Handelsakademie

Handelsakademie (often shortened to HAK, roughly translates to academy of trade) is a specialized school in Austria. These schools are focused on economics. After five years, they terminate with Matura (A-Levels) , which means their pupils get the opportunty to study at university level. Pupils are usually between 14 and 19 years old.

Usually, pupils learn German, and two foreign languages. They also have branches such as ecoomics, and computer science. In addition to the normal curriculum, some schools offer evening classes. This means that people can get the same subject matter in four years, usually. Some also offer specialized classes that teach the subject matter in three years, for people who already have an education. The special forms are more common in urban areas.

The first such schools were opened in 1856 in Prague, and 1857 in Vienna. At that time, Prague, and Vienna were both part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

These schools also exist in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia.