Why USA for Study?

• Worldwide recognition of U.S. degrees
• Employers favor U.S. degrees
• Wide range of educational programs
• U.S. universities spend $20,000 per year on each student compared to $7,225 in Britain, $11,572 in Australia, $12,217 in Canada
• Outstanding facilities, libraries and laboratories
• Diverse student body
• Opportunity to spend an additional year in the U.S. getting valuable, relevant work experience

U.S. System of Education

Primary and secondary education

• Education is free through high school and is compulsory to age 16.
• Primary/elementary and middle/junior high school take eight years total to complete.
• Secondary/high school takes four years to complete.
• The "high school diploma" is the name of the certificate given to students who successfully complete the 12 years of primary, middle and secondary school. Nearly 65% of U.S. students continue to colleges and universities.

Associate degrees

• Associate degrees can be completed in about two years of full-time study. These degrees are offered by two-year colleges, also known as community colleges, as well as by some colleges and universities that also have four-year undergraduate study programs.
• Two-year/community colleges often charge lower tuition fees than four-year institutions.
• Some associate degrees are designed to allow graduates to join the workforce immediately in technical/administrative positions. Others allow graduates to proceed directly into the third year of a bachelor’s degree. Students considering an associate degree need to look at the goals of the particular programs that they are considering.

Bachelor’s degrees

• Most bachelor’s degree programs can be completed in four years of full-time study. Each year, over one million bachelor degrees are granted at almost 2,500 colleges and universities across the United States, in many different fields of study.

Master's degrees

• A master’s degree can be completed in one or two years of study following the bachelor’s degree. Master's programs often require a major research paper in addition to coursework.

Doctoral degrees

• Doctoral programs require an additional three to five years of study beyond the master’s degree. They are the highest degrees awarded and require coursework as well as original research and a dissertation.
Professional degrees
• Medicine, dentistry and veterinary studies are four-year programs following the four-year bachelor degree course. Law school requires three years of full-time study after the bachelor’s degree.
• Admission to first professional degree programs in medicine or veterinary medicine is extremely competitive—it is almost impossible for non-U.S. students to enter. First professional degree programs in law are also competitive and are strongly focused on preparation for U.S. legal practice. If you are interested in these fields, we encourage you to work toward licensure at home first and then come to the United States for advanced studies.
• Professional degrees in engineering, pharmacy or architecture can be earned through undergraduate study (though degrees in these challenging fields often require five or six years to complete rather than the typical four years). It is also possible to enter these professions through graduate study.