Expats moving to the US with children will want to find the best school for their child and must attend until they have turned 18. The schools in the country offer different types of educational systems and divisions into elementary, middle and high school. All of these schools prepare students for higher education especially in boarding schools.
American schools may vary in quality, learning opportunities and also educational programs. There isn’t a national standard for the schools and each US states are allowed to come up with their own standards. For this reason, expats should do their research in detail and look at schools which are close by you. You also have the option to choose to send your children to public school, private school, international school or even home schooling. Many parents prefer home schooling and this is legal with some restrictions.
The school system is divided into three levels:
Elementary school: Kindergarten to grade 5 – Children for up to the age of six
Middle School: Grade 6 to Grade 8 – Children will be taught more subjects and have special classes in literature, maths, history and science.
High School: Grade 9 to Grade 12 – Allows children to get ready for college and scholarships. Courses are offered which provide opportunities for children to take steps into a field of their own choice.
The schooling system in the US has 12 grades and sometimes children will have one year of kindergarten before they begin their first grade. The school day starts between 7.30am – 9.30 and finishes around 2.30-3.30pm.
Public Schools
Expats, who take their children along to the USA, will qualify to attend a public school in the area that they live in. The process to get children into a public school is fairly straight forward and is funded by property taxes and majority of the schools in the cities will have better facilities.
Admission into a public school is free but there will be other fees connected to this, including purchasing books, equipment and uniforms. Fees will vary in the different states and schools.
The standard of the public schools in the USA vary in states and cities. However for expats admitting their children into a public school will have their own benefits
- Minimal costs: Public school fees are less than private and international schools
- The school which your child is admitted in can depend on where you live. So your child will be able to attend a school which is closer to your home allowing them to interact with the local children who are their age.
Children will also be able to mix with a wider and representative community of American children.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are funded by additional donations from a variety of private sources and don’t receive as much funding as public schools do. Majority of these schools are founded and opened by teachers, parents or non-profit organisations. There are fewer rules from the state meaning that they can provide a specialised curriculum.
Sending children to charter schools is one of the popular options that expats choose, however applications can take a lot of time. Due to this they use admission lotteries so that children being allocated a place in the school are fair.
Magnet Schools
A free public elementary and secondary school which covers important areas of the curriculum like Science technology, engineering, international studies, world languages, maths and performing arts as well as other subjects being taught.
There is no entry criteria for children to get admitted into one of these schools but children should have an interest and talents which are better taught in this school with more of a focus on one of the subjects.
Some magnet schools have a computer based lottery system for admission whereas talented and gifted magnets use student assessment scores and recommendations to select the students they want.
Private Schools
A private school in the United States has more funds which offer more elective courses as well as after- school activities. Once children have completed grade 12, they will receive a high school diploma allowing them admission to college or university.
Private schools can be expensive and for this reason can afford a better curriculum and opportunities for their students. More support will also be offered to students with special needs.
To secure a place in a private school expat children are not required to be living in the same area as private schools have their own on board facilities.
Expats must also be aware that there is a lot of competition for private schools and they can be quite selective when it comes to choosing and accepting their students.
In some states, there will be religious private schools which are generally cheaper and they are willing to accept children from different faiths.
International Schools
International schools in the USA follow the same curriculum as home countries. Therefore if you are an expat who will be staying in the country for a few years and not permanently this will be a good place to send your child.
International schools are located in all of the USA’s major cities, New York, Boston, Washington DC and Los Angeles.
Students who are admitted in an international school can be taught in English and a foreign language. However, you should be aware that expats will need to apply for an international school as soon as possible due to the long waiting lists.
Home Schooling
Children being home schooled is now very popular in the country and expats have this option for their children available. Homeschooling offers flexibility and it may provide a normal atmosphere for children especially if new to the country as well as studies meeting an individual child’s needs.
Expat parents must contact the state curriculum to ensure that their child covers all the subjects which are required. Private tutors may be hired and some parents even choose to teach their own child.
Colleges
Once high school has been completed, students are required to go to college. There are many community colleges in the USA which allow students to an associate degree after two years of study, which is a lower cost than at going to a college for four years.
Some courses provided by community colleges include: Secretarial training, Auto Mechanics, Medical Technology and much more. As well as this, there are courses available which allow students to go to a four year institute after the associate degree has been completed.
Expats will come across colleges which allow students to complete a bachelor’s degree or in a few instances a master’s degree. These colleges are privately owned and run which are smaller in size compared to community college
Depending on what state you are living in, the prices for attending college is different. The price starts from $5,000 to over $50,000 a year. This amount that will be paid does cover costs for books, personal expenses as well as tuition. The expensive schools are residential schools, where expat students will live in a dorm room for one to three years.
Students who don’t have citizenship or permanent residency in the USA will be automatically considered as an international student. When applying for college as an international student, expats will be required to apply for a student visa and provide proof that they are able to pay the fees.
Student Visas
To apply for a student visa, it is now more difficult than before and the application process is long. Expats should remember that the application process will take time so all information does have to be researched.
Students who are not permanent or not a citizen in the country, will need to fill out the I-20 application form from the college they have been accepted at, this will then need to be taken to the embassy where they are able to apply for the correct visa. Please note there will be extra fees for this.
When applying for the visa, students must be able to prove that they can pay for tuition and are able to support themselves as well as showing a statement of finances. If students are unable to show this they will be eligible to apply for financial aid.
Student Visa Requirements:
- Students are required to submit an I-20 form, which will be provided by the college you have been accepted from
- Complete a US Visa application form (DS-156 with DS-158)
- Students will need to conduct an interview at the embassy consulate
- Valid passport with a validity date of at least six months ahead of your stay
- One 2×2 photo
- MRV fee receipt which shows payments of the visa fee
- Documents and Diplomas from other colleges that have been attended
- Test scores required by education institution
- Financial evidence to show sufficient funds which will cover tuition and living expenses
- Proficient in English or enrolled onto an English course
Financial aid can be accessed through federal programs but these can be limited to citizens and residents of the country as the programs are covered by the US taxes. For this reason international students will not be able to apply for financial aid.
International students are therefore advised to apply to the college that have accepted them , some of these may have an unlimited foreign financial aid budget so this will determine if the student will get admission in that college.
Universities
There are many Universities around country which do bachelor degrees as well as masters and doctoral degrees. Universities and colleges can offer the same degree subjects but expats choose to go to a university as these are bigger, have more facilities and there are much more students.
Universities are well financed and have scholarships or financial aid which is available to the students. Expats should check with the government if their child can apply for financing.