At the beginning of a school year, children who have reached the age of six or will reach this age by the following September 30th are required to attend school; this also includes children who have their 6th birthday on October 1st. For children who turn six between July 1 and September 30, parents or legal guardians can postpone school attendance by one year by submitting a written declaration to the school; the declaration must be submitted to the school by May 1 before the start of the school year.

At the request of the legal guardians, younger children may be admitted to the school if they have the required physical and mental ability to attend school and are sufficiently developed in their social behavior. Children of compulsory school age who are not yet sufficiently developed physically, mentally or in their social behavior may be deferred by one year; they may be required to attend a school kindergarten to promote their development. The decision on early admission and deferral from school attendance is made by the respective school management.

Compulsory schooling generally lasts 12 school years. It is divided into at least nine years of compulsory full-time schooling at primary level and at lower secondary level. Compulsory schooling at upper secondary level is then fulfilled by attending a general education or vocational school or, for trainees, by attending a vocational school. It can also be shortened in individual cases.

Exceptions may be made if pupils have skipped a school year or attended a school abroad. The duration of a deferral from school attendance and the third school year in the entry level can be counted towards the school period. The duration of a suspension of compulsory schooling is also taken into account.