StudyUS.org - U.S. Education System

U.S. Education System

The U.S. educational system is composed of various levels, all offering a different type of degree. Use this table to find what type of university will best fulfill your educational goals and what perquisites are required. Keep in mind that each university is different so you should consult the university website to be sure it offers your desired degree.

Type	Degree	Years	Funding	Tuition	Size	Notes

Public University	4-6 Undergraduate Bachelors of Arts (BA) Bachelors of Science (BS) 1-3 Graduate Master of Arts (MA) Master of Science (MS) Master of Business Administration (MBA) Specialist in Education (EdS) 5-7 Doctoral (Ph.D.)	Funded and subsidized by U.S. state governments	Tuition is reduced for residence of the state in which the university is located and citizens of the U.S.	Large	A high school degree or GED (high school equivalency degree) is required for undergraduate admissions and an undergraduate degree is required for graduate admissions International students may need to fulfill higher admission requirements Not all universities offer a Masters or Doctoral program
Private University	4-6 Undergraduate Bachelors of Arts (BA) Bachelors of Science (BS) 1-3 Graduate Master of Arts (MA) Master of Science (MS) Master of Business Administration (MBA) Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Master of Law (LLM) Specialist in Education (EdS) 5-7 Doctoral (Ph.D.)	Funded by endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and donations	All students pay the same tuition Generally more expensive than public schools in the same city or state More likely to offer scholarships to international students	Small	A high school degree is required for undergraduate admissions and an undergraduate degree is required for graduate admissions May be affiliated with a particular religion Not all universities offer a Masters or Doctoral program
Community College	2 Associate of Arts (A.A.) Associate of Science (A.S.)	Public or private	Tuition is measured by "unit," therefore students are charged for individual courses Tuition is reduced for residents of the state in which the university is located and U.S. citizens Typically less expensive than colleges and universities offering a bachelors and graduate degree	Medium	Requires a high school or GED degree Admission open to qualified candidates Some students opt to transfer to a four year college to complete two more years of courses to earn a B.A. or B.S.
Technical/Vocational	2 At high school or junior college level	Public or private	All students pay the same tuition	Small	Learn skills such as secretarial, auto, photography, and nursing
English language	4+ weeks TOEFL Certification	Public or private	All students pay the same tuition	Small	Some universities offer English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs
Short Term Study	4 months– 1 year Class Credit	Public or private	All students pay the same tuition	Varies depending on program	Most universities prefer students complete a degree, however some offer exchange programs. Check with your counselor to see if your school has any connections with U.S. universities.

*School Size:

Small (500 - 8,000 students)
Medium (8,000 - 20,000 students)
Large (20,000+ students)

*Tuition:

Low ($1,000 - $13,000)
medium ($13,000 - $25,000)
High ($25,000+)

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