Children in Malta: schools, childcare, language, and what Budget 2027 changed

Children settle faster than their parents in Malta: school is in English and Maltese, classmates come from everywhere, and the island is safe for a ten-year-old on a bus. The two things to plan are the school choice and, from 2027, the cost of childcare for non-EU families. Rules are the education ministry’s; confirm the current ones there.

School types

• State schools. Free, in every town, primary from age five with kindergarten before, secondary to sixteen, then sixth form or vocational college. Teaching is in Maltese and English; foreign children get language support. Enrolment is through the ministry, by catchment area.
• Church schools. Catholic, free of tuition fees with voluntary donations, entry by ballot for most places. Popular, oversubscribed.
• Independent schools. Private, fee-paying, English-medium, often international curricula. Fees are substantial; ask for the full list including transport and uniforms.

Enrolling

Bring passports, the child’s birth certificate (legalised and translated if not in English), residence cards or the family reunification certificate, proof of address, vaccination records and the previous school’s reports. The ministry’s pages explain catchment and timing; apply as soon as you have an address.

Language

Maltese is a subject in every state school and the first language of many classrooms. Children pick it up; adults do not. For the adults, what you must pass and what just helps is on its own page. Older children arriving without English are placed with support. Ask the school what support exists before you choose a town; it varies.

Childcare

Nurseries and childcare centres take children from a few months old. A free childcare scheme has covered working and studying parents. From 2027, according to the Budget summaries, the free scheme applies only to Maltese citizens, EU citizens living in Malta and long-term residents; children already enrolled keep it until they no longer qualify. Non-EU families who are not yet long-term residents should budget for childcare fees from 2027. Check the current rule with the ministry before you plan a second income around free childcare.

After school

State schools run after-school programmes in many towns; sports clubs, scouts, music schools and parish groups fill the evenings. Summer is long and hot; summer schools exist, at a cost.

Health

Children are covered by the public health system through the parents’ social security entitlement, with vaccination through the health centres. The health centres, Mater Dei and the insurance are on their own page. Family members coming through reunification go through their own health screening.

The flat

Two residents per bedroom is the legal occupancy limit, and Identità will not accept a one-room dwelling for a family. Two bedrooms for a couple with one child; three for two children of different sexes as they grow. Budget for it before you apply for reunification. The two routes and the income test are on the reunification page.

Where families live

Central towns with state schools and parks: Birkirkara, Mosta, Naxxar, Attard, Żebbuġ, Żejtun, Paola, Fgura, Swieqi. Families on hospitality salaries often choose St Paul’s Bay and the south for rent. The where-to-live guide has the town notes.

Check this at the source

• Ministry for Education: enrolment, catchment, school types. https://education.gov.mt/
• KPMG, Budget 2027: free childcare limited to citizens, EU residents and long-term residents from 2027. https://kpmg.com/mt/en/insights/2026/10/malta-budget-2027.html
• Identità, family members: accommodation and income requirements. https://identita.gov.mt/frequently-asked-questions/expatriates/non-eu-non-employment/family-member/