Matura - Names and Equivalents

Names and Equivalents

In the Czech Republic it is officially called maturitní zkouška, in Slovakia maturitná skúška, in Poland egzamin maturalny, in Austria Reifeprüfung ("examination of maturity"), but matura is used colloquially in these four countries. In Hungary, the same system is used, but it is called érettségi (vizsga) ("examination of maturity"), the equivalent of matura and in Israel it is called bagrut (Hebrew word for "maturity"). In Italy it used to be called esame di maturità and now esame di Stato. In Bulgaria, the official name is държавни зрелостни изпити (darzhavni zrelostni izpiti, "state maturity examinations"), but the name матура (matura) is almost always used instead.

The exam is usually taken after 12 or 13 years of schooling. Each candidate who passes their final exams receives a document that contains their grades and which formally enables them to go to a university. In countries such as Austria and Slovenia, this document alone allows entry to any university, as the grades themselves are irrelevant; whereas in other countries there can be numerus clausus, meaning that certain standards need to be met in the Matura grades before acceptance at a university.

The equivalent British term is the GCE "Advanced Level" or "Advanced Highers Scottish", the Irish is "Leaving Certificate", the German is "Abitur", or simply "Abi", the French is "le baccalauréat", or simply "le bac", the Australian is "Higher School Certificate (HSC)", previously known as "Matriculation", the Romanian is "bacalaureat". In Swiss French, it is called La Maturité or, informally, "La Matu'". In South Africa, the equivalent is the Senior Certificate or Matric examination. For other equivalents, see List of secondary school leaving certificates.