The upper secondary school (videregående skole) offers three consecutive years of education that follow on from the compulsory 10 years of primary and secondary education, and are therefore normally taken between the ages of 16 and 19. In practice, studies at the upper secondary level vary in length. Some students take only the first foundation year at school before going on to take more practically oriented vocational training. Others take one or two years of more specialized vocational courses. The general entrance requirement for higher education involves three years of theoretical studies at the upper secondary level.