Education System
Primary school
American children start school at the age of five years. The first year at school is called kindergarten. It is required of all American children enrolled in the American education system. The second year at school is considered the first year of primary school and is referred to as first grade. In America, the word grade has two meanings: (1) the score achieved on an exam or in a course, and (2) a year of education in primary or secondary school. Primary school most commonly consists of five years of education, referred to as first through fifth grades.
Secondary school
Upon completion of fifth grade (the last year of primary school), American children enrolled in the American education system advance to secondary school. Secondary school most commonly consists of a total of seven years, referred to as sixth through twelfth grades. The ninth through twelfth grades are most commonly referred to as high school. Upon completion of twelfth grade, American students are awarded a certificate called the high school diploma. In the American education system, students must have obtained a high school diploma before they are admitted into college or university. Foreign students who would like to attend an American college or university must have completed coursework that is equivalent to what is taught at an American high school. Foreign students who would like to attend an American high school, need to consider how the high school they select will give them access to the best colleges. You can also learn about some of the finest boarding schools in the American education system.
Undergraduate school
Students who have completed high school and would like to attend college or university must attend what is referred to as an undergraduate school. These are schools that offer either a two-year degree (called an associate degree) or a four-year degree (called a bachelors degree) in a specific course of study. That course of study is called the major. While most schools that offer a four-year degree will admit students who have not yet chosen a major, all students are required to select (or declare) a major by their second year at school. Students who complete an associate degree can continue their education at a four-year school and eventually complete a bachelor degree.Certain courses of study are only available at the graduate school level in America. The most notable of these are law, dentistry, and medicine. Students who want to pursue a degree in one of these fields must first obtain a bachelor’s degree.
USA education follows credit based system. Credit hours are the number of hours of instruction that are scheduled per week. At the undergraduate level you are required 4 years of study and minimum number of credit hours, which usually varies from 120 to 130. And at Graduate level you are required 2 years of study and minimum number of credit hours, which usually varies from 30-36 credits. The tuition fee is based on the credit the students enroll with the Universities.
There is no Education Ministry in the States and each Institute/College/University can determine its own programs and admission standards. There are lots of private as well as state funded colleges.
Universities- are the ones which have many UG colleges and Institutes under them, like College of Business, College of Law etc. as well as any number of graduate and professional schools.
Four year colleges offering academic programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges or junior colleges are undergraduate institutions offering first two years of academic instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost. These offer certificate/diploma programs that last 6 months to a year. The first 2 years are also called as Associate degrees but majorly the visas are not that smooth for these colleges.
Institutes- Technological Institutes and Polytechnics offer programs in sciences and engineering. These are available in both PG and UG courses.
The semester system
Fall Semester (August/September/October):
This is the main intake and almost all programs are available in this intake. Also scholarship is available for this semester and as funds are allocated for the entire year during this session
Spring Semester (January/February/March:
This is the mid-year intake. There is limited aid available for this semester as most universities allocate funds in the Fall or September session.
Graduate School
Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree can continue their education by pursuing one of two types of degrees. The first is a master’s degree. This is usually a two-year degree that is highly specialized in a specific field. Students are sometimes admitted to a master’s degree program only if they have a bachelor’s degree in a closely related field. However, there are many exceptions to this, such as with students who want to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree. Students who want to advance their education even further in a specific field can pursue a doctorate degree, also called a PhD. A PhD degree can take between three and six years to complete, depending on the course of study chosen, the ability of the student, and the thesis that the student has selected. The thesis is a very intensive research paper that must be completed prior to earning the degree. It is always required of students pursuing a PhD, and may sometimes be required of students pursuing a master’s degree (depending on the school).
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process cum technique by which universities and their courses are recognized for establishing a certain level of performance and quality. It is usually done by non-governmental agencies called accreditation bodies. There are two types of accreditation namely Regional and Professional.
Regional bodies check if the University or college as a complete entity meet certain standards of educational quality. In addition, some professional accrediting bodies check and match the quality of education in specific fields like Business, Law, Medicine etc.
Importance of Accreditation:
• Helps if the student wishes a transfer to another university or college.
• Makes colleges and Universities meet the requisite standards.
American children start school at the age of five years. The first year at school is called kindergarten. It is required of all American children enrolled in the American education system. The second year at school is considered the first year of primary school and is referred to as first grade. In America, the word grade has two meanings: (1) the score achieved on an exam or in a course, and (2) a year of education in primary or secondary school. Primary school most commonly consists of five years of education, referred to as first through fifth grades.
Secondary school
Upon completion of fifth grade (the last year of primary school), American children enrolled in the American education system advance to secondary school. Secondary school most commonly consists of a total of seven years, referred to as sixth through twelfth grades. The ninth through twelfth grades are most commonly referred to as high school. Upon completion of twelfth grade, American students are awarded a certificate called the high school diploma. In the American education system, students must have obtained a high school diploma before they are admitted into college or university. Foreign students who would like to attend an American college or university must have completed coursework that is equivalent to what is taught at an American high school. Foreign students who would like to attend an American high school, need to consider how the high school they select will give them access to the best colleges. You can also learn about some of the finest boarding schools in the American education system.
Undergraduate school
Students who have completed high school and would like to attend college or university must attend what is referred to as an undergraduate school. These are schools that offer either a two-year degree (called an associate degree) or a four-year degree (called a bachelors degree) in a specific course of study. That course of study is called the major. While most schools that offer a four-year degree will admit students who have not yet chosen a major, all students are required to select (or declare) a major by their second year at school. Students who complete an associate degree can continue their education at a four-year school and eventually complete a bachelor degree.Certain courses of study are only available at the graduate school level in America. The most notable of these are law, dentistry, and medicine. Students who want to pursue a degree in one of these fields must first obtain a bachelor’s degree.
USA education follows credit based system. Credit hours are the number of hours of instruction that are scheduled per week. At the undergraduate level you are required 4 years of study and minimum number of credit hours, which usually varies from 120 to 130. And at Graduate level you are required 2 years of study and minimum number of credit hours, which usually varies from 30-36 credits. The tuition fee is based on the credit the students enroll with the Universities.
There is no Education Ministry in the States and each Institute/College/University can determine its own programs and admission standards. There are lots of private as well as state funded colleges.
Universities- are the ones which have many UG colleges and Institutes under them, like College of Business, College of Law etc. as well as any number of graduate and professional schools.
Four year colleges offering academic programs leading to a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges or junior colleges are undergraduate institutions offering first two years of academic instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost. These offer certificate/diploma programs that last 6 months to a year. The first 2 years are also called as Associate degrees but majorly the visas are not that smooth for these colleges.
Institutes- Technological Institutes and Polytechnics offer programs in sciences and engineering. These are available in both PG and UG courses.
The semester system
Fall Semester (August/September/October):
This is the main intake and almost all programs are available in this intake. Also scholarship is available for this semester and as funds are allocated for the entire year during this session
Spring Semester (January/February/March:
This is the mid-year intake. There is limited aid available for this semester as most universities allocate funds in the Fall or September session.
Graduate School
Students who have obtained a bachelor’s degree can continue their education by pursuing one of two types of degrees. The first is a master’s degree. This is usually a two-year degree that is highly specialized in a specific field. Students are sometimes admitted to a master’s degree program only if they have a bachelor’s degree in a closely related field. However, there are many exceptions to this, such as with students who want to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree. Students who want to advance their education even further in a specific field can pursue a doctorate degree, also called a PhD. A PhD degree can take between three and six years to complete, depending on the course of study chosen, the ability of the student, and the thesis that the student has selected. The thesis is a very intensive research paper that must be completed prior to earning the degree. It is always required of students pursuing a PhD, and may sometimes be required of students pursuing a master’s degree (depending on the school).
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process cum technique by which universities and their courses are recognized for establishing a certain level of performance and quality. It is usually done by non-governmental agencies called accreditation bodies. There are two types of accreditation namely Regional and Professional.
Regional bodies check if the University or college as a complete entity meet certain standards of educational quality. In addition, some professional accrediting bodies check and match the quality of education in specific fields like Business, Law, Medicine etc.
Importance of Accreditation:
• Helps if the student wishes a transfer to another university or college.
• Makes colleges and Universities meet the requisite standards.
