⚡ DIRECT ACCESS TO MINEDUC
Ministry of Education — Guatemala
Which to use?- MINEDUC Portal — institutional, national curriculum, school calendar
- SIGE — system for principals and teachers (enrollment, assignments)
- DIGEACE — foreign studies equivalency, accreditations
- Mi Beca Segura — student scholarships primary, basico, diversificado
📞 Phone: +502 2411-9595 · 📍 6a Calle 1-87 Zona 10, Guatemala City · 🕐 Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM · 🆔 Verified: May 2026
The MINEDUC (Ministry of Education) governs public and private education in Guatemala from preschool through diversificado (high school). It covers the national curriculum, school authorization, teacher registration, foreign studies equivalencies, scholarship programs, and educational quality oversight.
Quick rule: Children studied in the USA and you need to homologate to GT system? → DIGEACE Equivalency. Looking for a scholarship for your child? → Mi Beca Segura. Want to teach in public schools? → Eligibility Bank + Licensing. Are you a principal/teacher and need to register enrollment or programs? → SIGE. Going to open a private school? → DIDEDUC with CNB curriculum plan.
MINEDUC sub-portals and Directorates
| Portal / Directorate | What it’s for |
|---|
| mineduc.gob.gt | Institutional site — school calendar, CNB, programs, news |
| sige.mineduc.gob.gt | SIGE — Educational Information System for principals and teachers |
| DIGEACE | General Directorate of Accreditation and Certification — foreign studies equivalencies |
| DIGEDUCA | General Directorate of Educational Evaluation and Research — standardized tests |
| DIGEFOCE | General Directorate of Continuing Education — teacher training |
| DIDEDUC departmental | Directorates in each department — first local point of contact |
| Eligibility Bank | Teacher registry for applying to public school posts |
| Mi Beca Segura | Student scholarship program |
Educational levels in Guatemala
| Level | Typical age | US equivalent |
|---|
| Preprimaria | 4-6 years | Pre-K, Kindergarten |
| Primaria | 7-12 years (1st-6th) | Elementary 1-6 |
| Basico (Ciclo Basico) | 13-15 years (1st, 2nd, 3rd basico) | Middle School 7-9 |
| Diversificado | 16-18 years (4th, 5th, 6th) | High School 10-12 |
| University | 18+ | College/University |
The diversificado level is taken with vocational or technical orientation: Bachillerato, Magisterio (Teaching), Perito Contador (Accounting), Secretariado, Bachiller in Sciences and Letters, etc. Completing diversificado is the minimum requirement to enroll in university.
Most-searched MINEDUC procedures
For students and families
For teachers
Active MINEDUC programs
| Program | For whom |
|---|
| Mi Beca Segura | Low-income students, primary to diversificado — Q300/month |
| Excellence Scholarships | Outstanding students — public university with tuition and stipend |
| Teacher Scholarships | Teachers wanting professional updating |
| School Feeding Program (PAE) | Snacks and lunches in public schools |
| School Supplies | Free distribution of supplies in public schools |
| Free Textbooks | CNB textbooks distributed to official schools |
| Bilingual Intercultural Education (EBI) | Mayan languages in schools with indigenous population |
| Initial Education | Educational care 0-3 years |
| National Reading Program “Leamos Juntos” | Reading promotion |
| National Digital Skills Strategy | ICT and computing in schools |
Before equivalent studies — checklist
| Have it ready | Why |
|---|
| Official transcripts from foreign school | Signed and sealed by the school |
| Apostille | If issuing country is part of the Hague Convention (USA yes) |
| Sworn translation to Spanish | By authorized sworn translator in Guatemala |
| Student DPI or passport | Valid |
| Birth certificate | Original with recent stamp |
| DPI or passport of parent/guardian | Valid |
| Tax stamp payment | Q5-50 by procedure |
| Foreign curriculum plan | Subjects by grade, hourly intensities (when applies) |
Diaspora — Guatemalans in the USA with kids or as teachers
If you return to Guatemala with kids who studied at US schools
- Start the equivalency in advance (3-4 months before the move). Ask the US school for official transcripts signed, sealed, and notarized.
- State Department apostille of the state where the school is located (NOT the federal State Department, except DOD/military schools).
- Sworn translation is done IN GUATEMALA by an authorized sworn translator (list at mineduc.gob.gt). Costs Q100-300/page.
- If the child took part of the year in the USA, MINEDUC usually allows finishing the grade in Guatemala with a placement test.
- For international bilingual schools in Guatemala (CAG, AIS, Liceo Javier, EFG, ABC) — some accept US transcripts directly without going through DIGEACE for admission, but equivalency is still required for official Guatemalan graduation.
If you are a US-trained teacher and want to teach in Guatemala
- Equivalency of teaching degree via MINEDUC (if PEM/Profesorado) or USAC (if bachelors/masters).
- Apostille of US university degree + sworn translation.
- Licensing in the Guatemala Colegio de Humanidades (Q600-1,200/year).
- Background: Guatemalan criminal and police records (quick processing at MINGOB).
- Market: bilingual private schools, educational NGOs, universities, international schools — pay better than public sector and value US experience.
- For public schools: register in the Eligibility Bank. Official posts usually have lower salary but State stability and benefits.
If you live in the USA and your child studies in GT
- You can monitor their progress via SIGE (if the school registers it) and stay in contact with the school remotely.
- For authorizations (excursions, taking the child out of the country, guardian changes) — you need a power of attorney authenticated at the Guatemala consulate in the USA.
National Base Curriculum (CNB) — what is taught in Guatemala
The CNB (National Base Curriculum) is the official document that defines what is taught at each grade. Structured by:
| Component | Content |
|---|
| Curricular areas | Communication and Language, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Artistic Expression, Physical Education, Productivity and Development, Citizenship Formation |
| Competencies | What the student should be able to do at the end of each grade |
| Achievement indicators | What evidences the learning |
| Contents | Specific knowledge by grade |
| EBI (Bilingual Intercultural Education) | Mayan mother tongue + Spanish in indigenous areas |
| ICT | Cross-cutting digital skills |
The CNB is updated periodically. Current version available free at cnbguatemala.org.
Private schools by region
| Region | School type |
|---|
| Guatemala City (Z10, Z14, Z15, Z16) | International bilingual (CAG American, AIS English, EFG, ABC, Swiss, German, British) |
| Carretera a El Salvador | Premium schools (Liceo Javier, Loyola, etc.) |
| Antigua Guatemala | Bilingual (AIS Antigua, Internacional Antigua, Cooperativo) + traditional |
| Quetzaltenango | Traditional + some bilingual (Liceo Guatemala Xela) |
| Departments | Mostly public + some confessional private |
2026 school calendar
| Milestone | Date |
|---|
| School year start | January (week 2-3) |
| Holy Week break | March or April (movable) |
| Mid-year vacation | June-July (2 weeks) |
| End of school year | October-November |
| Enrollment / registration | September-November |
| Standardized tests | October |
| Channel | Detail |
|---|
| Main phone | +502 2411-9595 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Address | 6a Calle 1-87 Zona 10, Guatemala City |
| DIGEACE (Equivalencies) | Via MINEDUC portal DIGEACE section |
| Mi Beca Segura | mineduc.gob.gt/becas |
| Departmental DIDEDUC | One in each departmental capital |
| Public Information | uip@mineduc.gob.gt |
| Facebook | @mineduc.guatemala |
| Twitter/X | @MineducGT |
More Guatemalan State resources