Albert Einstein began his schooling in Munich, Germany, at a Catholic school and later attended the Luitpold Gymnasium there. However, he found the rigid atmosphere difficult and decided to educate himself at age 15
. In 1895, at age 16, Einstein took the entrance exam for the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich (later ETH Zurich) but failed the general part of the test, though he excelled in physics and mathematics
. Following the advice of the polytechnic's principal, he completed his secondary education at the Argovian cantonal school (a gymnasium) in Aarau, Switzerland, graduating in 1896
. After finishing at Aarau, Einstein enrolled at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich in 1896 to study for a diploma as a teacher in physics and mathematics. He graduated in 1900 with this diploma
. In summary, Einstein's formal education path was:
- Early schooling in Munich, Germany, including Luitpold Gymnasium
- Secondary education at Aarau Gymnasium, Switzerland
- Higher education at Swiss Federal Polytechnic School (ETH Zurich), Switzerland, from 1896 to 1900, where he earned a teaching diploma in physics and mathematics
