There is no national system of higher education in the U.S. Each state is responsible for the regulation of its institutions of higher learning, both public and private. External review of colleges and universities for quality assurance and quality improvement is carried out by nonprofit organizations.
Public (or state) universities are founded by U.S. state governments. They offer a wide range of academic programs and enroll tens of thousands of students. Most offer graduate and professional degrees as well as undergraduate degrees. Public institutions are funded by the states in which they are located, by tuition (which is lower for in-state students), public and private research grants and gifts.
Most private (independent) colleges and universities enroll fewer than 3,000 students and focus on undergraduate teaching although many also offer graduate degrees. Classes are usually small, and there are many opportunities for interaction between students and faculty. Whether they are secular or affiliated with a religious denomination, independent colleges are explicit about their values, and have a b sense of community. Tuition is higher than in-state tuition at public institutions, but most students receive some form of financial aid.
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
Students in the US in their first 4 years are called undergraduates, and are pursuing Bachelor degrees. Undergraduate programs are highly flexible, allowing students to choose a variety of courses and create their own unique program of study. In addition to coursework in a major field, students are required to take a number of courses in the arts, humanities, languages, and the social and physical sciences. Most students are also able to take elective courses.
After completing the B.A./B.S. (and often after working for a couple of years), those who wish to pursue further studies apply to graduate school. Graduate programs, which are much more specialized than undergraduate programs, lead to a master’s degree (usually after four semesters) or a Ph.D. after further course work and a dissertation. Professional programs such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary science and law are offered at the graduate level only, although undergraduates take “pre-med” or “pre-law” courses to prepare for further study.
Note: Medicine and dentistry are closed to ISEP students. Law school courses are usually not open, but you may find courses in other departments that are usually part of the Law curriculum in your country.
US Course Catalogues usually assign a course number by level:
100 – 199: first year (“Freshman”)
200 – 299: second year (“Sophomore”)
300 – 399: third year (“Junior”)
400 – 499: fourth year (“Senior”)
500 and above: graduate level
Access to Graduate Programs through ISEP
ISEP students are usually admitted to U.S. universities as “special” or “non-degree” and take undergraduate courses. Qualified students may be able to take graduate courses. Please note:
- About half of ISEP institutions only accept undergraduate students.
- Admission to graduate study usually requires 4 years of university but may be possible after 3 years.
- GMAT scores may be required for business and GRE scores for other subjects; TOEFL requirements may be higher.
- It is easier to be admitted as an undergraduate, but you should not expect to be able to change your status to graduate-level once you arrive.
- Some courses are open to final-year undergraduates and first-year graduate students; you may be able to take such courses.
- Some ISEP institutions may allow you to purse a full graduate (master’s) degree. See the Directory.
If you qualify for admission, you may be able to earn a graduate degree on an ISEP exchange. Admission to a graduate degree program is separate from the ISEP placement and is your responsibility. Moreover, ISEP cannot assure students placement at any particular institution, even if they have been accepted to a graduate degree program there.
If you are already participating on an ISEP program and then admitted to a graduate degree program and your home institution approves, ISEP may be able to extend your exchange for another academic year.
See the US Country Handbook for more information on US Higher Education >>