Frequently Asked Questions

PISA assesses 15-year-old students who are enrolled in an educational institution, regardless of their grade or type of programme. A representative sample of schools and students is selected for each country.

PISA measures reading, mathematical and scientific literacy — that is, how well students can apply their knowledge and skills to real-life situations rather than how much they have memorised.

Unlike school exams, PISA does not test the national curriculum or assign grades to individual students. It evaluates the ability to apply knowledge in practice and provides comparable data about the education system as a whole.

PISA results are reported as average scores and proficiency levels that allow comparison over time and between countries. They are intended to inform education policy, not to rank individual students or schools.