The United States has one of the largest higher education systems in the world, and of the top 10 universities worldwide, eight are American. There are hundreds of thousands of ways to obtain a degree in the United States, whether you have an unlimited budget and five years to dedicate to it or nine months and a small budget.

There are four main higher education routes that students can take in the United States: undergraduate school, graduate school, PhD programs, and specialty programs. The typical undergraduate degree program in the United States takes four years to complete, while most graduate or doctorate programs can last anywhere from two to four years, or more in some cases. However, not all students need to give up four years of their lives to obtain an employable degree. Specialty programs, such as cosmetology or construction, can take only 12 to 15 months to complete.

The most popular areas of study in the United States are business, political science, and education, and for all three, only a bachelor’s degree is needed to start a career. Most degree programs in the U.S. supplement coursework with practical internships or related experience, which can come from things like student teaching at a school, interning at a business, or shadowing a local politician. In the U.S. it is understood that classroom education is only one part of the picture, so there is great emphasis on obtaining outside experience.

Most colleges and universities follow a two semester schedule, with first semester going from August to December and second semester running from late January to May. Professors have high expectations of their students, and even more so in private colleges, so be prepared to put the work in. The average higher education institution in the U.S. is directed in English, but the larger the university (and closer to a border), the more options there will be. Spanish and French are also widely spoken in the north and the south, respectively, so if you are wanting to pick up another language or be more connected to your native language, consider studying in one of these areas.