''Mittelschule'' is a German term literally translating to "Middle School" (i.e. a level "intermediate" between elementary and higher education). It is used in various senses in the education systems of the various parts of German-speaking Europe, not necessarily equivalent the English term

middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...

(which is itself used in various meanings in various parts of the English-speaking world). Examples of such use include: *

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, lower secondary education for pupils aged 10–14, see education in Austria *

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

**in some

States of Germany The Federal Republic of Germany is a federation and consists of sixteen partly sovereign ''states''. Of the sixteen states, thirteen are so-called area-states ('Flächenländer'); in these, below the level of the state government, there is a ...

, a school analogous to a ''

Hauptschule A ''Hauptschule'' (, "general school") is a secondary school in Germany, starting after four years of elementary schooling (''Grundschule''), which offers Lower Secondary Education (Level 2) according to the International Standard Classification ...

'' **in other States of Germany, a combination of ''

'' and '' Realschule'' **an education level positioned between ''Hauptschule'' and ''Gymnasium'' (i.e. the middle group of pupils in terms of academic ability in a system of parallel schools). *

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, see also education in Switzerland **a general German term for a ''Gymnasium'', a

secondary education Secondary education is the education level following primary education and preceding tertiary education. Level 2 or ''lower secondary education'' (less commonly ''junior secondary education'') is considered the second and final phase of basic e ...

, either for ages 15–18/19 (''Sekundarstufe II'', upper secondary education) also known as ''Kurzzeitmittelschule'' a.k.a. ''Kurzgymnasium'', or then for ages from 12-18/19 (''Sekundarstufe I & II'', lower and upper secondary education) also known as ''Langzeitmittelschule'' a.k.a. ''Langgymnasium'', both leading to university access with a Swiss Federal Matura graduation. There are, however, slight differences among cantons.
Other terms used in Switzerland are: *** German: ''Gymnasium'', ''Kantonsschule'' (cantonal gymnasium managed by the canton; or short: ''Kanti'', or ''KS''), ''Kollegium'', ''Lyceum'', ''Maturitätsschule'' *** French: ''Gymnase'', ''Collège'', ''Lycée'', ''Gymnase/Lycée Cantonal'' (cantonal gymnasium managed by the canton), ''Lycée-Collège'', ''Lycee-Colege'', ''Écoles du secondaire II'', ''École publique Supérieures'' *** Italian: ''Liceo'', ''Liceo Cantonale'' (cantonal gymnasium managed by the canton) *** Romansh: ''Academia'' **''Fachmittelschule'' (formerly ''Diplommittelschule''), secondary education (''Sekundarstufe II'') with a Fachmatura graduation leading to access to Fachhochschule tertiary education, but not to university access.

See also