The United States of America, also known as the USA, the US or America, is one of the most popular destinations for international students. The US has one of the largest education systems in the world. This makes it a powerhouse of international education and research. From Hollywood, to some of the world’s most prominent technology companies, the country’s influence is seen and felt globally.
With around 4,500 higher education institutions, all providing world-class degree programmes, it is no wonder that just over 1.1 million international students choose the US as their study destination each year. Higher education is delivered in institutions referred to as colleges, which are split into two main types. Public colleges are state-funded, have lower tuition fees and a larger capacity for students. Private colleges are funded by donations, tuition fees and grants, meaning that they have higher tuition fees, but fewer students. Many of the colleges or universities in the US are leaders in numerous ranking tables. This means that a qualification earned at a US institution will be highly regarded by employers worldwide. In the 2019 QS World University rankings, the US has 5 institutions in the top 10. It also occupies 33 spots in the top 100. The highest ranked university is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which takes first place. It is followed by Stanford University and Harvard University in second and third place respectively.
