Private Galileo Galilei Italian High School (Italian: , Turkish: ) is a private foreign high school () in Beyoğlu district of İstanbul, Türkiye. It is a bilingual Turkish-Italian school that uses both Turkish and Italian curriculums.
History.
The school was opened in 1870 following the decree of Sultan Abdülaziz by the Catholic . Initially, the school was established to provide education at the kindergarten and primary school levels for children of Italian families living in Turkey, but later it began to admit Turkish students as well.
Originally opened on Kumbaracı Yokuşu, it moved to the current location in 1882. Throughout history, education was intermittently interrupted due to the Italo-Turkish War (1911-12) and World War I (1915-18) between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy. In 1919, the middle school opened, and the school name was changed to "Private Italian Girls' Middle School" (, ), and a preparatory class was added for students who did not know Italian. The law in 1931 required all Turkish citizens to go to Turkish primary schools , so the primary school began to admit only foreign nationals. Gradually, the school transitioned to co-educations, starting with the kindergarten and primary school classes in 1959.
In 2000, the school's name was changed to "Beyoğlu Italian High School" (, ). In 2005, the institution was accredited with an equivalency certificate from high schools in Italy, and was renamed to "Private Galileo Galilei Italian High School.".
Admissions.
The school accepts students on the basis of the LGS examination. In 2024, it accepted 72 students, with the lowest LGS score being in the top 3.9% .
Education.
The school offers a preparatory year for learning Italian as the language of instruction, and four years of combined Italian Liceo scientifico and MEB curriculums. In the end, the students can choose to take the Italian state examination
Leadership.
Unlike many other schools in Turkey, the leadership in the Liceo Scientifico Galileo Galilei is all-female