Complete guide to studying in the USA
Everything you need to know about becoming an international student in the United States of America
A quick introduction to the USA
The United States of America, which is commonly referred to as simply the United States (US), is the world’s third largest country, the majority of which is located in North America, which is composed of 50 states.
The country is governed by both the national government, which is known as the federal government of the United States, and individual state governments.
If you are considering studying in the United States, you are not alone – it is the most popular destination in the world for international students, with over 1 million foreign students enrolled in higher education during the 2022-2023 academic year. This compares to around 410,000 international students in France, and around 680,000 international students in the UK.
The majority of international students in the United States come from China, India, whilst there is a growing number of students from African states such as Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. In total, students from around 200 places around the world are studying in the US.
In all, international students from around the world make up around 5% of the US’s student population, adding to the already highly diverse, multicultural student body.
What makes the United States so attractive for students? It can count on cutting edge research and education from some of the best universities in the world, and a great variety of cultures, experiences and diversity to explore.
USA’s higher education system
The university academic year in the US starts in August/September and ends the following August. Typically the academic year is split into three semesters:
- Fall semester – the start of the academic year, beginning in August/September and ending at the end of December
- Spring semester – Beginning near the start of January, and running until May/June
- Summer semester – Summer semesters are shorter than fall and spring semesters and usually represent a chance for you to catch up with certain studies, or take extra modules. It is usually optional, so you will notice less students on campus
In the United States the terms College, University and Institute are used interchangeably, and all equate to what is known as a university in European/UK style education.
Students in the US typically complete 12 years of education before attending University/College, which may differ slightly to your home country, with many countries requiring their students to complete 13 years of education before beginning university.
Like post-secondary education in Europe, university students in the US study first at the undergraduate level, then at the graduate level once they have completed their bachelor’s degree.
Undergraduate studies
The US differs from the European style bachelor’s degree in that undergraduate studies are generally either associate degrees, which take 2 years to complete, or bachelors degrees, which take 4 years to complete.
Undergraduate studies in the US all involve completing studies in a range of subjects, which are known as minors. Following this, students may pick a subject to focus on for the completion of their undergraduate degree, and this is known as their major. This system results in a comprehensive education at the undergraduate level.
Graduate studies
International students or students in the US who have completed a bachelor’s degree may go on to graduate studies. This can either be in the form of a masters degree, which takes between 1-2 years to complete, or a doctorate degree. Many doctorate programs require you to have completed a masters degree.
Universities
Universities in the US can either be public or privately run. Public universities in the US are funded and operated by their state government, unlike public universities in other countries which are operated by the national government.
Many of the top universities in the US are state universities, such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Virginia and the University of Michigan.
Private universities in the US receive no public funding, with many established by churches and other religious denominations, with notable examples including the University of Notre Dame in the state of Indiana, which is a private catholic university, and the Brigham Young University in the state of Utah, which is a private university affiliated to the Mormon Church.
Secular (non-religious) private universities in the US account for some of the top universities in the world, including well known universities such as Yale University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Columbia University and Harvard University.
University rankings
With over 4,000 post-secondary education institutions to choose from in the US, there is an incredible amount of choice for international and domestic students alike.
University rankings can help narrow your choice by rating institutions based on metrics that you will find useful for comparison such as teaching standards. They can also give you an idea of the impact that your chosen institution will have on your CV for future employment.
Our table below shows the top 15 universities in the US according to 3 well known university ranking systems:
| University | Times Higher Education World University Ranking | Best Global Universities | QS World University Ranking |
| Stanford University | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Harvard University | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Princeton University | 6 | 18 | 22 |
| California Institute of Technology | 7 | 23 | 10 |
| University of California, Berkeley | 9 | 5 | 12 |
| Yale University | 10 | 10 | 23 |
| The University of Chicago | 13 | 25 | 21 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 15 | 13 | 32 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 16 | 14 | 11 |
| Columbia University | 17 | 9 | 34 |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | 18 | 11 | 42 |
| Cornell University | 20 | 19 | 16 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | 23 | 19 | 44 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 24 | 134 | 58 |