There are two stages of education in Italy: primary and secondary. School attendance is compulsory from the age of six to the age of fifteen. Primary school can be preceded by three years of non-compulsory nursery school. Primary school lasts 5 years. Secondary education (Scuole medie) is further divided in two stages: "Medie Inferiori", which correspond to the Middle School grades and lasts three years, and "Medie Superiori", which correspond to the Secondary School level and lasts up to five years. Italian students usually finish secondary school at the age of 19, when they can start on a university degree. Italy has numerous international schools in almost all larger cities.