With a population of more than 327 million people, the United States is the third most populated nation globally, following China and India. The country offers great diversity in climate, wildlife, geography, and society. The U.S., commonly referred to as America, is home to a multitude of different cultures and a comprehensive education system, including some of the world’s best universities.

With over 50 states, the U.S. public education system is governed by the state and local governments regulated by the U.S. Department of Education. Over 248,000 public schools in the U.S, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, America offers education to about 56 million students in both private and public schools in U.S.

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Education in the United States

In most states, children are expected to begin formal education from five or six years until 18 years. However, in some states, pupils can complete school at 16 or 17 years. Generally, students join primary and secondary school for a total of 12 consecutive years, from the first through twelfth grades.

Typically, the schooling system differs between school districts in different states, but in most schools, the system is separated into three stages, which include:

• Elementary School: Kindergarten to Grade 5
• Middle School or Junior High School: Grade 6 to Grade 8
• High School: Grade 9 to Grade 12

Usually, children between the ages of 3-5 years attend Preschool, also known as Pre-K or Pre-Kindergarten, although not compulsory. This is followed by kindergarten from the age of five or six, which marks the start of formal and mandatory education. The 12 years of compulsory education can either be split into two structures, which are either elementary school-middle school-high school or elementary school-junior high school-senior high school.

Generally, the school year in the U.S. starts in late August or early September and ends in either late May or early June. The exact school dates vary by states and in some cases by individual U.S. schools. Each academic year is divided into two semesters or three trimesters with holidays in between.

Which are the types of schools in the United States?

There are a variety of public and private U.S. schools to choose from, depending on the state. Below is a description of these schools:

Public schools

Public schools are funded by the local, state, and federal governments. These schools are limited to students within a specific school district and offer free education. Below is a list of the various public schools:

Charter schools

Charter schools are a combination of private and public education systems. While education among these schools free, spaces are limited, and a separate application must be submitted to enroll in these schools. Charter schools offer a varied and unique learning environment as well as opportunities to specialize in a specific subject such as arts education, among others.

Magnet schools

Magnet schools offer specialized curriculum, where certain areas such as science, technology, arts are given more focus. These are free public schools which are managed by the school district or a group of school districts. Most of these schools admit students based on achievement and are usually referred to as talented & gifted schools.

Virtual schools

Virtual schools allow students to learn remotely. These schools use the same academic assessment, teacher credential requirements, and management as other traditional public schools.

Private schools

Private schools in the U.S. are tuition funded and require students to pay fees to attend. Private schools set their own curriculum and admissions policy. The schools may be run by private or religious organizations. There are various types of private schools which include:

Religious schools

These schools are usually managed by religious institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, and so on.

Parochial schools

These schools are also religious private schools that typically receive funding from a local church with which it is partnered with.

Montessori schools

These schools provide an all-rounded curriculum that puts focus on a child’s individuality, interest, and hands-on activities.

International schools

These schools provide varied and internationally recognized curriculum, which allows for a smooth transition for international students. The most common being International Baccalaureate (IB), French curriculum, German Curriculum, and the American Curriculum.

How to Apply for a School in the United States

U.S. schools provide a multitude of opportunities with a rich field of choices for students. As the American education system offers an array of school programs and locations to choose from, making the right choice may be tough. However, with proper research and advance planning, the process can be simple and easy. Additionally, as admissions policy will vary between states and schools, it is crucial to visit individual school websites for more information on eligibility requirements, admissions policy, and application requirements. Below is a list of some of the essential factors to consider as you search and apply to U.S. schools:

• International students wishing to study in America must prove their ability to pay for their education program, applicable living expenses, and housing.
• Schools need to obtain a student’s financial proof and report the learner’s assets before issuing Form 1-20, which is the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.
• F-1 and M-1 pupils are not qualified for U.S. government-funded monetary aid, but independent schools may grant financial assistance or scholarships. Generally, F or M are student visas. F-1 students join traditional programs while M-1 students join vocational programs.
• An F-1 and M-1 student can join a public secondary school from grades 9 to 12 in a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school under certain restrictions. On the other hand, F-1 and M-1 students can join private SEVP-certified schools for grades K-12 without any limits.

Below is a comprehensive list of all schools in United States (Alabama, Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Alaska, Anchorage, Arizona, Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Glendale, Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria, Surprise, Arkansas, Little Rock, California, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Riverside, Stockton, Irvine, Chula Vista, Fremont, San Bernardino, Modesto, Fontana, Santa Clarita, Oxnard, Moreno Valley, Glendale, Huntington Beach, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Santa Rosa, Oceanside, Elk Grove, Garden Grove, Corona, Hayward, Lancaster, Palmdale, Salinas, Sunnyvale, Pomona, Escondido, Torrance, Pasadena, Fullerton, Orange, Roseville, Visalia, Concord, Santa Clara, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Victorville, Vallejo, Berkeley, Fairfield, Carlsbad, El Monte, Murrieta, Temecula, Costa Mesa, Downey, Clovis, Antioch, Ventura, Richmond, Inglewood, Jurupa Valley, Santa Maria, Daly City, West Covina, Norwalk, San Mateo, Burbank, Rialto, El Cajon, Vista, Vacaville, Colorado, Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Pueblo, Centennial, Boulder, Greeley, Connecticut, Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Hartford, Waterbury, District of Columbia, Washington, Florida, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Port St. Lucie, Tallahassee, Cape Coral, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Miramar, Gainesville, Coral Springs, Clearwater, Palm Bay, Miami Gardens, Pompano Beach, West Palm Beach, Lakeland, Davie, Georgia, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Athens, Sandy Springs, Honolulu, Idaho, Boise, Meridian, Illinois, Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Elgin, Peoria, Indiana, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Iowa, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Kansas, Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Olathe, Topeka, Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, Louisiana, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Maryland, Baltimore, Massachusetts, Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, Michigan, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Clinton, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Mississippi, Jackson, Missouri, Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia, Independence, Montana, Billings, Nebraska, Omaha, Lincoln, Nevada, Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, North Las Vegas, Sparks, New Hampshire, Manchester, New Jersey, Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Edison, Woodbridge, New Mexico, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse, North Carolina, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston–Salem, Fayetteville, Cary, Wilmington, High Point, North Dakota, Fargo, Ohio, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Broken Arrow, Oregon, Portland, Salem, Eugene, Gresham, Hillsboro, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Rhode Island, Providence, South Carolina, Charleston, Columbia, North Charleston, South Dakota, Sioux Falls, Tennessee, Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Texas, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Plano, Laredo, Lubbock, Garland, Irving, Amarillo, Grand Prairie, McKinney, Frisco, Brownsville, Pasadena, Killeen, McAllen, Mesquite, Midland, Denton, Waco, Carrollton, Round Rock, Abilene, Pearland, Richardson, Odessa, Sugar Land, Beaumont, College Station, Lewisville, League City, Tyler, Wichita Falls, Allen, San Angelo, Utah, Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Virginia, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Newport News, Alexandria, Hampton, Washington, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Renton, Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha). Edarabia strives to offer the latest updates, helping you find the best schools in the United States. with information on tuition fees, accreditation details, videos, photos, location map, community reviews, and ratings.

Edarabia showcases all private schools in United states through which parents can filter by tuition fees, curriculum, rankings & ratings. There are many public, private and charter schools near you that cater to both expat and local students.

Depending on the level of education; kindergartens (pre-schools), primary, secondary and high schools will all have varying tuition fees. Most K-12 schools offer different curriculums and extra-curricular activities to support the intellectual and physical wellbeing of students. Admissions for the top international schools in United states tend to have waiting lists so it is recommended that parents apply well in advance to secure a spot for their children. Additionally, each school has ratings based on parent reviews and are ranked below accordingly.