The USA education system has provided top notch resources and quality education for a variety of programs that students, educators and professionals can pursue for that extra edge. The USA has the highest number of educational institutions providing higher education than any other country. There are more than 3800 colleges and universities imparting degree programs. The size of U.S. higher educational institutions varies greatly, too, from colleges that enroll fewer than 1,000 students to large universities that enroll more than 50,000 students.

The USA education system offers a plethora of choices not only in terms of types of courses available for almost every career path but also in terms of flexibility. One of the most distinctive features of U.S. universities is the flexibility in choice of courses within a college or university. More importantly there is also the option for students to move between one institution and another. Completing the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually a community college, and then moving to another, is very common. All these have made the United States, a dream destination, for thousands of students .

The system starts with twelve years of primary and secondary school education which the Americans have to follow. A secondary school ("high school") diploma or certificate is a compulsory requirement for the student to be able to a enter college, university, vocational, secretarial or other professional and technical schools.

Primary School : Normally begins at around six years of age for the U.S. children and the term of the primary schooling is five to six years.

Secondary School : The next step is the secondary schools. This may of 6 or 7 years durations consisting of either two three- year programs, or a three-year and a four-year program. Schools at this level are known as Middle School or Junior High School and High or Senior High School.

Completion of this stage is called Twelfth Grade. International students are advised to find out which level of education in their country corresponds to the twelfth grade in the U.S.A. For your convenience we have compiled a tentative list of the corresponding schooling systems across various countries which match the US twelfth grade.

Please click here to see the list

Higher Education : After completing high school or the twelfth grade, students are admitted to college or university for higher education. Study at a college or university leading to the Bachelor's Degree is known as "undergraduate" education. Study beyond the Bachelor's Degree is known as "graduate" school, or "postgraduate" education. Advanced or graduate degrees include law, medicine, M.B.A., and Ph.D. (doctorate) etc.

Transfers: This system permits the student to transfer to another university and still graduate within a reasonable time. Students can enroll in a new university before finishing a degree and the credits earned at the first school can be used to complete a degree at the new one.

Academic year: The US school calendar begins in August or September and continues through May or June normally. The international students may best enter the U.S. institutes in autumn. Many courses are also designed in a manner so that students can take them in sequence, starting in autumn and continuing through the year.

The academic year at most of the schools comprises of two terms or semesters. Some have a three-term calendar known as the "trimester" system while others divide the year into the "quarter" system of four terms, including a summer session which may be optional.

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