Education is compulsory for children from the age of 4 years and 8 months in the Republic of Cyprus. There are state and private schools available, with some private schools teaching in English. For expatriates, there are also a number of private International Schools, including the American International School of Cyprus, Highgate Primary and Secondary schools and Falcon. Some schools cater specifically for the children of the UN personnel residing in Cyprus.
The Cyprus Government also has a policy of ensuring that the children of EU citizens can continue with their education while they live in Cyprus. Intensive Greek language classes are provided for them, so that they can attend state schools, and training is also provided for teachers to assist them in teaching children whose first language is not Greek.