from 6 to 16. A child is placed by age, not by what they did at home — a nine-year-old goes into fourth year of primary whatever the previous system.
The window: January, online, with SPID
Enrolments for September open once a year, online, usually in January, for a window of about three weeks. The dates are national and announced in December. There is no paper form for state schools; the portal requires a digital identity (SPID or CIE) for the parent. Which means:
Get SPID in the autumn. Every year, families discover in the second week of January that the portal wants an identity they don't have. SPID takes an afternoon plus activation — see the paperwork playbook.
Enrolment is done by the parent, choosing up to three schools in order of preference. Priority goes to children living in the catchment area (bacino d'utenza) — which is why, if you have a choice of where to rent, the school's catchment is worth checking before signing.
Choosing a school in Alghero
Alghero has several state primary and middle schools, grouped into istituti comprensivi — each comprising a few buildings across the town and the fractions (Fertilia, Santa Maria La Palma). Things that actually differ between them:
- Full-time vs short day. Some classes run tempo pieno (until about 16:00, canteen included) and others tempo normale (until about 13:00–13:30). For working parents this decides everything. Ask which timetable is on offer and whether there is a waiting list for full-time.
- Experience with foreign children. Some schools have had international families for years and have routines for language support; others are starting. Ask directly: "Avete altri bambini stranieri? Come funziona il supporto linguistico?"
- Where the school bus goes, if you live outside town. Municipal transport exists but routes are limited.
Visit in person, ideally in the open-day period (open day, usually December–January), and take someone who speaks Italian if you can.
What the school asks for in September
Enrolment online is step one. In September the school secretary (segreteria) will want:
- Child's identity document and codice fiscale
- Proof of address (residency certificate, or the receipt of the application)
- Vaccination record — Italy requires certain vaccinations for school attendance; the school can request a certificate from the local health authority (ASL) if your child is already registered
- School records from the previous country, if any (translated where possible — a simple translation is usually enough at primary level)
- The forms for canteen (mensa) and transport, if used
What goes wrong: the vaccination question. Foreign records in another language cause delays; get an appointment at the ASL vaccination service early, take the original record, and ask them to transcribe it into the Italian booklet.
Arriving mid-year — the route nobody writes down
Missed January? The rule is simple: a resident child has a right to a place, and the school must find one. Go to the segreteria of the school you want, in person, with the child's documents and proof of address. If they have room, they enrol you; if not, they must direct you to a school that does. Headteachers (dirigente scolastico) can and do admit children at any point in the year.
What helps: showing up in person rather than emailing, having documents ready, being flexible about which building in the istituto. What does not help: waiting for the next window.
Costs to expect
State school is free, but a family pays for: textbooks at middle and high school (primary books are free), canteen (monthly, by income band), school bus if used, a small annual "voluntary" contribution, trips and some activities. Budget roughly €30–80 a month per child depending on level and canteen.
Language: the honest picture
Children arrive without Italian every year and nobody is turned away. Under ten, the language usually comes within a school year through immersion. Older children find it harder and benefit from a few months of tutoring before and during the first term — the directory lists tutors who work with school-age children. Ask the school about alfabetizzazione support hours; the provision varies, and knowing what exists lets you ask for it.
Print this: the school folder
- Child's passport/ID + codice fiscale (+ copies)
- Residency certificate or application receipt
- Vaccination record, original + ASL transcription
- Previous school records + translation
- Parent's SPID login details, working
- School's catchment confirmed for your address
- Timetable choice (full-time / short day) decided
- Canteen and transport forms
- ASL vaccination appointment booked, if needed
Written for the province of Sassari and reflecting our own enrolment and those of families around us. Dates and procedures are set nationally and change yearly — confirm with the school and the current ministerial circular. Guidance, not legal advice. Last reviewed: September 2026.