Upon completion of this level of schooling, students with satisfactory grades have the option to continue their education for two additional years.
Students will either pursue academic study in preparation for university entrance examinations, or follow a professional training course.
Those who fall short of the satisfactory grades may attend professional initiation programmes as a precursor to entering the job market.
In addition to many institutions which specialise in vocational training, the Basque country boasts 4 universities.
The new autonomous community of the Basque Country was granted autonomous powers with regard to education following the death of Franco in 1975, and the option of an education entirely in Basque in schools called ikastolak took a legal status.