Education Meitner's interest in science began when she was eight, when she kept a notebook of her scientific research under her pillow. She was drawn to mathematics and science, and studied the colours of an oil slick, thin films, and reflected light. The only career available to women was teaching, so she attended a high school for girls where she trained as a French teacher. As well as French, her education included bookkeeping, arithmetic, history, geography, science and gymnastics. She completed high school in 1892. Women were not allowed to attend public institutions of higher education in Vienna until 1897, but when this restriction was lifted, the requirement for a gymnasium education was waived and women only needed to pass the matura, the secondary school leaving qualification required for university entrance. Her sister Gisela passed the matura and entered medical school in 1900. Meitner began taking private lessons with two other young women in 1899, cramming the missing years of secondary education into two. Physics was taught by Arthur Szarvasy. In July 1901, they sat an external matura examination at the Akademisches Gymnasium. Four out of the fourteen women passed, including Meitner and Henriette Boltzmann, the daughter of physicist Ludwig Boltzmann.
eDucATIoN MEitner'S inTeRest In ScIencE BEgan When SHE waS eigHt, when shE kEpt a noteboOK of hEr scientIFic reseaRch under her pillow. she was drawn To MAtHeMatics anD scIeNce, ANd sTUdIeD the cOLoUrs Of an oil slick, thin Films, anD reflected Light. the ONly cAreER aVaILAble to womeN Was TeachINg, so ShE aTtendeD A hiGh sChoOl for giRls WHere sHe tRained as A fRench teaCHER. as weLl as french, her eDucATIon InCLuded booKkEepIng, arIthmetic, hIStorY, geograpHy, scieNce And GyMnaStIcs. sHe COmpleted High School iN 1892. women were not AlLoWed to attend publIc inStITutioNs of higher educatIOn In Vienna uNTil 1897, bUT When tHis rEStrICTiON Was lifted, thE reQuiREMENt fOR a gYMnaSIuM eDUCatIon WAS waiveD ANd wOmeN only neEded tO pasS ThE mAtura, THe SEcondAry sChOOl leavInG quAlificaTion requIred for unIVeRSiTY eNtrANce. her sIStEr gISela passeD ThE maTura and eNTered MeDiCal School in 1900. Meitner bEgAn TAKing Private lesSons WitH two OTHer yoUng womeN iN 1899, crammInG thE missIng years OF SeconDarY EducATIoN into tWO. phYsICS was tAught by arTHur szArvASy. iN jUlY 1901, THeY SAT An exterNaL matura EXamInaTiOn At tHe aKademiscHEs gymnASIum. FOUr Out of the FourTeEn women PasSed, IncLudiNg mEitner aNd HenriettE boLtzManN, the daughtEr Of physiCiSt lUDwiG boLTzmANn.